Seen on: June 27, 2008

The players: Director: Andrew Stanton, Writer: Andrew Stanton, Cast: Benjamin Burtt, Jeff Garlin, Elissa Knight, Fred Willard, John Ratzenberger

Facts of interest: Stanton also directed "Finding Nemo" and co-directed "A Bug's Life."

The plot: The story focuses on a little robot who's programed to compress trash but finds a new purpose in his existence when he falls in love with a droid from space. 

Our thoughts: “WALL-E” is not necessarily my favorite Pixar flick (I’ll stick with “The Incredibles” for now), but it’s undoubtedly another wonderful animated family adventure that will enchant youngsters and grown-ups alike. Just as any other masterpiece the folks over at Pixar have developed over the past years, the film combines striking visuals with a heartwarming story to send cinemagoers on a ride they’ll never forget. Who thought a little robot could steal our hearts that quickly?

The year is 2700. Mankind has left Earth because the mass of garbage made life unbearable, and the only functioning thing left on the planet is WALL-E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class), a little robot who spends every day collecting and compressing trash. Unlike most robots, however, WALL-E has developed a personality, and while he’s mostly busy following his incredible curiosity, he’s also quite lonely.

The little robot’s existence takes a drastic turn when he encounters EVE, a droid sent to Earth to search for evidence of life. Although stunned by the arrival of a stranger from space, WALL-E is glad he’s finally found company. But when EVE completes her mission and is ordered back to her spaceship, WALL-E decides it’s time for a change. Not willing to let his newfound love slip away, he follows EVE into space, which sets the stage for a great adventure that will give the robot a chance to discover what he was really meant for.

Pixar is famous for creating heartfelt stories most of us can relate to, and “WALL-E” is certainly no exception. Essentially, Andrew Stanton’s script is deeply romantic, following a cute robot’s quest to win the affection of a charming droid. Although these two lead characters are animated and mechanical, the growth of their relationship is beautiful to observe. The filmmakers did a fabulous job of giving WALL-E and EVE true-to-life personalities that are just as believable as those of two real-life actors sharing great chemistry.

But “WALL-E” is not all about love. The robot’s charm and his curiosity for knowledge about everything he comes across also inspires the human characters in the film to rediscover the joy of life and start caring for the place they once called home. The film’s central message is obviously structured and presented in a way kids can easily understand it, but the emotions that come along with it are authentic enough to please everybody.

As usual, the film boasts an incredibly inventive universe filled with energetic colors and amusing gadgets. The animation looks more stunning than ever, and the amount of detail put into the figures and their environment is remarkable. I also applaud the filmmakers’ ability to keep the film highly entertaining despite the fact that WALL-E doesn’t talk. Having a lead character in an animated flick speak only three words presents a tough challenge, but Stanton handled it very well. In the end, we love WALL-E jut as much as any Pixar character.  

Freaky quote: "Eeeeva!” – Ben Burtt

The final word: With plenty of action, great laughs and several touching sequences, “WALL-E” is a must-see. Much like “Ratatouille” last year, this wonderful adventure is already on course to become the year’s best computer-animated film. No matter how beautiful the weather is this weekend, shut down the grill, dress the kids and head for the closest movie theater. WALL-E’s been lonely for too many years already; he deserves a large audience. 

Article by Franck Tabouring