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And it is absolutely not a political movie, no matter how hard a small faction of political bloggers might try to pin it as one. Yes, it has a message about the environment—take care of it. And yes, it has a message about capitalism—too much of it can be sinful. These aren't political points; they're very basic moral ones, and no rational Christian has any grounds on which to object to them.

The love bots

But even more than a great work of sci-fi, this is a great work of cinema. WALL• E is Pixar's boldest, bravest film yet, opening with half an hour in which no dialogue occurs. Much of the story is told, then, only through images, and in this regard, it's the most sophisticated and subtle film Pixar has yet made. There are moments of inspired visual humor, and of poignant visual metaphors. There are small gestures and little moments that say more than a script ever could. It's so gloriously evocative, surely it deserves to be called poetry.

And yet, the greatest feat of WALL• E—its most seemingly-impossible achievement—might be this: Despite the fact that it's hard science fiction, that it paints a dystopian picture of our future, that it's subtle and sophisticated, and that it's very light on dialogue, it's every bit the crowd-pleaser that we've come to expect from this studio—funny, romantic, imaginative, and utterly gripping. This is Pixar's magic.

It's a film that continues the trend of Pixar's last movie, Ratatouille—a trend toward more complex storytelling that's as much for grown-ups as it is for kids. That trend seems set to change at some point, what with a third Toy Story in the works, but, if WALL• E is any indication, Pixar's unbroken trend of excellent, meaningful filmmaking is in no danger of slowing down. This movie is an extraordinary achievement, and an example of truly fearless filmmaking.

Talk About It

1. The film presents us with a rather harrowing portrayal of human culture in the future. What are the factors that caused human culture to become this way? What are the negative aspects of human culture that we see on display? Are thee any positive ones?
2. Does WALL• E love EVE? Does she love him in return? How do you know?
3. Is the film's message a cynical one, or a hopeful one? Or something in between? Discuss.
4. What are some examples of the power of beauty in this film? In the power of love?

The Family Corner

WALL•E is rated G, and, apart from one or two scenes that might be a little frightening for the very young, it's suitable for all ages. The short film that precedes it, Presto, contains some Loony Tunes-style, slapstick violence.

Photos © Copyright Walt Disney/Pixar

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