Now available on digital platforms is the latest film release from Pixar, Elemental. The film will be released on Blu-ray, DVD and Ultra 4K on September 26, 2023.
The film features the voice talents of Leah Lewis, Mamoudou, Catherine O’Hara, and Wendi McLendon-Covey, to name a few.
Normally I write my own synopsis of a film I review, but I think I’ll go with the official one this time around
Elemental is an original feature film set in Element City, where residents of Fire, Water, Earth and Air live together. The story introduces Ember, a tough, quick-witted and fiery young woman, whose friendship with a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in.
Directed by Peter Sohn (The Good Dinosaur, Partly Cloudy short), and produced by Denise Ream (The Good Dinosaur, Cars 2), Elemental features a screenplay by John Hoberg and Kat Likkel and Brenda Hsueh.
First and foremost the animation blew my mind. It’s amazing just how far animation has come in just a few short years. It’s almost doesn’t seem like animation. Things look like they are real. The characters don’t necessarily look like real people, but the background and other elements look like the real thing.
As with any Pixar movie, the animation never fails to impress. I was in awe of it.
I first thought this film was going to be a “Romeo and Juliet” like story. After all, Ember is fire and Wade is water. It’s impossible for the two to come together without Ember turning Wade into steam and making him disappear, or Wade putting Ember out, and she too would disappear. That didn’t stop them from becoming friends and soon a bit more.
As I was watching this film I picked up some topics facing people in real life, such as looking down on other “races” and not wanting anything to do with them. For example, Ember and her family were not welcomed in the big city because they are fire and the other elements see the fire people as bad news. That is why all the fire people ended up on the outskirts of the city. I guess in a way it’s like racism.
The relationship between Ember and Wade I suppose could be seen as an interracial thing, as well as “Romeo and Juliet.”
The writers definitely put a lot of thought into the storyline. I would have never expected it. Adults will see what is going on in the background where children will just see a funny story about a fire girl and a watery boy trying to figure out what is causing water to leak into Ember’s father’s store’s basement. The story goes much deeper than the two main characters unconventional relationship.
I also love and appreciate the attention to details, right down to the tiniest thing. For example, a neighborhood boy who happens to be a tree who crushes on Ember. He’s only a kid (she’s older), but he tries to impress her by showing her that he sprouts a flower under his arm, just like how a boy hitting puberty would sprout hair under his arm. It’s an odd detail, but it just shows how much thought was put into this film.
I wouldn’t say it was one of my favorite Disney or Pixar films. I like other ones better, but I still found this film very entertaining. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the trailer below and look at how amazing the animation is.
I have an Elemental themed activity package you can download for FREE. The activity package contains coloring pages, dot-to-dot, mazes and much more.
You can download the activity packet here – ELEMENTAL ACTIVITY PACK
There is also plenty of bonus content you might want to check out.
Bonus Features*
Short Film
- Carl’s Date – Written and directed by Academy Award® nominee and Emmy® Award winner Bob Peterson and produced by Kim Collins, this all-new short, “Carl’s Date,” finds Carl reluctantly agreeing to go on a date with a lady friend —but admittedly with no idea how dating works these days. Ever the helpful friend, Dug steps in to calm Carl’s pre-date jitters and offer some tried-and-true tips for making friends — if you’re a dog. “Carl’s Date” opened in theaters in front of Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental.”
Featurettes
- Ember and Wade – Take a deeper look at the development of main characters Ember and Wade, from early designs to final effects, and learn how the complex work of the technical and character teams brought these characters to life.
- Next Stop: Element City – Explore how Element City is built to accommodate its different inhabitants. Director Peter Sohn and crew members share insights about the evolution of the designed world, as well as some of the research that inspired its unique look.
- Paths to Pixar: The Immigrant Experience – Hear from first-generation filmmakers on the Elemental crew as they share their journeys to Pixar. Discover how Elemental’s real-world themes of sacrifice and identity, amongst many others, reflect or diverge from their own lived experiences.
Deleted Scenes
Director Peter Sohn introduces five scenes that are storyboarded, set to music, timed, and voiced, but are not included in the final version of Elemental.
- Intro Ember – An alternate opening in which our hero Ember helps a newly immigrated Fire family navigate through, and acclimate to, Element City. Scene introduced by director Peter Sohn.
- Mom Rejects Wade – Ember’s traditional parents learn that she’s enamored with watery Wade…and it doesn’t go well. Scene introduced by story supervisor Jason Katz.
- Dante Challenge – In an attempt to keep Ember apart from Wade, Bernie tasks her with finding a place to live for newcomer Dante, who Wade finds himself rather enamored with. Scene introduced by story artist Nira Liu.
- Brook Dinner – Ember joins Wade for dinner at his home, in this abandoned storyline in which Wade’s mother, Brook, is revealed to be the villain diverting water into Firetown. Scene introduced by story artist Anna Benedict.
- Beach Proposal – Sharing a tender moment on the beach, Ember and Wade propose marriage to each other. Scene introduced by story artists Yung-Han Chang and Le Tang.
Audio Commentary
- Elemental Filmmaker Commentary – Join director Peter Sohn, supe tech Sanjay Bakshi, supervising animator Mike Venturini, and directing animator Gwendelyn Enderoglu as they provide insight into the making of this remarkable animated feature while you watch it.
*bonus features vary by product and retailer
Don’t forget to check the film out on social media too!
Social Media
Twitter: @pixarelemental
Facebook: @PixarElemental
Instagram: @pixarelemental
#Elemental
Did you see Elemental? If so, what did you think about of the film? Feel free to comment and share your thoughts. I always love to hear from readers.
Kimberly
*I received a free digital copy of this film in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.