Genre: Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Kids & Family
Directed by Peter Sohn
Produced by Denise Ream
Story by Peter Sohn, John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, Brenda Hsueh
Written by John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, Brenda Hsueh
Voice by Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey & Catherine O’Hara.
Cinematography: David Bianchi, Jean-Claude Kalache
Edited by Stephen Schaffer
Music by Thomas Newman
Production companies: Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios, Motion Pictures
The plot: In a city where fire, water, land, and air residents live together, a fiery young woman and a go-with-the-flow guy discover something elemental: how much they actually have in common.
I didn’t like Elemental that much.
Pros: The animation style looks good as always. I like the moment where wade swallowed hot cucumbers so he can make bubbles and I was touched by the messaged of “following your own path” and the short revolving UP’s Carl and Dug was terrific.
Cons: I interest for this movie was not there. The premise feels like the same as other Pixar movies and all the puns wasn’t all that funny.
The Casts:
- Leah Lewis as Ember Lumen, a tough, quick-witted fire element who loves working at her family’s convenience store in Fire Town, but has trouble controlling her explosive temper. If she touched water, she would be extinguished, so she holds an umbrella to guard herself. Ember is described as “relatable and likable, not scary and terrifying”. Lewis was chosen due to her role in The Half of It (2020).
- Clara Lin Ding as young Ember
- Reagan To as teenage Ember
- Mamoudou Athie as Wade Ripple, a fun, sappy water element who is making his own choices and works as an inspector living in Element City. In terms of his density and movement, Wade is a lot heavier, and his body is more fluid and wavy than Ember’s body is. He is described as “very emotional and cries at the drop of a hat”. Athie based his performance on his own ability to cry.
- Ronnie del Carmen as Bernie Lumen, Ember’s father, Cinder’s husband, and owner of their family’s convenience store in Fire Town who plans to retire to allow his daughter to run the convenience store. He is distrustful of water elements.
- Shila Ommi as Cinder Lumen, Ember’s mother and Bernie’s wife who is also distrustful of water elements.
- Wendi McLendon-Covey as Gale Cumulus, an air element with a big personality and Wade’s employer. Her surname is not included in the film’s credits, but it is mentioned by Fern Grouchwood.
- Catherine O’Hara as Brook Ripple, Wade, Alan and Lake’s widowed mother and Harold’s sister who is very welcoming to Ember in a luxury apartment building.
- Mason Wertheimer as Clod, a young, street-smart earth element and the Lumens’ neighbor who has a crush on Ember.[11] Wertheimer made his feature film debut following the mockumentary podcast series Past My Bedtime (2022).
- Ronobir Lahiri as Harold, Brook’s brother and Wade and Alan’s uncle.
- Wilma Bonet as Flarrietta, one of the customers at the Fireplace.
- Joe Pera as Fern Grouchwood, an overgrown earth element bureaucrat who works at City Hall.
- Matt Yang King as:
- Alan Ripple, Wade’s older brother, Lake’s oldest sibling and Eddy’s husband.
- Lutz, an avid airball player who plays for the Windbreakers at Cyclone Stadium.
- Earth Pruner
- Jeff LaPensee as Sparkler Customer
- Ben Morris as Wood Immigration Official. His name pin and the subtitles of the film’s promotional campaign reveal his name to be C. C. Stump.
- Jonathan Adams as Flarry, one of the customers at the Fireplace.
- Alex Kapp as:
- Customer
- Delivery Person
- Earth Landlord
- P.L. Brown as Doorman
Although they were credited as “additional voices”, other members of Wade’s family appear in the film including:
- Innocent Onanovie Ekakitie as Marco and Polo Ripple, two of Wade’s nephews.
- Krysta Gonzales as Eddy Ripple, Alan’s wife and Wade and Lake’s sister-in-law.
- Ava Kai Hauser as Lake Ripple, Wade and Alan’s youngest siblings and Ghibli’s love interest. Elemental was noted for introducing Pixar’s first non-binary character.
- Maya Aoki Tuttle as Ghibli, Lake’s girlfriend.
Other additional voices in the film include Dylan Buccieri, Assaf Cohen, Jessica DiCicco, Terri Douglas, Karen Huie, Arif S. Kinchen, Austin Madison, Cole Massie, Scott Menville, Alisha Mullally, Fred Tatasciore, Kari Wahlgren, and Secunda Wood.
I still recommend giving this film a chance.
Rating: 2 OUT OF 5 Stars
Ryan Balkwill:
Resident film reviewer,
Level Best Art Cafe