Pixar’s "Elemental" a must-see
Elemental is Pixar’s newest animated movie set in a world where air, fire, water, and earth are personified. Each element comes from a homeland and some of these elements live together in Element City. A story about immigration, family burdens, and interracial elements, Pixar conveys these complicated stories in a bittersweet romance between fire elemental Ember and her water elemental boyfriend Wade.
Ember is the daughter of two immigrants from Fireland who moved to Element City to offer her a better life. Ember’s parents run a convenience store called the Fireplace and host a blue flame in their store that represents their heritage and traditions from their homeland. Their ever-growing daughter Ember is expected to eventually take over the Fireplace so her father may retire. However, with this expectation comes heavy burdens that influence Ember’s temper to fluctuate and affect how ready she is to take over.
On the other hand, Wade was raised in Element City and comes from a talented, kindhearted, and well-established family. However, Wade suffers from a lack of self-confidence and flooding emotions influenced by his inability to keep a stable job. Much like Ember, he faces the expectations of his parents through minor mentions of his late father, who did not approve of his life choices.
To add to their familiar struggles, Ember and Wade are forced to see the aggression between elements. Ember’s father openly dislikes any water elements, while both earth and water elements show an inherent fear of fire elements that can boil or burn them. Fire elements also show an inherent fear of the water elements that can put them out and of air elements that can affect the air that allows them to burn.
Wade and Ember are forced to fight these perceptions and work together; however, they discover a secret that could lead to serious consequences for both Fire Town and the Fireplace. Together they save Firetown, fall in love, and find who they are and who they want to be without the influence of their families or the outside world’s stereotypes.
With beautiful animation and a heart-wrenching story, Elemental is an enjoyable experience for adults and kids alike. For me, on a score of 10, the movie sits at a solid eight.