It’s been a while since a Pixar Animation Studios film set the box office on fire, particularly one not based on preexisting IP. That’s part of what makes Elemental so unique: a sleeper hit that kept audiences flowing to the movie theater week after week. Beating out some major tentpoles like Fast X and The Flash, audiences who missed the film on the big screen can now experience it in the second-best way possible with the new 4K/Blu-Ray/Digital Ultimate Collector’s Edition.
(Disney/Pixar)
Welcome to Element City, a place where fire, water, earth, and air live together. Ember’s parents gave up everything to move to Fire Town to open a store and pass it down to her. But when Wade, a water building inspector, accidentally ends up in the store’s basement, Ember embarks on a path to try and save the family business, one that will open her eyes to a bigger world of possibilities.
Director Peter Sohn (The Good Dinosaur) was inspired by his own New York City upbringing when crafting the film. The son of Korean immigrants who owned a grocery store, Peter didn’t follow the path his parents had established for him, nor did he marry another person of Korean descent, which sparked the idea of a fire element falling in love with a water element. Those personal touches imbue Elemental with a lot of heart while also enmeshing Pixar’s typical brand of creative comedy.
Bonus Features
Blu-Ray Disc
- Short Film: Carl’s Date (7:49) – Written and directed by Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Bob Peterson and produced by Kim Collins, this all-new short, “Carl’s Date,” finds Carl reluctantly agreeing to go on a date with a lady friend —but admittedly with no idea how dating works these days. Ever the helpful friend, Dug steps in to calm Carl’s pre-date jitters and offer some tried-and-true tips for making friends — if you’re a dog. “Carl’s Date” opened in theaters in front of Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental.”
- Ember and Wade (10:14) – 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 teams brought these characters to life.
- Next Stop: Element City (10:13) – Explore how Element City is built to accommodate its different inhabitants. Director Peter Sohn and crew members share insights about the evolution of the designed world, as well as some of the research that inspired its unique look.
- Deleted Scenes (10:43) – Director Peter Sohn introduces five scenes that are storyboarded, set to music, timed, and voiced, but are not included in the final version of Elemental.
- Mom Rejects Wade (2:49) – Ember’s traditional parents learn that she’s enamored with watery Wade…and it doesn’t go well. Scene introduced by story supervisor Jason Katz.
- Dante Challenge (3:50) – In an attempt to keep Ember apart from Wade, Bernie tasks her with finding a place to live for newcomer Dante, who Wade finds himself rather enamored with. Scene introduced by story artist Nira Liu.
- Brook Dinner (4:03) – Ember joins Wade for dinner at his home, in this abandoned storyline in which Wade’s mother, Brook, is revealed to be the villain diverting water into Firetown. Scene introduced by story artist Anna Benedict.
- Elemental Filmmaker Commentary – Join director Peter Sohn, supe tech Sanjay Bakshi, supervising animator Mike Venturini, and directing animator Gwendelyn Enderoglu as they provide insight into the making of this remarkable animated feature while you watch it.
Digital Exclusives (available with the included digital copy code)
- Paths to Pixar: The Immigrant Experience (14:01) – Hear from first-generation filmmakers on the Elemental crew as they share their journeys to Pixar. Discover how Elemental’s real-world themes of sacrifice and identity, amongst many others, reflect or diverge from their own lived experiences.
- Deleted Scenes
- Introduction (0:38) – Director Peter Sohn introduces all of the Deleted Scenes
- Intro Ember (5:52) – An alternate opening in which our hero Ember helps a newly immigrated Fire family navigate through, and acclimate to, Element City. Scene introduced by director Peter Sohn.
- Beach Proposal (4:08) – Sharing a tender moment on the beach, Ember and Wade propose marriage to each other. Scene introduced by story artists Yung-Han Chang and Le Tang.
Video
Elemental is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 in a 4K display that is jaw-dropping in its beauty. With so much detail on every surface, this stylized, colorful world almost feels like it pops off the screen at times. Comparatively, the HD Blu-Ray transfer noticeably loses some details, particularly textures on the earth characters, and the color spectrum is somewhat compressed, although it’s as fine of a Blu-Ray transfer as the film could ever have.
Audio
Pixar is known for giving fans an embarrassment of riches when it comes to English audio options, and Elemental is no exception. The 4K disc defaults to an English 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos track that places you in the center of Element City. Ambient sounds and Thomas Newman’s score primarily fill the rear channels while dialogue is mostly relegated to the front speakers. Additional audio options include an English 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus mix, an English 5.1 Dolby Digital, an English 2.0 Dolby Digital track, plus an English Descriptive Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital option. French and Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus mixes are also included. The Blu-Ray disc contains English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, English 5.1 DTS-HDHR, English 2.0 Dolby Digital, English Descriptive Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital, plus French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital.
Packaging & Design
For review purposes, we were sent a copy of Elemental in Best Buy exclusive SteelBook packaging (standard packaging for family-focused 4K releases now seems relegated to Disney Movie Club). The interior holds both discs in individual layered holders, both of which have disc art in this version of the release. The only insert is a digital copy code, redeemable through Movies Anywhere. The menu on both discs features an animated environment of Element City set to score from the film. There aren’t any trailers.
Final Thoughts
Although Elemental is now streaming on Disney+ (and breaking records), the best way to enjoy the film at home is on 4K Ultra-HD, which provides the best picture and audio quality. This release pleases in terms of the film’s presentation but underwhelms when it comes to bonus features. It’s confusing why a handful of bonus features are only on the digital copy when you consider how few are actually on the disc. And the 40-minute making-of is exclusive to Disney+ (Good Chemistry: The Story of Elemental), which means a diehard fan of the film won’t be completely satisfied with this release.
(Disney/Pixar)
Purchase Options
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