Elio

Directed by Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi, Elio follows Yonas Kibreab’s title character as he’s mistaken for Earth’s leader by various alien creatures. It’s an agreeable setup that is, at the outset, employed to watchable yet far-from-engrossing effect by Sharafian and Shi, as the filmmakers, armed with a script by Julia Cho, Mark Hammer, and Mike Jones, deliver a piece of work that is, in its early stages, almost excessively geared towards younger viewers – with the decidedly adolescent vibe perpetuated by a colorful, slick atmosphere and general emphasis on larger-than-life silliness. It’s clear, then, that Elio improves significantly once it progresses into an increasingly engaging and engrossing midsection and second half, with, in particular, the inclusion of a genuinely exciting rescue-focused stretch paving the way for a compelling third act that’s capped off with a genuinely heartwarming finale – which ultimately secures the picture’s place as a solid animated endeavor that fares better than one might’ve initially anticipated.

*** out of ****