Over the last several years, Walt Disney/Pixar has given audiences a clean run of stellar films. From 1995's Toy Story and 2001's Monsters Inc. to 2003's Finding Nemo and 2004's The Incredibles, their films have entertained and enlightened audiences of all ages. And with one major release every year for the last five years, you would think that the studio without a flop would run out of luck and ideas. However, 2008 isn't that year.
While said to be part of the original batch of ideas that helped propel Pixar into box office gold, Wall-E is a hard sell by any standards. In fact, I would have to admit that it contained the least interesting plot since last year's expected but still a surprise hit, Ratatouille.
I mean, think about it. You have an animated film that is suppose to appeal to kids about trash. Not to mention the unnatural absence of dialogue and did I mention that the film was about trash? However, I have to be frank and say that Pixar has shown its true light as it not only sold the plot, but made one of the best films of the summer while doing it.
As the film starts out, we are greeted with a prolonged introduction to our lead robot character, Wall-E. Long forgotten on Earth, Wall-E has spent hundreds of years doing what he was built to do � pick up trash. However, over the years Wall-E has grown lonely. Forced to watch humans interact through a 'television' set, he longs for companionship, and it is that craving for company that really drives home the film's story.
With very little dialogue or character interaction, the makers of Wall-E were forced to use nonverbal signals to express emotion and thought. Through this task, audiences are graced with an innocent character that has trouble understanding the simplest of concepts and longs for nothing more than to hold the hand of another. His kind gestures and constant state of fright not only makes him relatable but also a joy to watch.
Don't get me wrong, Wall-E isn't the only enjoyable character in the film.
As the movie progresses, Earth becomes the home to two robots, Wall-E and a search robot named Eve. Together, the two bots form a fast friendship, one that is truly tested when Eve finally finds what she is looking for, the key to the planet's future. Upon discovery, Eve races back to space where the human race is eagerly awaiting her return. However, Wall-E isn't going to let her go as he sneaks onto the shuttle and rides through galaxies and across solar systems in order to keep his first possible encounter in sight. But what awaits him when the shuttle stops is truly out of Wall-E's world of conception and intelligence.
Unfortunately, Eve isn't too great of a character. Sure she has wit and clever actions, and of course she is the other half to Wall-E's happiness, but she seems to be lacking something of crucial value. She has no direction, no passion and sadly, she seems to be too smart to really carry the adorable innocence that makes Wall-E so enjoyable to watch.
Luckily, fans get a great set up in the latter half of the film on the spaceship that the humans currently call home, allowing viewers to easily overlook the lacking Eve and be completely engrossed with her surroundings.
Finally, after almost fifty minutes of pure emotion and heartstring pulls, we are introduced to humans � though they hardly seem normal by today's standards. With technology so advanced, people have not been forced to lift a foot in over 700 years. In fact, they all live their daily lives and sleep in the same chair, leaving many of them unable to walk or fend for themselves.
Here is where the story begins to become interesting as we are introduced to how humans have lived and the true backbone to why Wall-E was left alone on Earth for so long, not to mention the hilarious incidents that have become the trademark of Pixar over the years. The film becomes more funny than anything else, never once looses the 'cute' feeling that got audiences so worked up during the beginning.
But even with all of the great characters and sets, the true spark for the film is its script.
Writer by Pixar mastermind Andrew Stanton, Wall-E had a challenge that is very rarely experienced in film � that of speaking lines. Coming to a total of seven separate speaking parts, Stanton had the difficult task of creating likable characters, funny interactions and a full blown story with hardly a word. Yet, it seemed to be pulled off with ease.
The most notable achievement for Stanton was that of his character interactions. Through his characters, Stanton was able to create a sense of longing, innocence and responsibility. The robots felt that their job was important and yet each was as replaceable as the next.
In addition, Stanton successfully kept the audience intrigued and entertained with the sole use of pictures. For minutes at a time there wasn't a word spoken on-screen, yet I found myself in high anticipation for what clever obstacle would show up next.
Ultimately, the film came together with pin-point precision as both the characters and the script complimented each other just-right. And what I thought would be the 'worst' summer blockbuster has quickly earned the distinction as biggest entertainer thus far this summer!
