Wall-E

"Wall-E"
Andrew Stanton, 2008

Pixar's films consistently go far beyond the conventions of most high-budget animation projects, effortlessly meshing memorable characters with impeccable animation, without the need for incessant pop-culture references. Their latest effort, "Wall-E," is a continuation of the studio's ability to craft excellent films, though this time, much of the focus is on more contemporaneous issues.

The film's first shots depict gorgeous images of the galaxy, a nebulous area that does not really serve as a representation of our greatest aspirations - being the "next frontier" and all - but rather as place for humans to flee from Earth's toxicity, which has rendered the planet uninhabitable for over seven-hundred years. It is there, on the surface of this apocalyptic, now-alien world, that we meet our protagonist, Wall-E, a small robot who communicates only through electronic wails and ingeniously-implemented gesticulations of his binocular-like eyes and stubby arms.

We witness Wall-E's daily life, which includes interacting with his only friend, a cockroach that, naturally, lives within a Twinkie bar; compacting the ubiquitous piles of waste into small cubes and piling them into skyscrapers; and watching old romance films on his iPod at night. These first few minutes alone, which have no dialogue, are fascinating in their depiction of this lonely character who, despite being programmed centuries ago by a corporation to labor away for a futile cause, has the capacity to love and to desire companionship. This character's desperation is particularly touching, and so effectively and simply relayed, in a sequence in which he focuses in on two lovers, in his favorite film, holding hands and singing.

Wall-E's wish for companionship comes true - an effeminate, slick-looking, and short-tempered probe named Eve lands on earth, searching for signs of life. Wall-E's obsession with Eve, who wields a formidable gun that seems to fire miniature nuclear explosions, is as strange, awkward, and funny a love story as any I have ever seen; its only equivalent is Adam Sandler and Emily Watson's unconventional romance in "Punch-Drunk Love."

Suddenly, Eve is taken back by the people who sent her, but not without Wall-E desperately clinging on, both to the ship and to his object of desire. We soon discover that all the humans fled Earth long ago and now live on a gigantic ship, living as horrifically obese duds who are unaware of their imprisonment to armchairs, to their television screen, and to their automated lifestyle that has long been maintained by robots. The rest of the film focuses on more lofty themes, particularly on the evils of the corporation and the necessity of people to be individuals who are accountable for maintaining their own lives and environments.

To be honest, I'm not sure what to make of this last part of the film - it is conspicuously preachy about its admittedly banal message. Yet the film, like its portrayal of the unusual love story, proves to be surprisingly effective at making this theme resonate with its audience; after all, the effects of these humans' idleness are apparent from the moment we first witness Earth's barren landscape. "Wall-E"'s success ultimately lies in its incisive and fresh perspectives on aspects of our lives that we often take for granted - for example, a repair area for robots is really just a mental warden for robots who don't functioning "normally."

Rating: 9

First Viewed: 6/29/08
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