Wall-E is a wholesome little robot, resigned to spending his days shovelling away rubbish on an Earth that has been abandoned by humankind due to high pollution levels. Ths is quite a brave film, as the first half hour or so is devoid of dialogue, focusing instead on Wall-E's daily routines and quirky personality. Thanks to Pixar's ever-impressive animation, Wall-E is quite an endearing character and a joy to watch. The arrival of Eve, however, a slick white robot with obvious Apple connotations, turns Wall-E's world upside down and also acts as a catalyst, moving the story forward and away from the dialogue free scenario. The second part of the film, which sees Wall-E follow Eve to a ship in outer space where the humans now reside, is a lot more fast paced and action packed than the beginning: robot chases ensue, human characters are introduced and Wall-E struggles to keep up with Eve amidst all the goings on.
Wall-E is cynicism free in many ways, perhaps signalling a return to the more traditional Disney fare. Yet, the film is not so wholly innocent when you consider that the backdrop to the opening sequence is Earth, devoid of humans, but destroyed by the pollution and waste, which we allowed to take over. There is a message here about eco friendliness and a satirical jab at this generation's rising obesity levels and lazy attitudes, driven as they are by technology. However, this satirical reepresentation of the human race results in a return to innocence, when the grossly overwight humans slowly begin to break free from their monotonous state and start over. Wall-E has the ability to draw us all back to the feelings of childhood innocence and is possibly the most magical movie you will see this year.
