Love has been interpreted in various ways over time. Older adults tap into the fountain of their youths. Hard-hearted monsters melt and become naive and innocent. Love can be an unexpected source of joy in difficult times. There is something heartwarming about animated films that are romcoms. Pixar’s latest addition to this genre is Elemental, a visually stunning tale that captivates its audience with its unique take on a classic romantic folklore.
Director: Peter Sohn
Cast: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Catherine O’Hara
Elemental revolves around two lovers, Ember Lumen, a fire element, and Wade Ripple, a water element. They both reside in the Elemental city, where all four elements coexist peacefully. While Ember has a quick temper, Wade is vulnerable and sensitive. Despite being polar opposites, love has a way of finding a home, and the duo embark on a journey to find a solution to the commotion they accidentally create in their world.
Element City is a vibrant and advanced metropolis that boasts a plethora of technicalities and a top-line infrastructure. Beneath the towering skyscrapers lies a shoreline rich with minerals. It is an incredible creation, and every time Ember absorbs the city’s vibrant colours or Wade creating rainbow-like ripples in water, we are enamoured by the fantastical beauty of this world. The visuals of the lovers soaring above Elemental City, their parachute creating a beautiful floral pattern on the ground, is just an example of how they are consistently mesmerising. Remember Zootopia? In a way, Ember and Wade might remind us of Judy and Nick. There is even a city officer named Fern, who is the equivalent of the sloth from Zootopia. Just like the 2016 Disney-Pixar film, Elemental too, has flawless animations that never fail to put a smile on our faces and charm our socks off.
While there is no doubt that the visual game is on point, Elemental needed a tad bit more authenticity in its core. The film renders a fable as old as time. We have seen many overt narratives of star-crossed lovers finding their happily ever afters, and Elemental, which follows a predictable meet-and-cute template, doesn’t really offer anything new on that front. Another disappointment is definitely the handling of woke themes. The film fails to maintain its stance on this aspect, even though the writing is heavily infused with allegories that hint at immigrant crises and interracial atrocities. The film effectively depicts the struggles of Ember’s father as an immigrant, even giving the family a language of their own. However, as the plot progressed, it failed to emphasise the importance of the message it was trying to convey. Considering how love is itself political, the film doesn’t do enough to address the prejudices.
The focus on just fire and water does away with the other fascinating elements of Elementals. An air element Gale Cumulus, who is Wade’s boss and an earth element named Clod, who tries to win Ember’s heart, are examples that would have made for interesting additions.
Despite building on a formulaic couture, the film maintains its appeal due to its impressive imagery and exceptional music. As the mesmerising score elevates the atmosphere, it is okay if your eyes tear up. Elemental asserts the importance of giving and accepting love. A love that embraces diversity and overcomes challenges. A love that warms the cockles of our hearts. A love that makes us almost forget the shortcomings of Elemental… After all, love is love, isn’t it?
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