Korean-born American animator, director, and voice actor Peter Sohn, known for his work on numerous Pixar films including The Good Dinosaur, Ratatouille, Monsters University, and more, steps behind the Pixar “camera” again for the company’s all-new, original feature film called Elemental.

Pixar has always been known for its masterful storytelling and stunning animation, but this latest offering falls short of that usual brilliance. Far short! While the breathtaking imagery is up to par and always captivates our attention, it sadly overpowers the weak storytelling which takes on too many themes yet never hits with a single one.

There’s no denying that Elemental is a visual feast for the eyes. The vibrant colors, intricate details, and seamless animation create a world that is undeniably beautiful. The film's depiction of the four elements - earth, fire, water, and air - is nothing short of awe-inspiring. In addition, the film’s attention to detail is evident in every frame, and it's hard not to be swept away by the sheer artistry on display.

As expected with a Pixar film, the film's central characters, each representing one of the elements, are beautifully designed and visually distinct. The way their powers are portrayed on screen is undeniably impressive. The earth character's ability to shape mountains, the fire character's blazing inferno, the water character's fluid movements, and the air character's graceful flight all contribute to the film's visual spectacle. However, I still can’t shake the weirdness of it all. It’s a huge stretch to anthropomorphize our classical elements, no matter how well visualized, and I have a hard time believing kids will find humor in any of it. Instead of funny, it’s just strange.

The story follows Ember Lumen (Leah Lewis), a 20-something hot-headed Fire woman with an independent streak and a habit for losing her cool at times. As the child of immigrants, Ember is made aware how much her family sacrificed to provide her with a better life. She tries hard to impress them and hopes to eventually prove herself worthy of taking over the family’s fireplace business.

Those plans meet an obstacle, however, when Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie), a go-with-the-flow Water guy, steps into her life. A mother’s boy not afraid to show his emotions, Wade will cry buckets of tears at a diaper commercial. In other words. Ember and Wade are polar opposites. You get one guess where this is going.

The main conceit here is, of course, that opposites attract. But any physical contact would mean the end of them both. Wade will boil into a cloud of vapor and Ember will be immediately extinguished. It’s a forbidden love between two people with differing backgrounds and opposing cultures. They must find a way to love one another in spite of all the opposing forces.

If it sounds familiar, that’s because it is. This is Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in Pixar clothing.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with that. However, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that the stunning imagery receives more attention than the narrative which is over stuffed with more than a dozen worthy concepts and themes such as following your dreams, the balance of nature, the interconnectedness of all things, respecting one’s heritage, understanding our parents as people, awkward relationships, acceptance of those who are different, cultural exclusion, and more. All valid motifs for sure, but far too many for single film.

In the end, while Elemental showcases Pixar's technical aptitude and artistic brilliance, it ultimately falls short of delivering the truly satisfying and memorable experience we expect from a Pixar film. I’m not going to call this the worst of all Pixar films. Cars 2 holds that distinction. But I will proclaim that Bob Peterson’s Pixar short, Carl’s Date, was far better than the main feature.

Home Video Distributor: Disney/Buena Vista
Available on Blu-ray - September 26, 2023
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1; English: DTS-HD HR 5.1; English: Dolby Digital 2.0; French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; two-disc set; DVD copy
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Disney/Pixar gets down to the basics with a blu-ray + DVD + Digital Code edition of its latest film called Elemental.

Though listed as available for purchase are a Best Buy Steelbook, an Ultimate Collector's Edition 4K UHD, an Ultimate Collector's Edition 4K UHD Lenticular cover, and a Wal-mart exclusive edition, good luck finding any of those.

At the time of this publication, the only format available for purchase was the above-mentioned blu-ray + DVD + Digital Code edition. All we can say is stay tuned for the coming double-triple-quadruple dip.

However, unless you really love the film, we can save you a lot of money. Elemental is not a good movie. In fact, it's bottom tier Pixar fare at best so we can't recommend adding this one to your collection.

Video

There's nothing lacking with regards to the AVC encoded 1080p 1.85:1 transfer that sets the screen on fire with vivid colors that span the entire range from the dark greens and earthy browns of the Earth elements to the bright reds and yellows of Ember's flames. This is truly a feast for the eyes that will put your home theater system to the test. Those with calibrated monitors and high-end equipment can demo this for friends and family to show them what hi-def is all about. Can't wait to get our hands on the 4K UHD version.

Audio

Featuring English language DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, DTS-HD HR 5.1, and Dolby Digital 2.0 tracks, Elemental is a spectacular treat for the ears as the experience is totally immersive with surrounds and rears getting plenty of action. The bustling street and city scenes are particularly lively and will have your home theater rocking and rolling.

Also included are a French language Dolby Digital 5.1 and a Spanish language Dolby Digital 5.1 track with English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles.

Supplements:

Though we wouldn't call it packed with quantity of bonus content, that dearth is certainly made up for by the quality of the bonus items that total nearly 40 minutes, including the wonderful Pixar short Carl's Date and a feature-length commentary track.

Commentary:

• Feature-length audio commentary

Special Features:

• Carl's Date (07:49)

• Ember and Wade (10:15)

• Next Stop: Element City (10:13)

• Deleted Scenes (10:43)

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	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: PG.
Runtime: 109 mins
Director: Peter Sohn
Writer: John Hoberg; Kat Likkel; Brenda Hsueh
Cast: Leah Lewis; Mamoudou Athie; Ronnie Del Carmen
Genre: Comedy | Animated
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote:
Theatrical Distributor: Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures
Official Site: https://movies.disney.com/elemental
Release Date: June 16, 2023
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: September 26, 2023
Synopsis: Follows Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together.