KSL Movie Show review: ‘Elio’ is fun, nerdy, charming and thoughtful

Editor’s note: This is an editorial piece. An editorial, like a news article, is based on fact but also shares opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and are not associated with our newsroom.

It’s getting easier and easier to tell when you’re watching a Disney movie these days, or frankly, any other days. At least one or both of the lead characters’ parents are dead.

Begging the question — Disney people? Who made you feel so unloved that YOU feel the need to kill off all of these kids’ moms and dads? Seek therapy, ASAP!

In the meantime, we meet 11-year-old Elio Solis (voiced by Yonas Kibreab), who now lives with his military aunt, Olga (Zoe Saldaña), because Disney has inexplicably killed off yet another set of parents so Elio could feel angry, rebellious, lonely, and sad.

He so desperately feels like an outsider that he develops a fascination for potential alien life somewhere in the galaxy, so he can finally meet “like-minded entities” and go to a place where he will be accepted.

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Fortunately, his army Aunt Olga works for a government agency that seeks any signal of intelligent life in the universe, so we’ll finally know that we are “not alone.” In response to one of those mystery signals, Elio sneaks into the control room and responds to the cryptic message with an exuberant “hello — come find me — I love you!”

But his fed-up, exasperated aunt takes Elio to a two-week “troubled kid” camp, hoping the shock of new surroundings will give him the wake-up call to reality he needs to function with any sense of normalcy. And of course, the camp bullies come for him, but so do his new outer space pals, who beam him up just in time, much to Elio’s delight.

Only the aliens are under the impression that since Elio answered the call, he must be the leader/spokesman for Earth. And in order to stay in their good graces, Elio is going to have to pretend that he is indeed this great leader, even if it means he has to negotiate a peaceful resolution between his hopefully new home, Communiverse and a brutish war lord named Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett) who threatens to destroy it all.

No pressure. After all, he’s almost 12.

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Determined to figure it all out, Elio runs into another disgruntled youngling, the ignored son of Lord Grigon called Glordon (Remy Edgerly) and the two of them work together, become trusted friends and attempt to convince mean dad that violence is not the way.

The uniqueness of this crazy, wild, space adventure is the variety of the creatures involved, especially Glordon, who looks like a giant potato bug with big teeth, no eyes, but a pleasant demeanor.

Imagine trying to make a creepy-looking slug sympathetic, and do it without the expressiveness of eyes? I’d say that would be quite a challenge, and yet, “Elio” pulls it off.

In an era of prequels, sequels and three-quels, it’s nice to see an original idea that centers on a young boy who feels like he doesn’t even belong on his own planet. “Elio” is fun, nerdy, charming, thoughtful, engaging and even entertaining and you should make every effort to see it in theaters.

“Elio” (B+) Rated PG for some action/peril and thematic elements. Starring the voices of Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett and Shirley Henderson. Co-directed by Adrian Molina (“Coco”), Madeline Sharafian (“Onward”) and Domee Shi (“Turning Red”) – filmed at Walt Disney Feature Animation in Burbank, CA. Running time: 99 minutes.

The KSL Movie Show with Andy Farnsworth and Steve Salles airs Fridays on KSL NewsRadio from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Follow the show on Facebook, and join The KSL Movie Show Club for exclusive perks by texting MOVIE to 57500. Message and data rates may apply. Text STOP to cancel. Message frequency varies.