In a dystopian future world of about 700 years hence, the planet as we know it has become fouled by so much garbage and consumer refuse its inhabitants have gone. Except for one. Wall-E, a diminutive robot programmed
to collect trash, compact it and use the resulting cubes as bricks to erect strange, high structures;
But inside little Wall-E's circuitry there pulses a heart and mind, not unlike the little real-life kiddies targetted to bond with him by the hundreds of millions. His happy hours in a city he has virtually to himself are interrupted one day with the arrival of a massive spaceship which deposits a "probe" and then returns to wherever it came from. The white egg-shaped visitor turns out to be an Extra-terrrestrial Vegetation Evaluator "Eve"- that is quick to zap that which she doesn't understand or thinks poses a threat. Her mission is to electronically report any sign of organic life to the mother ship Axiom.
For the adult who doesn't watch all this through the eyes of a young offspring, the joy is in the expressiveness of the characters, art direction and seamless visual artistry. In that, this is a high achieving movie. But the story may be too artificial (no pun intended) and predictable for a demanding viewer. The story provides action and effects, all exceedingly charming, but doesn't bring to life or interest the "evil" forces so hell bent on avoiding a return to earth, the reason for which is less than adequately explored. Does it mean the loss of absolute control?
In fact, once Wall-E boards the Axiom the story takes a turn that sheds no light on what made him the brave mini-compactor that he is, which is where we want the story to take us. Without the understanding of villainous co-pilot and the source of its power, we're asked to just go along with it without too much questioning. The threat level is too lightweight to be felt (other than a feeling of detachment).
All in all, lacking as any sort of meaningful movie.
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