Pixar still has the touch.
Although this wildly imaginative sci-fi fable is one of the animation studio’s goofiest, the story nonetheless is fueled by the essential element common to all of the best Pixar films: relatable human angst. Within minutes, our hearts ache for the title character (voiced by Yonas Kibreab): a lonely little boy still mourning the unexpected loss of his parents.
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| Since Elio is believed to be the official ambassador from the planet Earth, he's formally introduced to all the dignitaries in the celestial Communiverse. |
And, like any adolescent under such circumstances, he acts out: much to the consternation of his Aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña), in whose care the boy has been placed. A brilliant Air Force major who has put her career partially on hold, she hasn’t any clue about how to handle her rebellious nephew.
His head literally is in the stars. Convinced that he can’t possibly fit into his current environment, the space-obsessed boy repeatedly tries to make contact with extra-terrestrials, hoping that he can be “abducted by aliens” to a happier, more magical place. He comes by this fixation honestly; Olga is stationed at California’s coastal Montez Air Force Base, where she and her team monitor satellite and orbiting debris activity.
The story’s first quick-cut comedy shot — of Elio lying on a beach, surrounded by an abduction plea scooped in the sand — is hilarious.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the boy, in a galaxy far, far away ...
... various planetary dignitaries belonging to the benevolent Communiverse have long studied our Voyager 1 spacecraft, launched back in 1977 with its “golden record” that showcases Earth’s diversity via greetings, sounds and images. (Yep, there’s real science at the root of this saga.) They’re therefore primed when, through luck and happenstance, they intercept one of Elio’s ham radio messages.
And — poof! — he’s beamed light-years away, to the Communiverse.
Thanks to Ooooo (Shirley Henderson) — a liquid supercomputer that accommodates and assists species of all kinds who visit — and an amazing Universal User’s Manual, Elio is able to communicate with the strangest and most colorful assortment of aliens ever to grace the silver screen.
Their primary spokespeople are Ambassador Questa (Jameela Jamil), a 15-foot-tall leafy pink sea dragon who hails from the planet Gom; and Ambassador Helix (Brandon Moon), a purplish blob with prominent eyebrows, who hails from the planet Falluvinum.
They assume that Elio is Earth’s official ambassador, a belief the quick-witted boy chooses not to correct. (Goodness, no; he’s having too much fun!)
But deliberations for admitting Earth to the Communiverse are put on hold, while another candidate also is considered: the pompously overbearing, boastful and foul-tempered Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett), warlord ruler of the warrior planet Hylurg. When told that his world’s militarist nature isn’t in keeping with the cooperative benevolence of Communiverse members, Grigon reacts predictably ... by threatening to destroy everything.
Elio volunteers to negotiate. But although resourceful, his youth and inexperience ultimately stall mediation efforts. Matters go from bad to worse, until his chance encounter with Grigon’s blobby, razor-toothed, tender-hearted son, Glordon (Remy Edgerly).
The subsequent Boy’s Own Adventure, although breathlessly chaotic, becomes backdrop to the story’s key relationship, granting Elio what he needs most: a friend. A rather weird one, to be sure, but a friend nonetheless.
Elio’s nonstop intensity is matched by Glordon’s unrestrained enthusiasm. The two feed off each other’s energy; Kibreab and Edgerly have great fun with their characters’ rat-a-tat dialogue. Garrett also is marvelous as the blustering, easily enraged Grigon, and Saldaña grants Olga plenty of persuasive emotional angst. She loves Elio, but hasn’t the faintest idea how to connect with him.
Directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi pace what follows with the momentum of a rollercoaster, although quieter moments give us time to appreciate the meticulous care that went into creating the colorful aliens, and the curves and translucent surfaces of their richly detailed Communiverse setting. This film isn’t just fun for its story; it’s also a blast to look at.
(As revealed in the film’s background notes, production designer Harley Jessup was inspired by the tiny mushrooms, fungi, crystals and miniscule sea creatures revealed via microscopes and macro photography.)
The many imaginative touches are too numerous to cite — and I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun of discovery — but one deserves mention: Aunt Olga’s interactions with the not-quite-identical clone that has been sent to take Elio’s place on Earth, lest he be missed. This also proves key to helping Elio understand what’s truly important in life.
Crucial sidebar characters include the equally nerdy Bryce (Dylan Gilmer) and ill-mannered Caleb (Jake Getman), middle-schoolers often in Elio’s orbit (for better or worse); and geeky military contractor Gunther Melmac (Brendan Hunt), who leads his own amateur radio group, Masters of Ham.
The contrast between Elio’s Earthbound home and the Communiverse is deliberate. As befits life near and on a military base, everybody wears Air Force tan camouflage; Elio thus stands out not merely because of his restless nature, but also because he’s quirky and colorful.
The story’s key moral — alongside the obvious There’s No Place Like Home — reflects our tempestuous times: Humans and aliens, young and old, peacemakers and warlords, ultimately have more in common than anyone imagines.
Pixar has delivered another fun and thought-provoking winner.
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