With their winning combination of imaginative animation, intelligent narratives and cross-generational appeal, Pixar have set expectations for their output sky high. The likes of the Inside Out films, Soul, Turning Red and Up make even their perfectly acceptable stablemates seem uninspired by comparison. Sadly, Elio is one such example. Set on an American air-force base, before reaching for the stars this endearing story of a lonely little boy looking for aliens and acceptance passes the time pleasantly but lacks that true Pixar gold.

The film treads familiar terrain from the off as we meet Elio Solis (voiced by Yonas Kibreab), an 11-year-old orphan being raised by his overburdened, wannabe astronaut aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña). After he sends a message into space, Elio is called up to a gathering of the Communiverse, an interplanetary council who mistake him for Earth’s leader and send him in to negotiate with worm-like warmonger Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett), whose son Glordon (Remy Edgerly) Elio sweetly befriends.

As expected, Elio is charmingly crafted, with a likeably fudgy, outsider protagonist and a glowing collection of eclectic extraterrestrials, while Saldaña and Kibreab bring more than enough pathos to their vocal performances. However, Elio’s world is not as richly realised as some of the aforementioned animations and, if it channels the likes of Coco, WALL-E and Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, an absence of well-scripted wit and genuinely innovative ideas means it never soars to their heights. While it’s lovely and cuddly, and kids should be entertained, the film’s slight lack of sophistication may leave adults less satisfied.

Elio is in cinemas from Friday 20 June.