WALL-E - MOVIE REVIEW
Posted on | July 9, 2008
VOICES:
BEN BURTT - WALL-E
ELISSA KNIGHT - EVE
JEFF GARLIN - CAPTAIN
JOHN RATZENBERGER - JOHN
KATHY NAJIMY - MARY
SIGOURNEY WEAVER - SHIPS VOICE
director:
Andrew Stanton
You know I hate to be one of those people who say I told you so but Ladies and Gentlemen…
I’d said earlier that I would probably love this movie and indeed I did.
Let’s start with the tale of a robot named WALL-E, yes, manipulated to be cuter than cute1.
The movies premise begins on our over-polluted, garbage towered planet where a smorgasbord of WALL-E’s are boxing up the garbage left by Humans and creating architectural mountains.
Only thing is, we only really see one WALL-E doing all the work and are left to discover that the rest have been broken down and our hero doesn’t seem to mind. He just does his job.
But this WALL-E has been left alone too long and developing a love for the Hollywood Musical he becomes curious.
That’s when we fall in love with him.
The plethora of films and television shows that take us into the world of “new visitor” always has that sense that we’re to experience it for the first time through the characters eyes.
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial is a perfect example and you might even think that the robot here was somehow modeled after him.
There’s something so overwhelmingly wonderful about WALL-E’s new-ness of discovery. The complete delight and joy of seeing him look at things that we take for granted was so honestly refreshing that it’s never schmaltz.
It doesn’t delve into the realm hokey or even the pretense of hokey; it just is so natural and truthful.
WALL-E has his routine. Scoop up the garbage, shove it in his belly, and in an action that resembles a hard time on the toilet, pushes said garbage out in the shape of a cube.
He goes to his home, unloads his lunch box which contains unique things that he finds and then turns on his video (yes, video is still alive in the distant future, only it’s hooked up to his iPod.
Well routine changes when WALL-E notices a light, the kind that I use to tease my dog. A laser pointer that he tries to grab and when it finally stops that’s when his life changes.
EVE, from above.
Yes, biblical and the only thing that sort of went though my brain was that if WALL-E is a PC Eve is all about the MAC. The NEW MAC. She reeked of ultra modern. You know how like MAC’s always look two years ahead of their time.
Well, she rocks his world.
And that’s where the love story starts.
Sweet, unencumbered and even though they’re machines, they love and you feel that love - deeply.
And yes, even though you don’t have to ask….I cried.
A number of times.
I’m not going to get into anymore of the story but I’ll talk instead about the themes.
Humanity is fat and sloth-like, surviving on recliners that hover, eating full meals in the forms of shakes, dwelling on a star cruiser that allows machines to take care of, what you can only imagine, every but-wiping need humans have.
They have lost the ability to think for themselves and the will to even try. Until they meet WALL-E.
It’s a warning about what we could allow ourselves to become if we acquiesce our will to machines and keep up the losing battle for the environment. About the strength of love, for each other, for the Earth, for the need to belong.
Ben Burtt, who has stepped into the voice of WALL-E and is the sound designer created the original sounds for the very first Star Wars all those years ago in 1977. And yes, it might be that I’m more apt to hear it but, I do know that R2-D2 bleeping was in there.
There were in-jokes, cameos from other Pixar films, and a warmth that is synonymous with the nature of the projects that this Studio has pumped out.
Ratatouille, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, A Bugs Life, et all. They just get better and better. Deeper and they don’t lose anything in the process. They haven’t lost their honesty in the telling of the story.
And that’s what it is. It’s the story that is paramount and they get that. Going from A to B logically or illogically and able to make what is essentially geared for children, so full and complete for adults.
I loved this movie. It’s more meaningful than most live action pieces.
The care and love that you know went into each scene, the thought that went into it
I had a coupon for this but it would have been $13.00. I GLADLY would have paid 25.00!
- you just know that every kid is going to be begging for a motorized WALL-E of their own [↩]
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5 Responses to “WALL-E - MOVIE REVIEW”
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July 10th, 2008 @ 8:26 am
i swear Wall-E looks exactly like the robot from “Short Circuit” (robot flick from the 80’s)
July 10th, 2008 @ 8:39 am
You’re right. I’d forgotten about that movie. Ahhhhhh, Alley Sheedy.
July 13th, 2008 @ 1:23 pm
I saw this Friday and loved it as well. His eyes must have been modeled after binoculars - very clever way to express emotion.
There were many brilliant touches in the movie. The Mac boot-up sound really made the in-the-know members of the audience laugh.
July 13th, 2008 @ 3:28 pm
And the fact she did look like Mac.
I loved it. I can’t wait to own it.
July 28th, 2008 @ 5:29 pm
The kids and I went to go see it last weekend while my own Wall-e went to see Batman. I thought it was really really cute and there were many awwwww’s and giggles from the audience. Even the little kids that were in the audience didn’t seem to bug me as they usually do - those who know me well know I dislike other people’s children of a certain age. I’m horrible I know. But there was one little boy who at one point in the movie gasped and said quite loudly “Where’d Wally go?!?!” That got more giggles than what was on the screen. We do plan on getting it on DVD…my honey’s nickname is Walle (last name). As for the MAC, well, I’m a PC person myself but did recognize the subtle MAC nods.