Elio movie review: All smiles, and then some

Elio particularly latches on to its message that “We may not be alone” and goes on to try everything he can to get the aliens to “abduct” him, including scrawling the message on sand. Given that Olga is an aspiring astronaut working on a space base, the inevitable is close at hand, and somehow Elio gets beamed up.

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The place where he lands is a kaleidoscope of luminescent colour, with creatures floating on their own or on what look like petals, having created a world called ‘Communiverse’, inhabited by “the most brilliant minds of the universe”. They presume Elio is one such and is “the leader of Planet Earth”. Elio, not really inclined to dispel the notion, soon finds himself swept into the conflict between this peaceful world and Lord Grigon (Garrett), who calls himself the Blood Emperor and is a metal-and-menace Marvel-lite creation.

Too many complications happen next, including cloning, and the themes the animation explores may be lost on children. Elio does strike a friendship with Grigon’s son Glordon (a wonderful Edgerly), but this too loses its way in the chaos unfolding between the many worlds.

Glordon’s apprehension that he is a disappointment to his ferocious father is ultimately the film’s sweetest. He seizes with glee Elio’s ploy to make him a “bargaining chip” against his father. “All I have ever been called till now is a liability, a burden,” Glordon says cheerfully.

Carl Sagan’s words ring out more than once in Elio. The search for alien life, he said, touches “the deepest of human concerns” – “Are we alone?” Often, we don’t have to look so far.

Elio movie cast: Voices of Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett, Shirley Henderson

Elio movie directors: Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi

Elio movie rating: 3 stars