"WALL-E" movie review

This week we look at WALL-E (G), the final film to come from the initial brainstorming session held by the masterminds behind Pixar. WALL-E is a clean up robot left on Earth after all the humans have left. During the hundreds of years he works, he eventually develops a personality. The action picks up after he falls in love with robot sent to find vegetation on Earth.

Ryan: I know I’m going to sound like a broken record as I think I say this every time we review a Pixar movie. Quite frankly, Pixar is the surest thing in Hollywood when it comes to putting out quality films. They have completely moved beyond the constraints of a contemporary animated-driven storytelling. Last year’s Ratatouille raised the bar of modern animated flicks and WALL-E does nothing to lower it. But more to the point, WALL-E is not just a top-notch animated films but a superb motion picture.

Andy: WALL-E is a remarkable motion picture, and I feel very comfortable saying it’s the best movie to come out so far this summer. What really elevates WALL-E to a different level of filmmaking is that it does not appear to be conceived as a kid’s movie. Sure, children are going to enjoy it; it’s well animated and the robots are cute and make funny noises. But the story it is telling is as much “2001” as it is “A Toy Story.” It is an incredible balancing act to make a movie that has themes aimed at adults without sacrificing any of the childlike wonder of the situation, but WALL-E accomplishes it.

Ryan: I agree that what sets WALL-E (and other Pixar films) apart from other animated films is the fluid storytelling. Unfortunately a lot of animated films go out of their way (the Shrek sequels come to mind) in trying too hard appeal to adults. The execution of the more mature material becomes forced and what regrettably happens is that you have an uneven film in terms of its tone. With WALL-E the storytelling is so solid and so well executed that it naturally appeals to kids and adults alike. There’s nothing forced into the narrative to garner cheap laughs or thrills.

Andy: This is probably the most subtle “children’s” cartoon I’ve ever seen. There are a lot of concepts the movie presents that are not spelled out clearly. It simply shows you how things are in WALL-E’s world and allows the viewer to make their own inferences about it without spelling it out clearly. Frequently the conclusions the audience will reach are a bit disturbing (the events that must have led up to the Earth becoming how it is, the dystopian life the humans lead, etc.), and putting that successfully and seamlessly into an animated movie for the family is masterful.

Ryan: WALL-E is excellent entertainment for both kids and adults but the first thirty minutes of the movie might be a little taxing for kids five and under. There is very little action or dialog in the first act. While it certainly does not distract from the movie (in fact it initiates the sci-fi tone of the film) parents should be prepared that their kids might be a little antsy as the movie warms up. But it's definitely worth the initial burden as WALL-E is the best film (so far) of the year.

Andy: I would take that a step further and say that there is very little dialogue in the movie, period. After the first 30 minutes, talking humans do become part of the story, but they aren’t consistently in each scene. There are still long stretches with little talking. Both of the main robot characters have a vocabulary of about four or five words, and there are only humans talking in about half of the movie’s scenes. There is enough visually appealing action that I don’t think this will be an issue for most kids, but it is a different kind of cartoon than many youngsters may be accustomed to watching.

WALL-E is a fun, charming kid’s movie and a complex science fiction story rolled into one seamless enjoyable 90 minute film. Final grade: A-.