the low down on green living
June 29th, 2008
Wall-E: Robotic Ode to Environmental Protection
As I waited in line on opening night on Friday to see Wall-E, I thought it would be something of a robotic version of Nemo. Having loved Nemo, I was excited to detach from my work-week stress load and calmly watch the movie.
Little did I know I was in for one of the most moving, gorgeous, and dare I say “important” movie experiences I have had for a long, long while. This movie is a blatant and powerful indictment of our environmental destruction, and it is also a completely entertaining and warm love story. I humbly encourage everyone to see it.
**While this will be a glowing review, please scroll down to read my two complaints about the film as well.
Wall-E is the last remaining trash-collecting robot left on an abandoned planet Earth. He roams the smoggy, trash-covered landscape of our destroyed planet, crushing refuse and hanging out with his only friend, a plucky cockroach. But Wall-E has a video of Hello Dolly that he watches on endless loop, and he longs for something more: singing, dancing, and inter-personal (or inter-machine) contact. In short, he is love-sick.
Where have all the humans gone? We learn that they were forced to flee their dying planet over 700 years ago in a huge space-craft called The Axiom. On the ship they have become obese, immobile blob-beings who can only sit in their spaceship deck chairs and consume what is shown to them on their personal video monitors. The scenes on the Axiom are scarily reminiscent of present-day Las Vegas: the over-fed humans are detached from their daily cares and are free to sit on their backsides, consume, and be constantly entertained.
I won’t spoil the plot for you, but let’s just say that a beguiling robot named Eve comes from the Axiom down to Earth in search of life forms. She and Wall-E meet and indeed find a little sprout of a plant growing in an old boot. Life blooms on Earth, love blooms for Wall-E and Eve, and great changes befall the humans quietly sipping their smoothies on the Axiom.
But I do have two beefs with Wall-E:
+ Why did Pixar pass up the opportunity to help people learn what they can do to become better stewards of the planet?? The movie is an inspirational environmental call to action, and yet there is no mention of HOW or WHERE people can learn to cut carbon emissions, save water, reduce their trash production, etc. Why didn’t Pixar put up a simple screen with “ten recommendations for loving planet Earth” at the end of the film– or a link to a site with educational information? It pains me that MILLIONS of people will see this movie and learn nothing about what they can do to save the planet!
+ I also find the message at the end of the film a bit troubling. The humans return to Earth and it seems as if everything will just be hunky-dory. Yes they have some clean up to do, but it won’t be that bad. I was sad to see that Pixar took this easy out; we don’t need to be telling Americans that our environmental practices can be swept away with some kind of simple big broom.
Please share your comments on what you thought of the movie!
Comments
Judy
July 1st, 2008 at 11:27 am
I thing Jessica either didn’t watch the movie carefully or in her haste to publish here just got the plot a little mixed up. That notwithstanding I believe that the writers of WALL-E have done very well in showing the population what very easily could happen to us and our planet. I saw the trailers of WALL-E yet I wasn’t prepared for what I saw in the movie. I don’t think people would go if they knew the movie’s entire content beforehand. We all know wht we are doing to ourselves and our planet but we think, “Not in my lifetime, so why worry?” It will be cleaned up. I think Pixar, now having shown us what is inevitable if we don’t get busy cleaning up, have a sequal in mind to entertainingly show us what we should do to prevent the complete pollution of our planet. I also think they should entertainingly show how easy it was/is to pollute. It does no good to try to shame people into green living.
Brian
July 1st, 2008 at 12:21 pm
You cant say “What I did not like about the Movie” and start with things that were not in the move based of what your preferance is. I teach my children about being enviromental. Pixars Job is to entertain me. I dont pay To have a movie that is entertaining me to “Jam” vews down my throat. Sorry but I know allready what we need to do. I think if it were Gore’s film and they said whats happening without saying what we need to do you would have a valid beef. I love Pixar and the message they sent was alot better than a forceable “Menu”. It is a kid’s movie that happens to be written so well it entertains adults as well.
It is My responsibility to do what I can and teach my children what is right. Pixar’s is to entertain.
I appreciate all you do with Low impact living.
Brian
July 1st, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I also want to add that Wall-E is another wonderful Pixar Creation. Once again they surprised me by the Style, what they did with Emotional story telling. Has the feel of a silent movie and was truly Artistic. I have a 6 and 8 yr old that were silent and rivited throughout. I cant wait to see it again!
Arlene
July 2nd, 2008 at 5:37 am
I agree with Brian. I like Pixar movies and these movies are made to entertain - and knowing that it’s a Disney movie - we’re going to assume that it’s going to have a happy ending.
And even though there was no message about how to help the environment at the end of the movie - I’m pretty sure there will be something about saving the planet on the DVD (which will probably be out right in time for Christmas).
Low Impact Living: Wall-e — Robotic Ode to Environmental Protection : Sustainablog
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
[…] feed and stay up to date.Spoiler Alert… Jessica discusses the movie in full. This post was originally published on Sunday, June 29, […]
Garrett Sawyer
July 9th, 2008 at 8:22 am
It reminded me of the book and movie ‘The Lorax’ by Dr. Suess. I think a live action version of The Lorax should be made, sort of like Cat in the Hat only less silly.
I really liked the movie, I think others will too…I don’t agree with the telling people what they could do to help, the majority of people watching Wall-E already know, and now-a-days it seems like EVERYONE is shown a thing or two about changing their wasteful ways, you can’t escape it, and with good reason. Theres always something in all media now that suggests how to be more friendly to the environment so I don’t think the movie should do the same.
Jerky
July 13th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
I am wholeheartedly glad that Pixar did not do what you wished. They would have turned a beautiful movie into something preachy and annoying. I’m all for environmental responsibility, but movies should not tell you how to live your life. They should simply show what is and leave it at that. It gives them a much more timeless quality and makes them a lot more enjoyable, I find.
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