This world consists of Elements, the different races of nature. Element City has been allowing immigration of each elemental races over the years. The newest immigrant wave is the Fire Element. Bernie and Cinder Lumen are new to the city. They find the city ill-fitting to them or downright hostile. They get damaged by the Water Elements. They burn wood which only raises the ire of the Earth Elements. The Air Elements look down on them. Finally, they find a home in an abandoned house and start a store called The Fireplace. The Fire neighborhood grow out around them and they have a girl named Ember. Ember grows up and Bernie allows her to run The Fireplace for the day. It's going badly and it gets worst when Water Element city inspector Wade Ripple shows up.
This is the standard immigrant story. It is so elemental that it hits you over the head with it. I wouldn't mind that but it leaves this world a little problematic. I just don't know why or how the Fire Element could coexist with the other Elements. It's a weird construction. I guess that's the point. This world is not built for them and yet they thrive somehow. Instead of creating something new, it's trying too hard to be a version of a human city. There are ways to make this more logically and compelling. In the end, one has to take this world as a given. I do really like the design of the Fire Elements. This is not top tier Pixar, but it looks really good and the story works well as long as one does not dissect this world apart.
This is the standard immigrant story. It is so elemental that it hits you over the head with it. I wouldn't mind that but it leaves this world a little problematic. I just don't know why or how the Fire Element could coexist with the other Elements. It's a weird construction. I guess that's the point. This world is not built for them and yet they thrive somehow. Instead of creating something new, it's trying too hard to be a version of a human city. There are ways to make this more logically and compelling. In the end, one has to take this world as a given. I do really like the design of the Fire Elements. This is not top tier Pixar, but it looks really good and the story works well as long as one does not dissect this world apart.