Well, it happened! I actually got in to see a sneak preview of Disney/Pixar’s Wall-E. I arrived at the theater about 1 hour and 15 minutes before the movie started, and there were already about 80 people in line. But after the long wait, we got what we paid for (well, the tickets were free, but you get the point!).
In typical Pixar fashion, a Pixar Short named “Presto” appeared before the movie started. The short features a magician and his rabbit. I won’t give away any details, but it is quite entertaining and humorous. The 3-5 minute clip was far more entertaining than anything I’ve seen from Dreamworks in the last couple of years.
Anyway, the movie finally started and within a few short minutes, I was already blown away. To be completely honest, the first 30 minutes of Wall-E is the best 30 minutes I’ve ever seen from any animated film. The visuals in the movie are absolutely stunning. This is definitely Pixar’s best work at creating a landscape that is near-reality.
Wall-E himself is a piece of work as well. I honestly believe (and I say this with much thought) Wall-E may be the greatest individual character of any Pixar movie. Individually, he triumphs over Woody and Buzz, Lightning McQueen, and Nemo. In the first 30 minutes, you get to see who Wall-E really is. The first half of the movie contains very little dialogue, but that almost wraps your mind into the film even more. Wall-E is a very simple character, but his awkwardness, humorous beeps and sounds, and genuine heart captures viewer in an unprecedented way. (His chivalry is also something every guy could learn from!)
The addition of Eve creates a new element to the movie. It begins an innocent love story between two robots that is torn from the pages of the greatest love stories of all time. As crazy as it sounds, the two robots have great chemistry. You may roll your eyes now, but you’ll understand once you see the movie.
There are a few places where the movie slows down. Some of the “human” elements are not nearly as appealing as watching Wall-E. There were several times I found myself wishing the movie would transition back to him, even if it was just to watch him pickup trash.
At one point I was afraid that Disney might have an agenda with the movie and seek to push some political themes. Well, there is an agenda with the movie, but hopefully people will notice that the movie focuses more on personal responsibility rather than political implications. Since the trailers haven’t alluded to what I’m talking about, I’ll spare you the spoilers.
Fortunately, the movie does not dull for long and the proactive message is not over the top. The movie is frequent with humor that both parents and children will enjoy. The script has thrown out some of the childhood humor found in other Disney movies and found a style that will appeal to all ages. While the film does not contain the quips and pop culture hits that made “Toy Story” a great success, it will definitely make you laugh and carry a smile from the opening scene through the credits.
The ending to the movie seems predictable but actually leaves the viewer on the edge of his or her seat. You think you know exactly how it will end, but you still remain a little bit skeptical how things will turn out.
The movie contains a few pop culture references. One of the most notable is the sound Wall-E makes when he gets done charging. Anyone who owns a Mac will recognize the noise. There are also many references to “Hello Dolly.”
The soundtrack for the movie is captivating. While it does not contain a groundbreaking song that will be nominated for a Grammy, it does evoke a taste of jazz, utilizing favorites from Louis Armstrong and many others.
As you may have noticed, I am trying to be as vague as possible when it comes to dealing with the plot of the movie. I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone and I want everyone to go see the movie for themselves.
Wall-E is simply amazing! Disney and Pixar have done it once again. They have created a masterpiece that allows people of all ages to go to the theater and rediscover what it’s like to be a child. It will definitely be a classic for years to come. It might take another viewing to process the true value of the film, but as of now, I would definitely classify as being at least one of the top 3 Pixar movies to date.
Overall, I give Wall-E a 9/10. It’s definitely worth seeing once and probably worth seeing twice. Personally, I’m already excited about the DVD release. Wall-E in Blu-Ray…that will be a sight to see!
But, don’t just take it from me…see it yourself! Once you see it, let me know what you think!
Tags: Disney, movie, Pixar, review, screening, sneak preview, Wall-E
June 25th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Well written review. Thanks.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
i thought it was good. i’d give it maybe a 7 out of 10 though.
June 25th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Yeah I’m really wanting to see it. Even with pay day being Friday I’m going to be broke so the movie might have to wait awhile….*sigh*
No luxuries for me for the next few weeks. :(
But your review is great. I really can’t wait to see it!
June 25th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
“His chivalry is also something every guy could learn from!” I Couldn’t agree more. The way they interacted sent a positive message of unselfish and self-sacrificing love from both parties. It was one of the sweetest and most innocent love stories.
Great Review!! ;)
June 26th, 2008 at 12:54 am
Hey David,
Great review! Makes me want to take the kids even more.
Need I say that Wall-E is the next R2-D2? :)
June 29th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Great review, David. I think this is definitely up there in terms of my favorite Pixar movies. The challenge of animating a lead character who doesn’t even speak is huge. But they pulled it off wonderfully. I can’t wait to head back to the theater to see it again. And yea, I’ll be anticipating the Blu-Ray as well. Heh.
The people I saw it with felt they were bashed over the head with enviro-messages. I didn’t find it to be so focused on that tho. More of a warning in reference to our consumer society continually moving to new extremes. I tend to agree with you that the film was more about evoking a sense of “personal responsibility” from the viewer. Wall-E himself is great example. He did what he could with what he had. But I don’t know why my conservative friends hated on it so much. What’s so bad about being a good steward with the things God has given to us?
In reference to what Jeff said… I think the guy who did R2D2 actually is the same person who voiced Wall-E. I seem to remember reading that somewhere.
Anyway, great review and congrats on the weight loss!
June 30th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Hey Ryan, I hear ya on that. I’ve heard some people say the movie had a political agenda. I don’t think that was the case. I think it had more to do with encouraging people to do their part. It wasn’t just all about the environment…there were also messages about the negative effects of media and even laziness. I’m guessing the script was even written being the whole “going green” trend became a fad.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Yea, the media and pop culture latch on to things and really end up running them into the ground. I found the consumerism/media themes to be much more interesting and convicting. Most of the people I saw the movie with didn’t even pick up on them.