After six years without major success, the Disney animation studio is expected to turn the corner with the theatrical release of its 27th feature film. Visually close to “Vice-Versa”, it tells an impossible love story between two incompatible elements, water and fire.
Long considered the creme de la creme of animation cinema, Pixar has found itself in the trough of the wave in recent years. From the sublime coconut in 2017, the studio acquired by Disney found itself deprived of theatrical release for three of its films (Drunk, Luke, Red alert), before signing an intergalactic failure with Buzz Lightning in 2022. The stakes are therefore high for Elementary, screened at the end of the last Cannes Film Festival and particularly awaited at the turn before its theatrical release on June 21, 2023.
The story takes place in Element City, a city where characters embodying fire, water, earth and air coexist, despite certain natural incompatibilities. Flam, a young woman with a fiery temperament, works at her parents’ shop. While her father wants to retire and pass the torch to her, she meets Flack, an “aquatic” boy. A connection is then established between the two antagonistic elements, who will quickly develop feelings for each other.
A great first love story
Renowned for his masterpieces like Toy Story, The world of Nemo Or Ratatouille, Pixar had so far mainly explored the themes of friendship and family. Aside from the platonic romance between the two robots in Wall-E, love had never been so much at the heart of the plot in the 26 previous feature films from the American studio. The relationship between Flam, impulsive and angry, and Flack, sentimental and sensitive, makes both waves and sparks, and we have fun observing the attitudes and movements of the two heroes to never come into direct contact.
In this futuristic city reminiscent like two drops of water the megalopolis of zootopia, Pixar once again shows all its know-how in terms of animation. Between dazzling colors and light effects, the staging of the various elements is teeming with visual details – including many references to other films in the franchise – but also sound. The remarkably rhythmic music of composer Thomas Newman (Finding Dory, 007: Skyfall…) breathes a beautiful energy into the film, which is far from always the case in Pixar.
Pixar-style double reading
Smart and modern, Elementary takes up the recipe that made the success of its elders: a story within the reach of children with deeper messages in the background, intended to reach adults. This feature film by Peter Sohn (Arlo’s Journey) humorously integrates the famous “double reading” through mischievously naughty dialogues: the “you are hot” from Flack to Flam and the session “stripping” earthy characters will make adults smile… and go unnoticed by children.
In video, the interview of the French voices Adèle Exarchopoulos and Vincent Lacoste:
The Korean-born director also injected some of his personal story into his film to convey a message of tolerance to universal values: “JI want to show that it is possible to make elements that have very different origins and characteristics live in harmony”. explains Peter Sohn to franceinfo. Without reaching the depth of Vice versa in terms of emotion despite their family resemblance, Elementary visually enchants and seduces with its intelligent writing and elegant simplicity. Thus putting Pixar back on the front of the animation scene.
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The sheet
Gender : animation, comedy, family
Director: Peter Sohn
French voice: Adele Exarchopoulos, Vincent Lacoste
Country : UNITED STATES
Duration : 1h42
Exit : June 21, 2023
Distributer : The Walt Disney Company
Summary: In the city of Element City, fire, water, earth and air live in the most perfect harmony. This is where Flam resides, an intrepid and quick-witted young woman with a strong character, and Flack, a sentimental and amusing boy, rather a follower at heart. Their friendship challenges Flam’s beliefs about the world they live in…