Wall-E: A Quick Review
July 11, 2008 Filed in: Commentary
I need to start this piece by stating a simple fact:
I am not a movie person. Two movies a year is usually
my limit. This year will probably turn out to be
four, but I only went to one of those because I was
being a friend. (The fact that I did enjoy Iron Man does not negate the fact
that I went against my better judgment.)
That said, the wife and I usually try to make it to the latest Pixar offering. With the possible exception of the overly-formulaic Cars, Pixar never lets us down, and no movie demonstrates their mastery of storytelling as does Wall-E. Set in a world devastated by human pollution, Wall-E crafts a touching story of hope, love, and friendship – the most basic of human experiences – through its memorable automated protagonists. With few characters and minimal dialogue, the Pixar team has created a deep and gratifying film experience.
It's a movie that is both charming and audacious. It's cautionary as it is humorous. In many ways, Wall-E defies traditional categorization by introducing us to characters and events the children will love while weaving subtexts that demand reaction from the adults. Wall-E does not draw the adult audience in through the traditional cheap ploys of subtle in-jokes or innuendo. No, under the special effects, anthropomorphized robots, and physical humor lay a scathing commentary about the self-destructive, self-centered, and overly commercial culture in which we thrive.
Few intelligent adults will be able to walk away without hearing echos of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth woven through the narrative, without seeing corporate entities such as Wal-Mart reflected in Buy 'N Large, without hearing Bush-like rhetoric from Shelby Forthright. The movie challenges the adults in the audience, but it does so in a way that is compelling and ultimately non-threatening.
Wall-E is a masterpiece of animation, both from storytelling and technical standpoints. It is a work of art, and it is one of Disney's most daring productions. Wall-E succeeds on multiple levels, and I strongly recommend going to the theaters to see it.
Oh, and the Stanley Kubrick references are merely icing on the cake.
That said, the wife and I usually try to make it to the latest Pixar offering. With the possible exception of the overly-formulaic Cars, Pixar never lets us down, and no movie demonstrates their mastery of storytelling as does Wall-E. Set in a world devastated by human pollution, Wall-E crafts a touching story of hope, love, and friendship – the most basic of human experiences – through its memorable automated protagonists. With few characters and minimal dialogue, the Pixar team has created a deep and gratifying film experience.
It's a movie that is both charming and audacious. It's cautionary as it is humorous. In many ways, Wall-E defies traditional categorization by introducing us to characters and events the children will love while weaving subtexts that demand reaction from the adults. Wall-E does not draw the adult audience in through the traditional cheap ploys of subtle in-jokes or innuendo. No, under the special effects, anthropomorphized robots, and physical humor lay a scathing commentary about the self-destructive, self-centered, and overly commercial culture in which we thrive.
Few intelligent adults will be able to walk away without hearing echos of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth woven through the narrative, without seeing corporate entities such as Wal-Mart reflected in Buy 'N Large, without hearing Bush-like rhetoric from Shelby Forthright. The movie challenges the adults in the audience, but it does so in a way that is compelling and ultimately non-threatening.
Wall-E is a masterpiece of animation, both from storytelling and technical standpoints. It is a work of art, and it is one of Disney's most daring productions. Wall-E succeeds on multiple levels, and I strongly recommend going to the theaters to see it.
Oh, and the Stanley Kubrick references are merely icing on the cake.