While stamped with the Disney/Pixar label this film can easily be enjoyed adults who pay attention to whats going beyond the lack of dialog, and there isn't much. While I've read several short viewer reviews stating that its environmental message is the mark of influence from Silent Running, although true, actually seeing a future Earth and not having a man go mildly insane to save the Earth's ecosystems is a sigh of relief in this tale of machines and humans. On other notes people right off the bat have even gone the short and easy way to say that WALL-E is a Johnny 5 look-a-like. Sure, I see it, who the hell doesn't? And I haven't even seen short circuit.
In all honesty, I see Silent Running as a very poor example of a film but a great stoy idea. I saw the acting as bad which is toned down even more by lack of emotion when the main character goes as far to kill one of his douchebag space-vessel-mates. TV shows of now have had better acting for quite a while. However the idea of the environment and its conservation, let's even go as far to say preservation for Silent Runnings sake , is the only reason I mention it.
It might not seem fitting to some movie audiences but then people are currently angry that the gov't didn't step in and raise MPG standards a while ago, even one could argue it was the consumers fault for wanting to get gas guzzling SUVs in the first place. I am sure, had I seen the film in the daytime when the mall would be open that many would be walking into the movie with bags of most-likely needless shit from the Best Buy or Wal-Mart up the road several miles. This is what the film is focusing on. Consumerism. It's what drives America. But enough of my overly "wordy" opinions. The general picture is what I'm planning to deliver.
If you are at least old enough or have access to rated R movies, might I suggest watching They Live by John Carpenter. This contains many of the same social criticisms except from a point where the humans are truly somewhat good and it is a foreign alien secret invasion that draws out the anti-social, selfish nature that consumerism and capitalism can bring. WALL-E's take is much better in my regard and reminds me of what I'd expect from an early sci-fiction story.
Humans can't maintain themselves on being sustainable and are very willing to leave Earth only to have themselves saturated in technology and consumption again. The dramatic effect definitely kicks in when the Earth is seen empty for several shots with giant spires of what looks like rock jutting out of several cityscapes. From there we are finally introduced to WALL-E and we see that he is actually on top of one of em'. Second to that he is the only one of the many WALL-E's to have survived somehow.
His loneliness is subsided though as he has gathered many recurring historical elements of human consumption including a TV and VCR to watch his favorite movie on every night. He even has a pet cockroach. Ironic though that I am talking about a robot, a machine created to clean up all of the trash we have left over. Which brings about another theme of respecting things like they are yours. The inverse resulting in a slightly creepy image that is drawn into are heads over many of the Earth scenes.
Although there is very little human interaction in the first half of the movie, except for a few automated commercial systems that are tripped by WALL-E's travels. You can almost forget that these are robots the next day as your mind becomes slightly fuzzier on the whole magnificent film. WALL-E and the introduction as well as interactions with EVE eventually are supplanted by faceless human figures in my memory due to a very good job well done by Pixar.
Just like the fact that this movie is considered a kids movie because of its G rating, WALL-E the robot delivers more than he is originally intended to do. In a scenario that is very much has a maturity about it, the cartoon elements will enlighten kids while providing some humor for technically savvy adults. In my mind, this film should be analyzed like that of a classroom with the resulting recurring themes on humanity, our world, our devices, and our possible demise brought to the chalkboard close to the level of which Mark Twain's writings are. But that's just me.
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