Wall-E

What's it all about?
Earth has been abandoned by humans because of pollution, and they've all taken refuge in a giant space-station.

Wall-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) is the last of the robots left to clean up. Because he's been left so many years, he has developed the glitch of curiosity.

When EVE, a robot in search of any signs of life left on Earth, arrives, Wall-E falls in love and so his adventure begins.

Looks Like...
Your eyes have been sprayed with pure beauty.

Every year we get legions and legions of CGI cartoons from the good (Shrek), the bad (Madagascar) and the ugly (The Reef). Yet, in sheer animation quality, Pixar top them all, as easy as an Olympic runner at a school sports day.

But every year I worry, because these films ARE getting better, and I'm always unsure whether Pixar can pull it off again. But they did, and then some.

When it is good, it is perfection. Both Wall-E and EVE seem like Pixar found a wasteland and shoved two real, working robots into it. It was that good.

Even at its low points (the humans) it is as good as the best of its competition. So nothing to complain about on that score.

Sounds Like...
It is always amazing that Wall-E and EVE could be understood despite they say about ten words between them. To pull off over half an hour of silent film is something to be applauded in this age, and so props are given and hard work recognized.

The voice acting, like most Pixar films, is good without being celebrity driven. There is no Mike Myers/Cameron Diaz/Eddie Murphy combination here to draw the crowds, just the correct voices for the characters.

Feels Like...

Okay. Let me get the negative out of the way first. This is NOT the best Pixar film ever. This is a studio that delivers amazing films, time after time. I would argue that they have never made a bad film. So to not be the best is not such a negative thing.

It plays its green message a little strong, occasionally letting preaching slip in, although I never found it too distracting. When the story focuses on the humans, the story slips from awesome to good. And...that's it. Negative stuff out of the way, now I can be a fanboy.

I loved this film. I was always going to love it, unless the exception that it pulls a 'Crystal Skulls' type disappointment out of the bag. I was going to love it because I love Pixar.

This is a company that values story over big names and fancy gimmicks, who always deliver something new and creative. Wall-E was there biggest leap of faith, a film in which the lead characters hardly speak. I've said it before here, but the fact that this film even got made in this ADD-riddled children's market is a testament to the faith that Pixar put in story over "what the kids want". Even if I hadn't loved the film, I would have loved the gesture.

Wall-E, himself, is an expertly drawn character. He is pure robot, and yet the animation team has made him more emotive than the best of human actors. He hums and blunders through the film; part Johnny 5, part Buster Keaton. He feels real and therefore we feel for him. The film is not Pixar's best, I've already said that, but Wall-E ranks up there as the best character they have created (Standing side by side with Boo from 'Monsters Inc')

EVE, the design opposite of Wall-E, is the perfect partner for him. Whilst he tumbles, she glides. He explores, whilst her mind is set on one goal: finding life.

Their relationship is the core of the film, and the best bit. The way they interact, in a melody of beeps and hums and half-pronounced words, is fascinating to watch. We see Wall-E fall in love instantly and know why. Through his actions we see how much he cares for EVE. When she ends up falling for him, we care because he cares.

The film contains more romantic moments than most real-life romantic films. Their first "kiss" is the most touching, sweet moments you'll see this year. That is until you see their second one, which tops even their first. It is a moment that should bring tears to the eyes of all who have hearts.

The only reason the human element in the second half feels slightly disappointing is that it has to be compared to the fabulous scenes with these robots. Ironically enough, Wall-E and EVE are more human than any of the actual human characters that we meet.

Verdict...
If it was all Wall-E and EVE, it would be guaranteed two thumbs up and every word of praise I could give it. If it was all human, it would get one thumb, and a few words on the heavy-handed green message.

The film sits somewhere in between, but I sway higher because of everything it tried to do.