WALL·E

The poster elicits a sense of loneliness

The ‘·’ in WALL·E is an ‘interpunct’, used to separate words in classical Latin long before a ’space’ is even thought of. With it being in the film’s title, a sense of nostalgia with a blend of mystery and sci-fi is invoked. The decision to combine a futuristic sounding title with an extinct punctuation definitely sets this film apart from any other animated films. Unlike most current films, much personality is already given out by only reading the title itself. Having said that, it is also unsurprising to know that the film’s achievements greatly mirrors the purpose of the title.

WALL·E stands for ‘Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class’ and WALL·E is a robot. The directive for WALL·E is to do what his name says, cleaning up trash on a post-apocalyptic (not in the usual sense) Earth habituated by absolutely nothing at all except for WALL·E’s only friend, a cockroach. WALL·E showcases sapient behaviour unprecedented for a machine in our time. Despite being a machine, WALL·E clearly exhibits emotions which endears him to viewers and gave him much more of a personality than most cartoon characters can dream of. Out of nowhere, EVE, an Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator, appears on Earth and drives the brilliant plot of this film forward in a delightful pace.

The plot (which I am not spoiling here) of WALL·E is an amazing, imaginative and original ride that will make absolutely anyone laugh, cry and think. If one has a very short attention span and is unable to work their thought process, this film is definitely a pass for them. Fortunately, this film works on almost all levels (except for the select few that I mentioned) and is definitely a joy to watch for anybody of any ages. Like every other Pixar film, imagination is abundant in this film and it is surprising to think that those at Pixar possess such vast amount of it.

Pixar outdid themselves in every aspect of film-making again. In particular, visuals are a main composition of an animated film and WALL·E trumps in this aspect. From the rubbish towered landscapes of an isolated Earth to the vast sea of space, WALL·E is a visual feast for the eyes. Live-action shots in this film are also a first for Pixar and they are utilised to great visual and dramatic narrative effect. Unorthodox for an animated CGI film, depth of field shots (and other cinematography techniques) are littered throughout the film inciting tension and drama in scenes that demands it. Dull, colourful, bright and vibrant are words to describe the colour palette used for this film and they are used to great effect in terms of creating emotions and depth. Various feelings of delight and melancholy are displayed wonderfully in WALL·E just by the visuals itself making this film another of Pixar’s finest efforts.

Atmosphere is abundant throughout the film with perfect use of music. The score is evidently the main component for a film like WALL·E which exhibits silent films’ characteristics. Tension, joy, calmness and humanity are ejected with ease into viewers through the use of music. This film’s achievements in the audio department greatly rival musical efforts by Disney such as Fantasia 2000. Classic and lovable songs are also inserted at poignant points of the film invoking a sense of nostalgia much like the title itself. All in all, the score is such a wonderfully refreshing experience that anyone can go through over and over again.

To call WALL·E a cartoon greatly diminishes the quality of the film. Social commentaries are a main part of this film that most people will overlook. With obvious themes like mass-consumerism, globalisation and degradation of humanity, this film is no longer a cartoon. It is a film that rivals any live-action films in terms of intelligence and heart albeit in the form of an animation. Viewers will be given a choice of either thinking or not thinking when undergoing the process of experiencing this film. Needless to say, the viewers’ minds will not be taxed that much for the themes present are all laid out easily for anyone to follow. With intelligence infused linearly for the viewers, the joy of watching a film can be undertaken without much confusion.

In a nutshell, WALL·E is the film of the year that everyone should absolutely catch. WALL·E is a film that appeals to anybody and will definitely give everyone a great time. For those complaining about the film being too slow, it is because the visuals and the themes are overlooked. There is also not one ounce of popular culture that is present in this film (unlike Kungfu Panda which strives on that and sacrifices quality) and that makes WALL·E a refreshing watch. Therefore, WALL·E is highly recommended by me and it should be the film everyone watches while it is still playing.

PS: A great short by Pixar is also present before WALL·E begins ala Pixar’s other films. This allows us to watch a feature length film and a short film for the admission price of only one feature length film!