Pixar’s winning streak had to end sometime, right?
And why not with “WALL*E,” the studio’s most ambitious project to date? The new animated feature follows a garbage robot left to fend for itself on a trash filled Earth. The ‘bot’s misadventures take him into outer space - and beyond - but ultimately I spent more time looking at my watch than the screen. And that’s saying something for a Pixar film. Their visuals often redefine state-of-the-art with every outing.
My Washington Times review breaks down my growing sense of disappointment while watching the movie.
Also check out my thoughts on the curious marketing campaign tie-in to the film.
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Betty Buehler 07.11.08 at 9:26 am
I’m with ya. How come all the other reviewers are slobbering over this boring crap?
cftoto 07.11.08 at 1:34 pm
Betty, I’ve gotten more flack from this non-rave review than any other review I’ve written in more than seven years of critiquing movies.
I may have to watch it again … but my first impression left me bored, too.
Race Bannon 07.11.08 at 4:38 pm
Dittos! You nailed it! I found the film bleak and boring. I can’t believe it’s getting such rave reviews from the majority of critics. Did I see the same print they did?
I thought the opening magician short much more entertaining and endearing than Wall-E. Overall, the film felt uninspired and the characters stiff and shallow.
Like most American families, we own all of the Pixar DVDs. Sadly, Wall-E won’t be joining our collection.
cftoto 07.11.08 at 4:46 pm
I’ve never felt such a disconnect with my critical peers, Race. And yeah, the opening short is magical. Wish the following movie could equal it.
I can’t imagine any child clamoring for a “Wall*E” DVD this Christmas — but I don’t have a child of my own yet (that changes in January). Are children enjoying this movie like they did “Cars” or “Finding Nemo?”
Sean 07.13.08 at 10:00 pm
Excellnt and spot-on review. After taking my two children (4 and 7) less than an hour ago, and can agree that both they (from a kids perspective) and I found the movie to be fairly, well, bleh. Pretty for sure, and cute in many ways, but compared to the rest of the Pixar stable, this is easily at the bottom. I can’t believe the fawning that is occurring by other reviewers. Plus, as you noted, the over-the-top preachy-ness reminds me of ‘Happy Feet’, another movie not worthy of the massive adoration.
cftoto 07.13.08 at 10:10 pm
I was pretty psyched to see “Happy Feet” but I barely got through it all. Another over-hyped kid flick (frankly, I love many of new kid flicks like “Nemo” and “Toy Story”).
Thanks for the note, Sean. Most people disagree with us, though! I wish I liked “Wall*E” half as much as nearly everyone else did. I thought the film would take a real dip on its second and third weekend at the box office, but it’s been holding relatively strong.
Medusa 07.14.08 at 8:02 pm
I had to look around to find some bad reviews….wow - there are about 2. I loved the first half for all the same reasons…gorgeously rendered and adorable robot. My attention started to lag with the sexual socialization of robots!!! They are male and female too? She was so feminine, he was so clumsy….boring cliches. The appearance of infantilized humans ruined any ounce of hope I had that the movie was going to go back to its original glamour. Humans and consumerism in this movie was treated with a very heavy handed and, once again, cliched!!!! I would think that with all the advancements made in animation that these animators could have innovative storylines and characters to match. That’s why I was so disappointed. I wanted the characters, being robots, to break through our societal constraints and make a difference. Instead, it really was just a romantic doomsday comedy. I am surprised they didn’t use Kate Hudson and Matthew Mc Coughannehey (spelling, but who cares?) to do the robotic murmurings of these two.
cftoto 07.14.08 at 8:05 pm
Medusa - very well put. Please don’t try out for my day job! For the record, there are a few bad/less than glowing reviews of the film out there, but I think the number is below 10 - which is amazing…
Ryan 07.16.08 at 5:52 pm
AMEN to the review and those who have commented. After seeing this movie in its opening weekend, I had two thoughts: I wish I would have just spent the time watching 2001: A Space Odysssey, and (even though I was supposed to be caring about the environment) when is Apple releasing that new flying robot showcased in the film? More disturbing than a future of consumer-happy gastropods, was that WALL-E’s clumsy adoration for his robo-babe mirrored our own slobbering affection for the sleek technology that built and IS this movie. Ironically, in the future, some earth-cleansing robot with a developed sense of humanity will toss aside this shiny movie for something that actually carries some weight.
cftoto 07.16.08 at 5:55 pm
Ryan,
Very well put … I wish more critics could have included such thoughts in their reviews of the film.
Daniel 07.16.08 at 7:11 pm
I can’t believe all of you who commented can’t find the simple joy of this masterpiece. Maybe you should dig deeper into the movie and enjoy the simple yet oh so complex themes. The simple joys of life, love, care for others. This robot taught me so much. He is probably the most lovable and deep character I have seen in a long time. This movie tapped into emotions I never knew I had. It made me warm and fuzzy, laughing, yet serious and thinking. It makes you laugh out loud, think hard, and get past the philosophy of deep thinking. Not that deep thinking is bad, but sometimes the most amazing, beautiful, and mysterious things of the world are the very simplest. The basic faith of a child, for example. This movie has so many amazing moments, pure visual poetry, I don’t see why you can’t see how much this movie offers. Watch it again and enjoy it for what it is, and try to learn something from it too, we all can.
cftoto 07.16.08 at 7:15 pm
Daniel,
Thanks for writing. I do want to see it again … though I feel like I should wait a while so it’s as fresh as possible in my head. Frankly, I’m sad that I didn’t react to the film like you and so many others did. I love movies … and love nothing better than when they touch me like “Wall*E” touched you.
Sarah 07.21.08 at 8:42 pm
What really disturbs me about the responses to Wall-E is that NO ONE seems to have picked up on the fundamental message of the film:
Sarah 07.21.08 at 8:45 pm
What really disturbs me about the responses to Wall-E is that NO ONE seems to have picked up on the sinister and fundamental message of the film: If humanity trashes planet Earth, we will be saved and whisked away on some kind of space vehicle. Then, because we have kept a single green plant, the earth itself will be transformed back into the beautiful world we once knew and everyone can return! Is this a corporate/consumer society-friendly message or what????
cftoto 07.21.08 at 9:21 pm
Sarah,
Most people, myself included, felt the whole film’s subtext was the opposite, but for me the single green plant notion was simply a way to have a happy ending of sorts. One of many reasons why I thought the film fell short of the hype. But you could certainly read the ending as a ‘do over’ switch for the planet.
Nicenin 07.23.08 at 11:25 pm
Just saw the movie tonight after weeks of hype from people whose opinion I trust implicitly. Have to say I was very disappointed. Wall-E’s “cuteness” is over-enforced; drawing him in such a way as to respond in a human like manner to emotional stimuli was a mistake and not believable. The constant slapstick was an irritant. The environmental message was heavy handed and the plot too similar to “Star Wars” Episode IV.
The irony is that the movie’s anti technology message was itself encased in an overuse of that very technology. I can only assume that this was a movie that wanted to be hated.
cftoto 07.24.08 at 3:46 am
Nicein, Thanks for your feedback on the film. It’s funny - thoughts of “Star Wars” ep IV went through my mind, too, during the movie. Too much technology, too many whizzing/buzzing characters … snore.
I appreciated some of the cutesy elements, but it’s a story I just couldn’t embrace. I’m really shocked so many people felt otherwise.
Pete Fraser 07.24.08 at 9:41 pm
I came out of this film wondering how on earth it managed to get made. Pixar once represented the triumph of characterisation over technology (Luxo Junior, Toy Story) but this was, technology aside, rather feeble.
And I preferred the oven in Wallace & Gromit’s “A Grand Day Out”.
cftoto 07.24.08 at 9:46 pm
Pete, Many people found plenty of heart and soul in Wall*E, but count you and me among those who didn’t. And it is the first time a Pixar film left me feeling woozy from all the gadgetry. Usually, I’m left to marvel at how compelling the story and characters are. Thanks for your thoughts.
mofdof@yahoo.com 07.26.08 at 2:21 pm
A “masterpiece” that i wish i hadn’t seen. This movie sucks. its a “masterpiece”, my little mind wouldn’t understand “art”.
But i know one this - if this “masterpiece” wins an oscar, i am done for, i’ll never believe in the credibility of certain critics and oscars.
cftoto 07.26.08 at 2:31 pm
I suspect it’ll get a best picture nomination, but I can’t see voters picking it over live-action movies. But we’ll know more come Nov., when the real Oscar contenders start standing up.
ava 08.04.08 at 5:33 pm
That’s so funny, I saw Wall-E this past weekend and me and my sister disliked it. I wanted to leave after 45 minutes but she made me stay. I also didn’t like Happy Feet, but at least I got that movie from the Library and didn’t spend my hard earned money. I couldn’t believe this is what everyone seemed to love, I feel like our society only likes what people tell them to like and few people follow their own train of thought. I know it was just a movie, but why was there so much trash? Why does Wall-E know how to do anything but his job, he is a robot after all. Why does he know anything about human emotion. How did children sit through that, I don’t even have ADD and I felt that movie was so painful. I don’t think I laughed once. I also hated the fact they put real actors/showed a real movie, when everything else was done in animation. That makes no sense and they try to explain it by saying over the years they got so fat? They either should’ve used real actors or made everyone computer animated/cgi whatever they’re using. And I usually love Disney films. I was so disappointed.
ava 08.04.08 at 5:46 pm
Sorry to keep griping but was I the only one irritated that the robot kept calling eve, eva?
cftoto 08.04.08 at 5:47 pm
Ava,
I’m with you … I just can’t wrap my head around the utter devotion to this flick. I do think there’s a group mindset at play at times, and that may partially explain the reaction to the film. I’m gonna blog more about that in the next day or two. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on “Wall*E”
Tim Almond 08.09.08 at 7:17 pm
Great review that nails my feelings.
I love Pixar movies normally. They’re beautifully animated (as this was, too), but what normally sets them apart from the rest is the quality of the writing. But the narrative was clunky. I sat there repeatedly thinking “but… why would they…”. With the exception of Wall*E, none of the other characters were interesting. If you’re going to have a near-silent character, you need a lot more visual expression than what was going on with Eve. There was almost no dramatic tension and by the time I’d got to the finale, I couldn’t have cared less.