Movie Reviews

Walt Disney Pictures

Review in a Hurry: When a lonely robot meets the 'droid of his dreams, he follows his heart and his beloved into a galaxy far, far away. Whimsical WALL-E might not reach the comedic heights and emotional depths of Pixar's primo pics, but goll-e, it's still reall-e good.

The Bigger Picture: Yep, the titular trash bot looks like the spawn of E.T. and No. 5 from Short Circuit. And the story owes a Saturn-size debt to such sci-fi flicks as 2001, Blade Runner and Alien (Sigourney Weaver voices the mother ship's computer—wink, wink). But the humor, heart and spectacular animation are all trademark Pixar.

For hundreds of years, the last robot on Earth, WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class), has been cleaning up the deserted planet and collecting unique knickknacks. He's also developed an inquisitive personality. Inspired by—of all things—the 1969 film musical Hello, Dolly!, he yearns for companionship and a hand to hold. Is that so wrong?

Romance arrives—via spaceship—in the unlikely form of EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetarian Evaluator), a white probe-droid that resembles some gadget Apple might produce. The two share a sweet connection, but EVE, having accomplished her mission, is summoned back to the mother ship, AXIOM. Love-struck WALL-E follows in pursuit and discovers a corporatized space colony inhabited by gluttonous humans.

Though he speaks little more than bleeps and bloops, WALL-E makes an irresistible hero, with his expressive binocular eyes and palpable longing. And it's during the film's quiet, intimate first act that he's at his most endearing—performing regular duties, befriending a cockroach and wooing the sleek-but-lethal EVE.

Once he reaches AXIOM (think Carnival Cruise Lines in space), the adventures get bigger, busier and, well, less magical. Still, the pic populates its universe with entertaining supporting characters and an amusing commentary on consumerist culture. Though the corporation jokes might light-speed over their heads, kids will take away the proenvironmental message.

With its stellar character work and sound design, WALL-E inspires enough awe and "Awww..." to be a worthy entry in the Pixar canon.

The 180—a Second Opinion: Has a cockroach ever been this adorable? So why abandon him on Earth for half the movie? The little critter deserves a bigger role in the sequel.