Elemental

4K Ultra HD

Blu Ray

  • Score
    89
    from 5 reviewers
  • Elemental, Pixar's satisfactory animation, now available in a top-notch Ultra HD collector's edition with robust packaging from Disney.

    Elemental
    2023
    101 min
    PG
    True 4K
    HDR10
    Dolby Atmos
  • Video
    97
  • The 4K UHD version of the film boasts striking scenes from Fire Town enriched with Ember's fiery bursts, varieties of shades in representing water and fire elements, and is a feast of colors, particularly blues, yellows, and oranges. The exceptional depth of field hails it as a standout in 3D-animated films.

  • Audio
    94
  • The Dolby Atmos mix, while moderately active and fun with primarily water effects, disappoints due to its scarce use of positional design and subtle surround channels, despite the constant world-building audio and powerful rolling sound.

  • Extra
    78
  • This edition delves into the making of Ember, Wade and Element City, featuring interviews, animation insights, and design aesthetics. Includes special features like Pixar's Carl's Date film, insightful commentary, deleted scenes, and exclusive steelbook packaging from Best Buy.

  • Movie
    86
  • Elemental, a tale of newcomers Ember and Wade, navigate societal complexities like race and immigration, using their fiery resilience to establish a shop. Bridging philosophy and lived stories, it underscores the power of recognizing differences to shape one's path.

    True 4K
    HDR10
    Dolby Atmos

    Director: Peter Sohn

    Actors: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie Del Carmen

    Plot: Follows Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, water-, earth- and air-residents live together.

    Disc Release Date: 26 September 2023

    all scores

    Blu-ray.com review by Jeffrey Kauffman
    • Video
      100
    • This is a knockout presentation by any standard, and in fact the 4K UHD iteration is often so beautiful that it may be a more worthwhile viewing experience than the 1080 version not just for the built...

    • Audio
      100
    • The use of the elements of course provides recurrent and often quite fun effects, I'd say especially in the watery variety....

    • Extra
      50
    • Element City (HD; 10:13) gets into some of the thought process of crafting the metropolis for the elements, and it's kind of sweet that Sohn states he wanted it to feel "hopeful", something that is not...

    • Movie
      70
    • I'm a bit of a religion / philosophy buff, and as such, I've long been interested in the history of what are often called the four "classical elements" that supposedly comprise all of the sensible (and...

    • Total
      70
    • Some who share my interest in ancient philosophies will know that some occult strands actually posited a fifth element, namely ether (often thought of as spirit), an element which actually gave birth to...

    • Video
      80
    • Richness in the city, the brilliant yellows and oranges in fire, the dense blues of water – it’s all wonderful....

    • Audio
      80
    • The positives out of the way, the let down comes from the positional design, sparingly using the heights even with opportunity....

    • Extra
      60
    • This includes Pixar’s short film Carl’s Date, a peek inside the animation tech/style, another on aesthetic design, deleted scenes, and a commentary....

    • Movie
      60
    • Elemental comes together with good intentions, taking a cute path to explore complex social issues like immigration, race relations, and stereotypes....

    • Total
      70
    • Pixar at their most routine, Elemental is fine animation, but tells a story through a cycle of predictable plot points....

    High-Def Digest review by Matthew Hartman
    • Video
      100
    • I was particularly impressed with the shading within the Water and Fire element people with the fluctuating shades of blues or orange/yellow....

    • Audio
      90
    • On the scale of things it can be a bit on the subtle side, but for all of the world-building efforts, surround channels are virtually always active....

    • Extra
      50
    • The commentary is a great listen and Carls Date is another wonderful short featuring the late Ed Asner who apparently finished recording it just before he passed away....

    • Movie
      80
    • But through true grit and determination, they make a home of their own opening a shop catering to other flames like themselves....

    • Total
      90
    • After what I thought was a fairly soulless effort with Lightyear, it was nice to see Pixar return to form with Elemental....

    AVSForum review by Ralph Potts
    • Video
      100
    • This was the case across the board as the scenes that take place in Fire Town, or those that feature Ember’s fiery bursts, sparkle against the deep, shadowy backgrounds....

    • Audio
      86
    • In listening to the Dolby Atmos mix I found it to be of the moderately active variety, which considering the source material, was slightly disappointing....

    • Extra
      80
    • Featurettes • Ember and Wade – Take a deeper look at the development of main characters Ember and Wade, from early designs to final effects, and learn how the complex work of the technical and character...

    • Movie
      80
    • 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....

    • Total
      87
    • It comes to Blu-ray in this Ultra HD Ultimate Collector’s Edition from Disney Home Media Distribution featuring top notch Ultra HD/high-definition video quality, crisp lossless surround sound, including...

    Why So Blu? review by Brandon Peters
    • Video
      90
    • Its one of the more impressive looking animated films on the 4K format.Depth: Depth of field is pretty strong, considering its 3D animation easily lends itself....

    • Audio
      90
    • Rolling sound is powerful and moves with good force in whatever direction the scene calls for....

    • Extra
      60
    • This particular edition comes in limited steelbook packaging, only available from Best Buy....

    • Movie
      70
    • Elemental is easily the tale of immigration, coming to a new place, facing discriminations, recognizing our differences and finding your own route in life....

    • Total
      80
    • The Best Buy Steelbook packaging this review had was also rather pleasing with good art and sturdiness....