Disney’s Pixar’s Elemental is Visually stunning, but it is missing some significant elements to make it a true success. I hope I am wrong and it kills at the box office. You are probably asking, “Is Elemental appropriate for families?” Every family is different but I will answer in regards to my own family. Our family enjoyed our time at the theater but the movie wasn’t for us.

The storyline didn’t feel like it flowed and the over rules for what the characters can and can’t do weren’t consistent. We wouldn’t have noticed if the storyline kept us on the edge of our seats, but we found it highly predictable.

I found the accent from the fire family acting as if they were immigrants funny and relatable being a first-generation American.

If you are looking for a movie to take your family to see this one is family appropriate and only a couple of things in the movie you may want to consider. This post may contain affiliate links.

Be sure to check out our list of the favorite Elemental Quotes from the movie!

Is Elemental appropriate for families?

What is Elemental Rated?

The movie is rated PG. The characters in the movie kiss. It is a movie about romance with some deeper themes. My youngest is 9 and understood the plot but not the meaning of the movie. She didn’t love it but she didn’t hate it. There were some references to bad words and the characters were mean at times.

LIGHTHEARTED FUN — In Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental,” go-with-the-flow guy Wade (Mamoudou Athie) ushers fiery young woman Ember (voice of Leah Lewis) out of her comfort zone to experience Elemental City like never before. Directed by Peter Sohn (“The Good Dinosaur,” “Party Cloudy” short) and produced by Denise Ream (“The Good Dinosaur,” “Cars 2”), Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” releases on June 16, 2023. © 2023 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Is the movie available in 2D or 3D?

Elemental is available in both 2D and 3D. We watched it in 3D and normally I am not a huge fan of 3D films but I would recommend watching this one in 3D because of how visually stunning the artwork is in the film. It will give you something to enjoy while watching a movie with a bit of a lacking storyline compared to most Pixar movies.

Is it too long for younger children?

The movie is 1 hour and 42 minutes long. It was a bit long and did need two potty breaks in the middle of the movie. Give your kids a popcorn bucket and they might make it all the way through. Personally, did not feel it was very long.

Does Elemental have a short?

YES! It is Carl’s Date and it features Carl and Dug and it is awesome. It will tug at your heartstrings and was probably the most Pixar-Tear jerking feeling throughout the entire evening. I would see Elemental just for this short if you are an Up movie fan!

What are the main themes for Elemental?

After the movie, I asked my daughters what they thought it meant. One thought it was about racism and said everyone hated each other. My other daughter thought it was about getting along. Then I thought it was about not letting others tell you what to do. I think we were all right because these were major themes in the movie that are all important to learn.

There was a point in the film where Ember (Fire) is upset with Wade (Water) and refers to him being a rich kid. It made me question if this was another theme of the movie that I had missed.

In a city where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together, a fiery young woman and a go-with-the-flow guy are about to discover something elemental: How much they actually have in common. Directed by Peter Sohn and produced by Denise Ream, Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” releases June 16, 2023. Concept art by Sohn. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Does the movie have any controversial topics according to society?

Are there any explicit content or scenes that may not be suitable for my family?
If you find that you are very conservative you might struggle with some references to bad language, insignificant inclusion of a same-sex couple, and other jokes about the “hanky panky” throughout the movie.

I would say the jokes didn’t bother me and for a kid who is unaware of bad words and other adult references, it would be easily missed.

The same-sex couple is Disney’s way of being inclusive to the community and has no significant role in the storyline and they are pictured in a group scene.

Movie Recap:

I would take my family to see it. The topics were not offensive and there were some good themes that you could discuss with your family afterward. As an animation teacher, I can see why this movie could have taken years to create there was probably a struggle trying to get it to work with a storyline that doesn’t throw much of a punch. The art though…amazing!

One more thing, the music is so good! I will definitely be listening to the soundtrack!

FIRE AND WATER – Set in a city where fire-, water-, land-, and air-residents live together, Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” introduces Ember, a tough, quick-witted and fiery young woman whose friendship with a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in. Featuring the voices of Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie as Ember and Wade, respectively, “Elemental” releases on June 16, 2023. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

If you are taking your family to the movie you can print off a few Elemental Activity Sheets.

About the Movie:

Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” is an all-new, original feature film set in Element City, where Fire-, Water-, Earth- and Air-residents live together. The story introduces Ember, a tough, quick-witted and fiery young woman, whose friendship with a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in. Directed by Peter Sohn, produced by Denise Ream, p.g.a., and executive produced by Pete Docter, “Elemental” features a screenplay by John Hoberg & Kat Likkel and Brenda Hsueh with story by Sohn, Hoberg & Likkel and Hsueh. The film’s original score was composed and conducted by Thomas Newman. “Elemental” opens only in theaters on June 16, 2023.