Elemental
Elemental is a 2023 animated romantic comedy-drama from Pixar Animation Studios, set in a vibrant metropolis called Element City where personified fire, water, earth, and air elements live. The narrative centers on Ember Lumen, a spirited fire elemental, and Wade Ripple, a compassionate water elemental, who discover an unexpected connection despite their inherent differences and societal expectations. The film beautifully explores themes of immigration, the challenges of cultural assimilation, generational family duties, and the universal journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Through its visually inventive world and heartfelt storytelling, "Elemental" aims to deliver a poignant message about bridging divides and embracing diversity for a broad family audience.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumThe film features Pixar's first non-binary character, Lake Ripple, who is Wade's younger sibling and uses they/them pronouns. Lake appears briefly in a family dinner scene with their girlfriend, Ghibli, without speaking lines. Some outlets note this as minimal, surface-level representation.
Lake Ripple, Wade's younger sibling, is confirmed as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. Lake appears during a family dinner scene with their girlfriend, Ghibli. Lake and Ghibli are seen sitting together at Wade's family dinner. While Lake is acknowledged by Wade as his 'little sib,' neither character has speaking lines during their appearance, limiting their direct narrative impact.
Violence
MediumMild animated violence is present, including elemental-specific harm such as water characters boiling or evaporating (though one recondenses) and fire characters dimming when exposed to water. There are also scenes of property damage from Ember's temper and a flash flood event.
Several Water people are accidentally boiled by the heat of a Fire person, and one Water guy evaporates, though he later recondenses. Fire people are injured when water hits them, but their flames are restored by fire sticks. Ember causes substantial property damage when her temper flares, leading to her literally exploding in a controlled way that affects her surroundings. The entire Fire community flees a flash flood, which causes significant damage but no permanent harm to the residents.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe movie's central plot is a romance between Ember and Wade, involving affectionate gestures such as hand-holding, dancing, embracing, and a kiss. There are also a few mild, indirect suggestive jokes that are likely to pass over younger audiences.
Ember and Wade's relationship progresses with several intimate moments, including them holding hands, dancing together, embracing, and eventually sharing a kiss. There are mild suggestive references, such as Ember's dad, Bernie, mentioning he and Ember's mom will have more time for 'hanky panky' once Ember takes over the family shop. A tree creature character tells Ember he has 'manscaped' and suggestively plucks a flower from his armpit.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe film includes some intense scenes, particularly those involving natural disasters like major floods threatening the community and the potential for elemental characters to be harmed. Ember's fiery temper, when uncontrolled, also results in visually intense outbursts.
A significant portion of the film involves a major flash flood threatening Firetown, creating suspense and peril as characters attempt to escape or mitigate the disaster. Ember also experiences emotional outbursts where she 'explodes' in a fiery rage, causing property damage and intense visual effects. Early in the film, two Water boys attempt to make a Fire girl fall into water, questioning if she would die, which presents a brief threatening situation, although their father intervenes.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumEmber exhibits moments of disrespect and rebellion, particularly in her interactions with her father regarding his expectations for her future and her temper. The central conflict involves defying deeply ingrained societal prejudices against 'elements mixing'.
Ember frequently expresses frustration and sometimes argues with her father, Bernie, especially concerning her temper and his expectations for her to take over the family shop. She struggles with his traditional views and desires to forge her own path. The core conflict of the movie revolves around Ember and Wade defying the long-standing societal rule that 'elements cannot mix,' which her parents and community deeply believe in, showcasing a form of rebellion against cultural prejudices.
Profanity
LowThe film contains very mild language, opting for substitute words or incomplete phrases rather than strong profanity. Occasional mild expletives are used in a non-offensive context.
No actual curse words are used, but the words 'ash' and 'fluffing' are substituted for profanities in a couple of scenes. Someone utters the incomplete phrase, 'What the—?'. Mild expletives like 'dang' and 'holy dewdrop' are used occasionally. Other tame words like 'jerk' or 'stupid' appear as mild insults.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThere is no explicit witchcraft, sorcery, occult practices, or supernatural elements beyond the inherent anthropomorphic nature of the elements. The 'Blue Flame' is a cultural symbol for Ember's family, not an occult item.
Ember's family protects a mystical 'Blue Flame' that Bernie brought from Fireland, which serves as a cultural and ancestral symbol, not a source of magical power or occult practice. The narrative focuses on the physical properties and social dynamics of the elements rather than any supernatural or occult powers. There are no spells, demons, or magic rituals depicted.
Substance Use
LowThe movie is largely free of substance use. A minor detail during the end credits briefly shows Ember's mother with a cocktail, but it is not a plot point nor does it depict consumption or intoxication.
The film generally avoids substance use. However, a scene during the end credits shows Ember's mom with a cocktail. There is no depiction of drug use, smoking, or characters becoming intoxicated.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowThe movie does not contain any explicit anti-Christian themes, mockery of Christian beliefs, or sacrilegious acts. Its narrative is secular, focusing on universal themes of diversity, immigration, and acceptance without specific religious commentary.
The film's themes are centered on cultural integration and overcoming prejudice, using the 'elements' as a metaphor for different groups of people, without specific religious undertones or criticisms. No characters express negative opinions about Christianity, and there are no instances of Christian symbols being disrespected or ridiculed. The 'spiritual elements' mentioned are related to Ember's family's cultural traditions (the Blue Flame) rather than a specific real-world religion.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
PG - Parental Guidance Suggested for viewers under 8, due to some mild peril, brief thematic elements, and mild suggestive humor that may require parental discussion.
Additional Notes
The film primarily focuses on themes of family, cultural understanding, and overcoming prejudice, drawing inspiration from the director's own immigrant experience. The representation of the non-binary character, while a first for Pixar, is brief and non-speaking, which some might find to be a minimal effort.
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