WARNING SPOILERS

Walking into the theater I expected to see a really cute movie with your typical moral points directed at the younger members of the audience. All of that is included and so much more.

The character Wall-E is a small trash compacting robot that is the last known operating unit of its kind on Earth. Wall-E existed so long that for some reason he developed a personality, and so the isolation makes him extremely lonely.This is pretty apparent within the first five minutes of the movie. During the first half we learn that humanity has let the earth become so full of trash that they that they have to leave on a spaceship with the intent of leaving the Wall-E units to clean up during their departure. Throughout the movie we’re given tons of back-story, which can sometimes get cumbersome, but it really adds to the mystery. Unfortunately, the big mysteries in the movie are easily foreseen. This isn’t so bad considering it is a children’s movie. While the reveals of those mysteries aren’t surprising, they are satisfying.

The animation is fantastic. They were even able to successfully use some live action scenes, and make it seem believable.

Wall-E the character is exactly what he needs to be: small, cute and loveable. He’s a robot of few words which makes sense considering he’s not programmed to process information verbally. It’s admirable to see a movie so scant on words (at least for the first half). A lot of the jokes are reminiscent of old physical comedy cartoons or even silent movies.

The big surprise is in the movie’s social awareness. It breaks away from Pixar’s normal endeavor which actually is a really cute movie with your typical moral points directed at the younger members of the audience. Wall-E creates a condemning representation of Wal-Mart which in the movie is called Buy N Large. It is possible that the Buy N Large isn’t necessarily supposed to be Wal-Mart, but with the parallels between its image and Wally Word’s I think it is the most obvious target. C’mon, the major character’s name is Wall-E. How could it not be directed at Wall-Mart? As we follow Wall E through the movie, during the terrestrial parts, we see a very Wall-Mart-like retail store, and quite a few billboards that all send the message that Wall-Mart/Buy N Large is buying the world. The major string of social commentary is on the overall future of man kind, showing an existence of fat ignorant humans. With obesity on the rise, Wall E’s images should hit pretty close to home for most people in some fashion or another. The sloth-ish nature of humans in this movie could be a jab at Wall-Mart as well, considering that it’s Wall-Mart’s intent to make merchandise cheaper, and therefore accessible to the point that people don’t have to work hard enough to deserve it. It’s a grim portrayal of the future, but all is not lost. Wall-E gives props to the human spirit.

The Verdict: Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a must-see for the whole family. This movie is quite an experience from beginning to end. I urge you not to miss it.

-Vince