November 24, 2008
WALL-E (2008)
Should I see it?
Yes.
To be honest, I had mixed feelings about this film. I wasn't as impressed with it as everyone else around appeared to be. This is a good movie. It has a solid script, interesting visuals and it is fun. I thought it was missing an emotional center however. Now, having expressed this concern to others I have found that I am absolutely alone in my criticism. Those around me find this to be an emotionally satisfying love story and a dang good family movie.
Given the overwhelming response from friends and family, I have to admit that it is likely I just didn't click with this one and have missed something.
The film follows WALL-E, a trash compacting robot who has been left on Earth to clean up the trash humans have left behind. He comes across Eve, a sleek robot sent to scout out the planet for plant life. The two robots fall in love. Finding a piece of greenery leave the planet and to deliver the plant to the humans drifting aimlessly out in space. Humans, after being sedentary for generations slurping down Big Gulps and watching TV have become physically gelatinous and mentally disabled. A car and mouse plot erupts as the robots enter the ship between them, the ship's captain and the ship's robotic wheel - it makes sense when you see it.
The plot is good, even with the change in scope half way through. I just didn't connect with a couple of beeping robots. Not being able to get into their, what I considered to be contrived, love story made it hard to really get behind the rest of the tale. Again, it has been made vividly clear to me that I am alone on this take on the movie.
What I did like was the commentary on our disposable culture and the wasteful fashion most of us twiddle away our lives consuming and watching screens. The social commentary of the movie is dead-on and very funny.
While I am a big enough jerk to stand against popular opinion in most cases and call a spade a spade, in this instance I am going recommend this movie not based on my own reaction but on the reactions of others. I have two reasons to do this. First, this is Pixar and they simply just do not make bad movies. Given their catalog, I have to assume I'm the odd one out. Second, everyone I know would chase after me with pitchforks and torches if I went against them on this one.
What can I say, I'm a big wuss at heart.
Related Reviews:
Pixar Movies
The Incredibles (2004)
Finding Nemo (2003)
Other Critic's Reviews:
ReelViews
Dear Cinema
Labels: animated, film, movie review, Pixar
posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 5:00 PM
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6 Comments:
This seems to be fairly common with Pixar films: not everyone responds the same way to each one. I'm the only person I know who simply didn't respond to Finding Nemo. I mean, I liked it, and it was well done, I just didn't get all emotional over it.
But I cried over Monsters, Inc., Cars, and Wall-E. Go figure!
The immediate response to this movie in my household of six was "how come everybody says this movie is so good?"
Then, on Monday morning I listened to my wife begging me to bring the movie back because it played continuously all weekend. The kids were enamored with it and I am trying to figure out why. All I hear now is "wa-a-all-e-e...wall-e".
I guess either you get it or you don't. Like I said in my review I thought the love story was contrived - I was rolling my eyes for much of the film. When I dare whisper these thoughts out loud I usually get someone nearby who passionately disagrees and claims it to be one of the best romantic films they've ever seen. I'm left shrugging my shoulders. I'm hoping that future viewings will shed a light on what I've obviously missed, but I kinda doubt it.
You're not alone. My kids didn't even care for it. They laughed the first 10 minutes, but that was about it. I didn't watch because robots, a cockroach, and lazy fat people don't sound interesting to me.
...robots, cockroaches and lazy fat people - do you mean Congress?
Scott,
I just discovered your site last week. Looks interesting. I sort of felt about Ratatouille the way you feel about this film--knew it was good, but didn't find it that meaningful personally. My take on Wall-E is at:
http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=8356
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