[Movie Reviews]: Elio Christian Review – 7 Faith Lessons Hidden in Pixar's Latest Adventure (That Your Kids Won't Want to Miss)

Category: Movie Reviews

Christian Safety Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)

Content Breakdown:

• Profanity: 0 curse words

• Gore/Violence: Mild animated action sequences; no blood or graphic content

• Sexual Content: None

• Frightening Scenes: 2-3 moments that may startle sensitive younger viewers

• Other Notes: Brief toilet humor, one vomiting scene (played for laughs)

• Recommended Age: 6+ with parental guidance for younger or sensitive children

Bottom Line:Elio earns an A-I rating (general patronage) and is refreshingly wholesome compared to much of today's media. It's safe for family movie night with minimal content concerns.

Why Christian Parents Are Talking About This Film

Pixar's Elio isn't just another space adventure: it's a surprisingly profound meditation on belonging, identity, and sacrificial love wrapped in vibrant animation and humor. While the film follows a young boy accidentally recruited as Earth's intergalactic ambassador, the real story explores timeless spiritual questions: Am I seen? Do I matter? What does true courage look like?

After watching it with my own family and reflecting on the themes, I've identified seven faith lessons that make this film worth discussing long after the credits roll. Let's dig in.

Faith Lesson #1: You're Never Truly Alone

Elio's journey begins in a dark place: he's grieving the loss of his parents and feels emotionally adrift. He channels his pain into an obsession with space and aliens, desperately seeking connection somewhere, anywhere. Sound familiar? Many of us have walked through seasons where God feels distant and we wonder if anyone truly sees our struggle.

The film's answer is clear: Despite feeling abandoned, Elio was never alone. His story mirrors Hebrews 13:5: "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Even when circumstances scream otherwise, God's presence remains constant. This message lands powerfully for kids who feel invisible at school and adults navigating loneliness in crowded rooms.

Faith Lesson #2: Your Worth Isn't Tied to Your Résumé

When Elio realizes he's been mistaken for Earth's ambassador (he's actually just a regular kid), he panics. Why me? I'm nobody special. I haven't accomplished anything remarkable.

Here's where the film gets beautifully counter-cultural: Your identity isn't built on achievements, status, or credentials. Elio's value doesn't come from being the smartest or most qualified: it comes from his inherent worth as a person created with purpose.

How often do we fall into this trap? We hustle for validation through performance, forgetting that God's love isn't a merit-based system. You don't need to earn your seat at the table. You already belong.

Faith Lesson #3: Sacrificial Love Looks Like Risk

The film's most spiritually charged moment comes when Elio faces an impossible choice: save himself or risk everything to rescue his alien friend Glordon. Without spoiling the specifics, Elio chooses love over self-preservation: and it costs him dearly.

This directly echoes John 15:13: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." True love isn't safe. It doesn't calculate odds or protect its own interests first. It gives without guarantee of return.

What would your relationships look like if you embraced this kind of risky, sacrificial love? Not reckless foolishness, but intentional self-giving that mirrors Jesus?

Faith Lesson #4: Real Strength Requires Vulnerability

Here's where Elio surprised me most. The film's antagonist, Grigon, spends most of the story encased in protective armor, literally and symbolically. He's aggressive, defensive, and emotionally closed off. But his breakthrough doesn't come through violence or conquest.

His transformation happens when he removes his armor to save his son: choosing vulnerability over strength, love over control. This scene flips worldly definitions of courage upside down. In God's kingdom, humility often looks like weakness to outsiders, but it's the pathway to genuine connection and healing.

Where are you wearing emotional armor? What relationships would deepen if you chose vulnerability instead of self-protection?

Faith Lesson #5: Belonging Means Being Known, Not Fitting In

Both Elio and his alien friend Glordon are portrayed as gentle misfits: square pegs in round holes. Glordon doesn't fit his father's aggressive warrior culture. Elio doesn't fit the typical "Earth ambassador" mold. Yet both discover something profound: True belonging isn't about conforming to expectations. It's about finding people who accept you as you are.

Romans 12:2 warns against being "conformed to this world": and Elio illustrates why. When we twist ourselves into unnatural shapes to earn approval, we lose the unique design God intended. Your quirks aren't bugs in the system; they're features. Find your people. Don't shrink to fit spaces that weren't meant for you.

Faith Lesson #6: Redemption Is Always Possible

Grigon's character arc reinforces a central gospel truth: No one is beyond transformation. He begins as a threatening, seemingly irredeemable antagonist. But through relationship, vulnerability, and love, he experiences genuine change.

This isn't cheap grace or quick-fix redemption. It's costly and painful. But it's possible: even for those trapped in cycles of aggression, pain, or destructive patterns. If you're stuck believing you've gone too far or messed up too badly, Elio whispers otherwise. God specializes in resurrection stories.

Faith Lesson #7: Grief Needs Community, Not Escape

Elio's obsession with space begins as an escape mechanism: a way to avoid processing the loss of his parents. But true healing doesn't come through distraction. It comes through connection.

The film models healthy emotional expression and shows how community helps us process pain rather than run from it. We weren't designed to carry grief alone. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us: "Two are better than one... If either of them falls down, one can help the other up."

Who in your life is carrying hidden grief? Who could you reach out to today?

The Takeaway: Why This Movie Matters

Elio accomplishes something rare: it entertains while offering genuine spiritual substance. Multiple Christian reviewers noted that unlike some recent Pixar films, Elio avoids heavy-handed messaging and instead focuses on universal truths about identity, love, and belonging.

Your Next Step: Watch Elio with your family, then discuss one of these seven lessons over dinner. Ask open-ended questions: Which character did you relate to most? When have you felt like Elio? What would sacrificial love look like in your friendships?

Use this film as a springboard for deeper conversations about faith, courage, and God's relentless love. That's where the real magic happens: not just in what we watch, but in how we let stories shape our hearts.

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