When you think of decades-old, iconic animated characters like Woody and Buzz Lightyear, Sully and Mike Wazowski, and Nemo and Marlin, most people instantly think of The Walt Disney Company. In reality, Pixar Animation Studios, a subsidiary under the Disney umbrella, deserves credit for bringing some of these iconic characters and franchises to life. For millennials and younger, it’s hard to look back on your childhood without thinking of Pixar.
The studio’s films are often characterized by showcasing the best in animation for the time while offering stories that are heartfelt, humorous, and truly a joy for the entire family. It’s why so many of these films like Up (2009), WALL·E (2008), Toy Story (1995), and even The Incredibles (2004), have withstood the test of time even if the animation hasn’t.
Pixar films are written for everyone, even if the kids are the primary audience. It differs from newer family films like Illumination Entertainment’s Minions (2015) or The Secret Life of Pets (2016), which really only cater to the humor and attention span of younger audiences. It’s not a critique of these films, but rather, it’s a testament to the quality of Pixar films, past and present, for the most part.
When Disney was celebrating its 100th anniversary, Pixar released its 27th feature film with Elemental (2023) released in theaters on June 16, 2023. The film was directed by Peter Sohn, also known for directing The Good Dinosaur (2015), and made $496,444,308 at the worldwide box office. It actually had one of Pixar’s lowest opening weekends at the time, according to The Hollywood Reporter. However, thanks to positive reviews and strong word-of-mouth promotion, it performed moderately well overall. In fact, it was even nominated for an Oscar in 2024 for Best Animated Feature Film alongside Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), but both films lost to Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron (2023).
While recent Pixar films like Hoppers (2026), Turning Red (2022), and Luca (2021) received a ton of buzz and praise on social media, I actually think that Elemental (2023) tops them all, though I might be a minority in that. Let’s get into why.
Real stories in unreal worlds
Fire and water don’t generally mix. But what if they did? How about fire and earth?
Welcome to Element City, where all elements mix, sort of.
Elemental brings the elements of earth, fire, air, and water to life. These elements co-exist in what’s known as Element City, a hub where all are welcome and come together to thrive. Except, not exactly.
As one can imagine, not all elements are treated equally, and in this world, fire people are often shunned. The other elements all thrive together, but there is a fear that fire will wreak havoc and cause damage. So, when Ember, a woman whose temper matches her heat and voiced by Leah Lewis, meets Wade, a free-flowing water-guy voiced by Mamoudou Athie, it isn’t exactly love at first sight.
Ember is helping her father Bernie, voiced by Ronnie Del Carmen, run his shop in Firetown. Its a hustling, bustling one-stop shop for members of the community, and eventually, it will be inherited by Ember when she’s ready according to her father’s standards. The constant push of customers, however, sends Ember into a fit of rage in which her flame nearly demolishes the basement of the shop, which sets off the water pipes and accidentally sucks Wade, a city inspector, into the shop. Let’s just say, the shop isn’t up to code and a well-meaning Wade takes on more than he bargained for.
This incident places Ember’s father’s shop in danger of being shut down after the unexpected inspection, now the two must band together to save his life’s work. Along the way, they learn more about themselves and the way they interact, as well as the way the city responds to them. At its heart, it’s a story about love and learning to embrace other cultures, traditions, and ways of life. In the end, it all flows together if you’re willing to let it, pun intended.
You might even say it’s a “tale as old as time.” Wait, I might be thinking of the wrong Disney movie, but I digress.
The story paints a picture that many groups around the world can resonate with, playing on ideas of prejudice and bias and embracing each other’s differences. In fact, the director has shared that it really is a story based on his own life, coming from immigrant parents who left Korea for New York City.
It’s a film full of heart, and even if you can’t relate personally, you can really feel it through the storytelling.
Characters to care about
One thing I appreciate about films that turn the characters into real caricatures is that viewers can almost always find a character they resonate with.
Where Ember is all fire and passion, sometimes too much, Wade is relentless optimism and emotion. In the way that a river is constantly moving forward, so is Wade. The two characters, much like their elements, are polar opposites. It’s simple, but it really allows any viewers, especially younger ones, to get the essence of the characters without it feeling forced. It’s extremes, sure, but it doesn’t feel forced because it plays into what we would expect from a character made of fire and one of water.
It reminds me of Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008). We associate certain emotions or characteristics with elements naturally, so when Zuko starts off full of anger and hatred, it fits that he’s a firebender. It’s the same type of characterization we see in Elemental (2023). It makes it fun for adults to watch and easy for kids to follow.
Even outside of the main characters, each individual character of Element City feels entirely unique, no matter how little screen time they get. It adds another layor of heart and realism to a world that is entirely new.
Top-tier animation
So frequently I see film fans online complain about the color-grading in current films, and I get it. If you think film has become devoid of color, I’m begging you to watch animation again. There’s no better place to start than with Elemental (2023).
The film frequently finds ways to play with the elements and the way they interact, bringing together a fine blend of realism and fiction. For instance, there’s a scene where Ember shows Wade the light that reflects off her flames while he responds by skating across the water to produce a rainbow. I’m not sure about the science for either action, but it creates a beautiful scene that leans into strong animation capabilities.
There are also so many small details that will make you stop and say, “Oh, that was clever.” For instance, we get a quick scene of Ember sitting on her bed in which her pillow is a charred log. You only see it for a second; it isn’t important, but it’s just a funny nod to how this element-centric city operates. Even when Wade has an idea, it’s a thought bubble that is a literal bubble. It’s fun without being unnecessarily deep.
If the story and the voice acting feel too small for you, you certainly can’t complain about the animation in this film. It feels entirely fresh while also not deviating too far from Pixar’s usual quality. Though I’m not a film buff by any means, I do know that things like fire, lighting, and water texture are often more difficult to animate, so for the Pixar team to dive into it headfirst and embrace the challenge is certainly admirable.
Pun for the whole family
Elemental (2023) is really a great movie regardless of where you’re from, how you grew up, or how old you are. The vibrancy of the animation is immediately eye-catching, and you’re sure to fall in love with two wholly original characters in a world that I wish we could explore more.
It’s as clever as it is comforting. For me, it’s one of my favorite Pixar films that I always find myself recommending to friends or family who are simply looking to watch something fun, new, and endlessly entertaining.
Do you think Elemental (2023) is strong enough to stand alongside Pixar’s heavyweights, or does it remain in the shadow of the other franchises?
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