Wall-E
Centred on a lonely little waste disposal robot on an abandoned earth, Wall-E, the latest CGI-animation creation from Pixar and Disney, offers audiences a surprising assortment of pleasures.
For animation fans, the film combines cutting edge 3D animation with an old school approach to storytelling. Easily a third of the film is without dialogue, relying instead on character facial expressions and body language to advance the plot and encourage emotional investment from the audience.
Then there’s the fact that the film comes with a very strong message about living in a disposable, overindulged world. Dreamworks’ Over the Hedge touched on this topic a few years’ back, but Wall-E takes it to a whole new level. You’ll realise this the first time you see what humanity has become after 700 years aboard the completely automated Axiom spaceship.
Wall-E has a lot to say about giving into the temptation to make your life as easy and carefree as possible. Without responsibility, drive and dreams, eventually you devolve into a completely mindless, cocooned “baby”, capable only of consuming. It’s not surprising then that it’s the film’s various robots, with their strong sense of purpose, who develop and demonstrate the most personality out of all the characters.
Wall-E may be a primitive, inconsequential-looking robot but his actions help humans and robots alike break from their one-track mindsets (sometimes quite literally) and start thinking for themselves.
What is probably most enjoyable about the film though is that Wall-E is one of the sweetest and most touching movies of the year – particularly when it focuses on the efforts of the title character to win the affection of Eve, a hi-tech reconnaissance robot. Wall-E is ideal for anyone who has been craving some genuine heart among all the bombastic battles and one-dimensional interactions of the midyear blockbuster season.
There honestly isn’t much I can say to flaw Wall-E, apart from how heavy-handed the film’s message becomes towards the end, and how adult viewers may find themselves poking holes in some of the film’s theories about life in a space colony. Really, though, I’m nit picking. Wall-E is one of the best films of the year so far, easily more satisfying and memorable than the blink-and-its-over Kung Fu Panda. Just be sure to stay for the credits sequence, particularly if you have an appreciation of Art History.
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BTW, for fan's of the film's soundtrack, you can download Peter Gabriel's Down to Earth from Nick's movie blog, Fataculture. It's highly likely this track (which accompanies the film's closing credits) will be Oscar nominated next year for Best Song.
For animation fans, the film combines cutting edge 3D animation with an old school approach to storytelling. Easily a third of the film is without dialogue, relying instead on character facial expressions and body language to advance the plot and encourage emotional investment from the audience.
Then there’s the fact that the film comes with a very strong message about living in a disposable, overindulged world. Dreamworks’ Over the Hedge touched on this topic a few years’ back, but Wall-E takes it to a whole new level. You’ll realise this the first time you see what humanity has become after 700 years aboard the completely automated Axiom spaceship.
Wall-E has a lot to say about giving into the temptation to make your life as easy and carefree as possible. Without responsibility, drive and dreams, eventually you devolve into a completely mindless, cocooned “baby”, capable only of consuming. It’s not surprising then that it’s the film’s various robots, with their strong sense of purpose, who develop and demonstrate the most personality out of all the characters.
Wall-E may be a primitive, inconsequential-looking robot but his actions help humans and robots alike break from their one-track mindsets (sometimes quite literally) and start thinking for themselves.
What is probably most enjoyable about the film though is that Wall-E is one of the sweetest and most touching movies of the year – particularly when it focuses on the efforts of the title character to win the affection of Eve, a hi-tech reconnaissance robot. Wall-E is ideal for anyone who has been craving some genuine heart among all the bombastic battles and one-dimensional interactions of the midyear blockbuster season.
There honestly isn’t much I can say to flaw Wall-E, apart from how heavy-handed the film’s message becomes towards the end, and how adult viewers may find themselves poking holes in some of the film’s theories about life in a space colony. Really, though, I’m nit picking. Wall-E is one of the best films of the year so far, easily more satisfying and memorable than the blink-and-its-over Kung Fu Panda. Just be sure to stay for the credits sequence, particularly if you have an appreciation of Art History.
-------------
BTW, for fan's of the film's soundtrack, you can download Peter Gabriel's Down to Earth from Nick's movie blog, Fataculture. It's highly likely this track (which accompanies the film's closing credits) will be Oscar nominated next year for Best Song.
Comments
I'm really glad you enjoyed the film, it's great. One of the best films I have seen all year.
I hope you're proud of yourself.