review: elemental

By @nadreviews

A still from "Elemental" (2023)

​Themes of immigration and acceptance are given vibrant exploration in Pixar’s “Elemental,” an immersive mix of fire and water elements to create a charming love story. From the mind of Peter Sohn, who had previously directed Pixar’s 2015 feaure “The Good Dinosaur,” “Elemental” traces Sohn’s personal experiences as an immigrant traveling from Korea to the United States. The story is set in the colorful world of Element City, which houses residents of earth, fire, water, and air. Each element group co-exists but keeps to themselves, technically due to the harm some could cause if mixed together. Pixar has an illustrious track record of telling heartfelt stories through layered metaphors, from puberty as a giant red panda in “Turning Red” to emotions as live characters in “Inside Out.” “Elemental” continues in the vein of high-concept creativity by personifying the four classical elements of nature. Each must work together in harmony for the world to survive, which drives home the strong emotional core “Elemental” lives in.
 
The story focuses on hot tempered fireball Ember (voiced by Leah Lewis), daughter of immigrants Bernie (voiced by Ronnie Del Carmen) and Cinder (voiced by Shila Ommi), who had moved into Firetown and turned their home into a store called The Fireplace. Since she was a little girl, Ember has helped her parents run the store. She stays close to home, much to her father’s delight. He dreams that one day she will take over The Fireplace and provide a future for her that he never had. But their cozy business is at risk of shutting down forever when a basement pipe bursts on a busy customer day, and a momentary flood introduces a watery Wade Ripple (voiced by Mamoudou Athie) into the picture. As it turns out, Wade is a city inspector, and his notes are not looking good for the future of The Fireplace. In an effort to save her family’s livelihood, Ember follows Wade outside of Firetown and toward the water-centric City Hall, to stop him from sending his notes to the higher-ups.
 
The idea of opposites attracting is a staple of the romantic comedy genre, and it is used to charming effect in “Elemental.” Ember and Wade, both witness to the widespread belief that fire and water do not go together, start to discover just how much they have in common. Her fiery passion and his nervous, sentimental temperament become a complimentary match. The film also incorporates sweet rom-com cues, from awkward dates and pickup lines, to meeting each other’s parents and learning valuable lessons. Adding spark to the characters’ blossoming relationship are terrific performances by Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie, whose vocal ranges bring out the humor and drama of a shared story. Their chemistry gives sincerity to the rom-com elements, and urgency to the moments of danger that they face together. While the romance itself feels a bit too sped up for the sake of plot, the emotions behind it are heartfelt and fun.
 
The film dually works as a moving story about immigrant families and their experiences arriving in a new city, full of dreams, only to be met with hostility. In Element City, the infrastructure is water-based, which drives Firetown on the outskirts where residents can live safely. The city “isn’t made with fire people in mind.” Fire people and their culture face prejudice and scorn. The depiction of such themes are extremely on-the-nose at times, but what resonates is how these subjects are worked into the story of a family following their dreams. The relationship between Ember and her father is an enormous source of the film’s heart. While he wants her to inherit The Fireplace, she carries anxiety about the prospect. Ember fears being honest with him about how her own dreams are different than his. Their dynamic gives the film an added layer of universal identity.
 
The visual language and soundscape of “Elemental” compliment the story wonderfully. The look of Element City mirrors a melting pot of different districts. The city is full of neat-looking designs, from waterfall skyscrapers and forest towers to a tornado-shaped stadium. Firetown also bursts with creative animation, with incorporation of warm colors and fire-based settings. Most impressively are the interactions between fire and water characters. From the flickers of heat to the transparency of fluids, the animation captures them in constant movement. Additionally, acclaimed composer Thomas Newman brings his familiar sounds to the film’s imaginary world, while also capturing human emotion. Newman creates one of his most experimental scores, full of crackling excitement, jazzy strings, and vocal chatters.
 
While “Elemental” can be heavy-handed at times, and the central romance feels rushed, the film is a funny and sweet story about generational expectations. The story shines through beautifully animated world-building, vivid voice work, and a resonating father-daughter relationship that strikes a chord close to home.