Pixar’s films in the 2020’s so far have mostly not reached the same status as some of their classics. The reason why is because most of their recent output is not going to hold up as much as a “Toy Story” and a “Monsters, Inc.”. “Soul” and “Turning Red” to me are their only films that are considered to be close to their classic movies. I am very glad to say that “Elemental” is up there with their classics and is their best since “Turning Red”.
We enter into a world called Element City. Two fire elements, Bernie and Cinder Lumen, immigrate from other elemental areas to the titular city because they got prejudice from other elements in other areas. Both parents are struggling to find a home. Eventually, they find their place, a store called the Fire Place, where they manage the titular store.
Later, they give birth to their daughter Ember, a fire element who has trouble controlling her temper. Bernie tells her that she can manage the store, but she must control her temper beforehand. All chaos breaks loose where in the Fire Place, Ember loses her temper, leading to breaking a water pipe in the store. This leaves her not just afraid of losing her job, but lacking her own confidence as a person. Soon, a water inspector named Wade checks the basement and is unsure to report the incident to his air element employer, Gale Cumulus.
Wade is then taken pity by Ember. At a football game, that is when Wade and Ember start their romantic relationship. However, they seem very unsure of how to love each other because water and fire elements do not mix. The whole film encompasses them learning about their own selves. In conjunction with the romance, Ember is feeling a major lack of confidence in herself, making Wade understanding where she is coming from.
“Elemental” is truly Pixar’s answer to ’90’s rom-com flicks. There are your comic reliefs. There are your supportive parents. There is a youthful energy with Ember’s first time dating Wade. Pixar incorporates all of these qualities and put their signature heartfelt bow onto it.
The fact that Sod, one of the films comic reliefs, is marketed more than the film’s heart is such a crime.
Granted, this film is full of cliches from Pixar’s past efforts including giving personification to inanimate objects like in “Toy Story”, but as it’s own movie, it really hit home.
There are certain emotional beats in this movie that succeed more than some of their early films (Case in point: “Monsters, Inc.”). With how Ember deals with anger issues, romance, and encountering customers, it can really relate to a lot of people alike. There is also Ember’s lack of self-confidence that occurs throughout the film. It shows that every day, we can not always be the best versions of ourselves. Pixar has always nailed relatable scenarios in films; the trouble of moving in “Inside Out” in particular.
Thomas Newman’s sitar-driven score has Thomas Newman written all over it, plus LAUV’s original song “Steal the Show” is an absolute bop of a tune.
Leah Lewis as the short-fused Ember Lumen elicits really great work here. Mamoudou Athie is absolutely wonderful here as Wade. You feel so much ounces for how much he cares for Ember’s state of mind. Pixar animator Ronnie del Carmen does a really strong job playing Ember’s strict, but loving father, Bernie.
Not every joke here works, but there is a decent amount of Tartakovsky-esque humor including a scene where Wade eats hot food for the first time.
Just like almost every recent Pixar film, this film is not going to match some of their early films’ aspects. “Elemental” does not have the expansive world building of “Monsters, Incorporated”. “Elemental” surely does not have the genius writing of “Coco”. Peter Sohn is no Pete Docter nor John Lasseter when it comes to directing a great Pixar movie. Sohn’s “The Good Dinosaur” was a solid film, but lacked a ton of personality from Pixar’s best. However, “Elemental” feels like a completely different breed compared to “The Good Dinosaur”.
This film not just succeeds as a romantic comedy, but as a movie about understanding your own independence and how your life cannot always depend on your parents.
