WALL-E Review (2008) - A whimsical, heart-tugging odyssey across a galaxy of garbage, where an adorable robot finds love, purpose, and the key to humanity's future!
As we continue on with Sci-Fi month, we potatoes are thrilled to be discussing an absolute gem of a film: Pixar’s 2008 masterpiece, "WALL-E!" This film isn’t just another animated feature; it's a poignant exploration of loneliness, love, and the untiring spirit of curiosity that defines us! We love this movie!
"WALL-E" is a visionary odyssey that spins a yarn of the future Earth, abandoned and barren, through the eyes of its unlikely hero. But before we dig deeper into this space-age fable, we need to give a few reminders. Beneath its layers whimsy, the story does discuss themes of capitalism, consumerism, environmental decay, profound isolation, and rebirth through connection. While we do not find these topics to be too much, it’s always wise to approach with a sense of caution but also a readiness for the wonderful lessons this movie imparts.
We will do everything we can to not give too many spoilers in this review but there is likely to be some so please take that into consideration and read cautiously.
Now, let’s begin the journey!
We open to the vast, silent stretches of space and a deserted Earth, greeted by the poignant strains of “Put on Your Sunday Clothes,” which seems to echo through the cosmos. Here, we meet WALL-E, who appears to be the last robot left on Earth, performing his endless task of cleaning up the planet, one cube of trash at a time. His only companion is a sprightly cockroach, proving that they really can survive anything!
As we watch WALL-E trundle along through the depressing heaps of discarded remnants of humanity, we witness the loneliness that envelops him and just the vast emptiness of the world. That is until a sleek and shiny robot probe named EVE lands! Her landing is fairly traumatic for WALL-E but overall EVE is a breath of fresh air in WALL-E’s life, and he is immediately smitten with her! It is one of the most adorable things you will ever see and we potatoes love it!
They get to know each other, and form a cute bond. We do not want to give too much of the film away, but EVE finds what she is searching for on earth! She is collected by the spacecraft that dropped her off, but poor WALL-E does not understand. So he stows away on the ship!
Their adventure rockets beyond the trash-laden Earth into the stars, eventually making it aboard a spaceship carrying some of the remnants of humanity. Humans! WALL-E has never actually seen a human in person before, but he is far too infatuated with EVE to care all that much! The humans are in odd looking, tight jumpsuits, and have grown complacent and disconnected from themselves and their home planet. They glide through life in a bubble of artificial convenience, having everything done for them by robots. We rolled our eyes a little here…but we are going to start wrapping up!
WALL-E’s unassuming courage and adorable naiveté sparks a chain of events that steers the story towards themes of awakening and redemption. The contrast between WALL-E’s earnest, and determined personality and the sleek, sterile life of the starship highlights the battles between corporate greed, capitalism, progress, and preservation.
As we drift through the cosmos, "WALL-E" offers not just a tale of love and adventure, but also a poignant critique on the pitfalls of capitalism, corporate greed and what could happen if we allow corporations to continue to get bigger and bigger…creating more monopolies. The megacorporation Buy n’ Large (BnL) looms as a colossal entity that not only dictates the daily lives of humans aboard the spaceship Axiom, but also monopolizes their very existence. BnL's omnipresence in the lives of the last remnants of humanity paints an incredibly stark portrait of consumerism run amok, where convenience and corporatism have completely eclipsed, autonomy, common sense and connection.
This juggernaut of commerce has not only outsourced Earth's environmental cleanup to robots but also the entirety of human experience to automation, reducing vibrant lives to one’s of passive consumption. Through WALL-E's eyes, we see the dangers of such unchecked power! A world where intrinsic needs and individuality are neglected, and the heart's calls are muffled under layers of corporate control and instant gratification. This storyline serves as a crucial reminder that redemption and balance is of utmost importance and must be sought. It urges us to reclaim our planet and our autonomy from the clutches of the corporate dominion that we unfortunately seem to currently, be headed towards with great speed.
This movie can be a difficult one to watch, because the points hit and they hit hard. However, while this film is an absolute masterpiece in our opinion, there were a few things that we felt could have been done a bit better.
We found the depiction of humans living passively on the Axiom, their every need met by automation, to not be very realistic to us potatoes. While the film portrays humanity lounging in perpetual leisure, disconnected from any “meaningful” pursuits, we believe this paints an incomplete and untrue picture of human potential.
We feel that if we were liberated from the daily struggle for survival, that humanity wouldn't succumb to apathy but would instead flourish in pursuits of passion and creativity! With basic needs satisfied, we would have the time and freedom to engage in artistic endeavors, scientific research, and cultural exploration, which would propel human progress and innovation forward. We potatoes think that this film's perspective underestimates the intrinsic human need to explore, create, and transform!
It's vital to recognize that with the right opportunities, humanity can use its newfound freedom not for idle complacency but to soar to new heights of achievement and fulfillment! We potatoes believe that this is what we would do if we were only given the opportunity. But unfortunately our human governments are completely controlled by greed, and the big corporations that we deal with in reality…know this and use it to full advantage.
We potatoes think that WALL-E is absolutely fantastic and serves as both a cautionary tale and a bit of a missed opportunity to showcase the expansive capabilities of humanity unbound by survival. If we did not have to worry about being slaves to a system that does not care about us…if we did not have to worry about money, shelter, food…what great things could we do?! What would you do if you did not have to work your daily grind? What would you create? How would you grow? We think that humanity has so much untapped potential…being strangled by our system, greed, and survival. However, we do understand the point that the film is trying to make by showcasing complacency. We have been complacent in many ways, and we need to do better as a species for our planet, and for ourselves.
Moving forward! The film, through its breathtaking visuals and minimal dialogue, crafts a profound narrative! The animation, is a visual banquet that Pixar serves up with mastery! Painting a story of desolation with vibrant strokes of hope and deep hues of humor. Each frame is meticulously crafted, the scenes of space are gorgeous and it all serves to pull us deeper into WALL-E’s world with its atmospheric depth and detailed backdrops.
In essence, "WALL-E" teaches us the invaluable lessons of caring for our planet, warning us about the pitfalls of the capitalistic hellscape that many of us are living in, cherishing sincere connections, and the enduring power of hope and change. We can do better, we can grow, we can change, and we can actually thrive instead of simply survive. As we reflect on WALL-E’s journey from a lonely planet to EVE and the Axiom, we’re reminded that sometimes, the greatest adventures in life begin with the simplest of intentions, to hold hands and be together.
We potatoes cherish and adore this movie! We heartily recommend it to anyone captivated by a tale of love that transcends design and programming. If you are someone that enjoys films that ask important questions, make you think, but are absolutely sweet and adorable at the same time! Then this is unquestionably the movie for you!
So, here's to WALL-E’s journey of discovery, to EVE’s spirit of exploration, and to a love story that continues to inspire us, reminding us that connection can be found anywhere, even in the vastness of space. Cheers to WALL-E, who inspires us to reflect on the impact of our consumption, to advocate for ourselves and a future where the planet is not just a resource, but a home to cherish and protect. Cheers to a tale that has rolled its way into our hearts, teaching us to look beyond what we see and to believe in our capacity for change, and growth. And most importantly, cheers to you!
We give WALL-E five out of five chocolate cupcake cocktails!
The WALL-E Drinking Game
Take a sip anytime:
1. Anyone says "WALL-E"
2. Anyone says "EVE"
3. Anyone says "Directive"
4. Anyone says "Plant"
5. Anyone says “Earth”
6. Anyone says “Axiom”
7. WALL-E is curious, cute or sweet
8. WALL-E interacts with another robot
9. WALL-E pines over EVE
10. EVE does something badass
11. MOE cleans or freaks out about dirt or "foreign contaminants"
12. Anytime you see a sign for "Buy n Large" or hear the company name out loud "Buy n Large"
13. Anytime there's a moment where the roach should have died
What do you think? Do you like the movie? Do you hate it? What movies do you think we should watch? Any and all thoughts are welcome! Let us know here in the comments and always remember to be safe and drink responsibly!