WALL-E Gets A WALL-A+

If ever there was a team of story tellers worth their weight in gold it is the team of Andrew Stanton (also the Director) and Pete Docter the writers of Pixar’s new animated movie WALL – E. From the first scene until the final story board frame, WALL – E is a flawless story that grips the imagination and lifts the moviegoer’s spirit. It is by far one of the best movies this year and the most complete and creative story that Pixar has delivered in years.

WALL – E is a dystopian tale of a trash compacting robot, left to clean up the planet earth seven hundred years after humans have fled terra firma for the open pastures of deep space. Other than a seemingly indestructible cockroach, WALL – E is the only being left on the planet . . . that is until he is visited by Eve, a robot sent to the planet searching for the faintest existence of plant life. She finds her botany and brings it back to her ship, along with the tag-a-long WALL – E. There, the pair discover that their gift is not received well by the ship’s computer, who’s iridescent red light bears the portentous resemblance to 2001: A Space Odyssey’s HAL. Helped by de-volved humans too fat to walk and other robots newly awakened by WALL – E’s exploits, the pair fight to complete “the directive.”

Unlike previous Pixar films, the writers and animators attempted to breathe life into an inanimate and non-human looking object – WALL – E. There are no sassy characters, no real ability to delve into the psyche of a person, fish, or monster. There are no diatribes explaining WALL – E’s existence and no snappy one-liners to bail writers out a mediocre script. The audience is left with a simple and pure story bolstered by pantomimed brilliance that even the beloved tramp, Charlie Chaplain, would have applauded, albeit silently. Whether it was the masterful score, images of Hello Dolly, or breathtaking views of earth, the creators composed a compelling story and constructed a tour de force in animated story telling. Every frame was efficiently used to propel the audience through a fantastic storyline while at the same time transferring WALL – E’s feelings from the screen and into viewer’s spirit. This was so seamlessly done that often times the audience is unable to distinguish between what is animation and what is actual film.

What is almost as impressive as the storyline and animation is the creators’ ability to promote environmental issues in the film without the preachy, and often times contrived, bluster of political over-activistism. The point was raised by showing the mounds of trash piled high to form towering skyscrapers. Done artfully in this manner, the audience is given the treat of a good time without the guilt of environmental emotional blackmail.

WALL – E is a terrific film and a must see this summer for the entire family.