Movie review
June 18, 2025 · 98 min · PG · Kids · Sci-Fi · Animation · Comedy · Adventure · Family
Elio is a 2025 animated movie about an eleven-year-old boy who loves space. He is accidentally taken by aliens who mistake him for the leader of Earth. He must find his confidence and make new friends to save the day. The film features a diverse Latino family and focuses entirely on standard adventure and family themes.
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Was our 19% Woke rating accurate?
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Elio.
Woke representation / casting
The cast features a diverse lineup. This includes a Latino protagonist voiced by Yonas Kibreab and his aunt voiced by Zoe Saldaña. Some minor alien roles are voiced by actors known for real-life political activism, such as Jameela Jamil. However, the diversity within the movie itself feels standard for modern animation. It does not come across as forced or preachy.
10%
Woke political dialogue
The movie contains almost no political or activist dialogue. The characters speak in ways that fit a standard family-friendly space adventure. The script avoids modern political jargon and does not lecture the audience on social issues.
0%
Production
Identity-driven story themes
The actual story shown in theaters is a simple adventure. It focuses on a young boy finding his confidence. However, earlier drafts of the film had strong identity themes. These included hints about the main character's sexuality. All of those planned elements were completely cut before the movie was released.
10%
Western institutional / cultural critique
The film does not criticize Western culture, capitalism, or traditional family roles. The main conflict involves a standard space federation and a threat to the galaxy. The story is a basic fight between good and bad. It does not use modern activist critiques.
0%
Woke character or canon changes
Not present in this title.
0%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
There was significant backlash from conservative and anti-woke critics. They focused on reports that the main character was originally meant to be gay. Critics argued that Disney's initial focus on identity-driven content ruined the production. They claimed this led to a messy rewrite and contributed to the film's terrible box office performance.
35%
Creator track record context
The creative team has a low to moderate track record. Co-director Danielle Feinberg actively supports diversity and LGBTQ+ groups. Co-director Matt Aspbury has spoken on representation panels. Other team members have very low or zero scores. Executive producer Pete Docter defended cutting the identity themes to focus on universal family appeal.
20%
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