Wall-E Review

I saw an interview with the creators of Wall-E a little while back and they claimed it was not a "message" story. By that they meant it wasn't a message story about human being's reliance on machines and the human's polluting of the earth. This is riddled with messages about both and there is no way they can say it's not. What they wanted to be the foreground was the love story between Wall-E and Eve (the egg-shaped robot), which they did but it certainly wasn't a love story solely, it was a love story AND a social commentary on technology-reliance and pollution and it was a beautiful film about both stories. Whenever Disney and Pixar come together they make magic, they really do. No one can honestly say there is a bad Disney-Pixar film. There may be mediocre or "okay" films but there has never been on that was garbage and that's because both those companies really take care into making the best film they possibly can with their movies. The animation in their films are top-notch and their stories are increasingly entertaining and well though out. They are masters of the formula. Wall-E is no different. Dreamworks has come pretty close with films like Shrek, Bee Movie and Shark Tale. Shrek has been murdered by its played-out and mildly entertaining sequels, Shark Tale just doesn't have the same heart, but Bee Movie is pretty close because of it has heart and in smart in its comedy. That's what Pixar and Disney always have: heart and entertainment. Not only do they have them but they have it in a perfect balance. Wall-E's heart lies with the love story while it's entertainment and comedy is with the social commentary and even a bit with the romance.


The Good of WALL-E
Honestly, all of this movie was great. Great CGI, great pacing, great story, great characters. The audience is instantly drawn to the little robot when we first see him and his little cockroach better, that's right, his best friends is a cockroach. Again, the story is set on a Earth around the mid-21st century, I think. There are no humans of any kind and all there are that's left are cockroaches and WALL-E units. Then came Eve, WALL-E's love-interest in the film and even though neither of them were human beings you really got a feeling for their love. What I really love about how it was done is that it didn't revolve around some big moment to them kissing but a big moment to them holding hands, which is an entirely new take on the way love is expressed in films and in real life. I liked that aspect a lot. Love is more than a kiss, sometimes it's just being close to someone and holding their hand that matters. WALL-E's general pursuit of Eve is especially funny. I love the part where he makes her this gift and she walks right pass it and he kicks a mountain of pipes in annoyance to which the entire thing collapses atop his metal body. WALL-E just has a lot of heart.

Although the creators denied the film being a message story about global pollution and all that I definitely could see it and I thought it was great. From the beginning of the film when there is a huge zoom in from outer-space into Earth I could see an atmosphere covered with satellites, and I mean covered all around like a force field. We zoom in further and see the disgusting thing which is now Earth. This is all before we see WALL-E or even before we see Eve which would indicate their love story which is supposed to be the forefront of the film. Even the opening title displays a message of pollution. After WALL-E is finished crushing some cans he piles it onto a tower of trash as tall as a skyscraper. We zoom out and we see more skyscrapers of trash. Ha! And they say this isn't a message-movie! I don't know why they would deny it because it's a beautiful, or ugly, message of the future if we continue to what we do to the Earth now.

Also, there was another fine message about human's reliance on technology. When we leave Earth we see that humans have retreated to a huge space ship called the "Axium" which was supposed to be a five-year cruise while the WALL-E units cleaned up Earth. Well, that didn't go to well so ever since 2100 to about 2800 mankind has been floating through the Milky Way and they are not well off. Humans have now been straped in these hover chairs that take them everywhere which leaves to with very little exercise which means they are very large, to put it nicely. Plus, they don't even seem to be aware of the situation they are in. They always have a screen in front of them where they are speaking with their buddies on video chat when they are hovering right next to them or to see there is a new fashion. Basically, there is a huge message against total reliance on technology. It's really funny at the end of the film when the people tried to walk on their own two legs for the first time.


The Bad of WALL-E
Honestly, there isn't really anything "bad" about WALL-E. The only thing that could have been done better was the beginning, which started off a tad slow. Plus, it just doesn't feel like a total classic which is the only way I would give it a 10. Classics are like Lion King or Toy Story, this just doesn't make it that high for me but it is still very superb.

Conclusion of WALL-E
Splendid.


Story: Fantastic, totally drown into the robot love and the messages against technology-reliance and Earth-pollution. (9.5/10)
Entertainment: I was very entertained but the beginning was just a little slow. (9.5/10)
Special FX: I mean, come on, it's Pixar! (10/10)
Pacing: Great pacing accept for the beginning. (9.5/10)
Recommended: Yes, and for all ages :)

TOTAL: (9.5/10)

Peace