Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW
Wall-E
Reviewed by: David Criswell, Ph.D.
CONTRIBUTOR
| Moral Rating: | Good |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
|
| Primary Audience: | Kids Family |
| Genre: | Animation Sci-Fi Comedy |
| Length: | 1 hr. 37 min. |
| Year of Release: | 2008 |
| USA Release: |
June 27, 2008 (wide—3,900 theaters) DVD: November 18, 2008 |
Relevant Issues
Should Christians be concerned about the environment? Answer
What is man's responsibility to the environment? Answer
Adventures in the rainforest! Learn about the Creator of the universe by exploring His marvelous creation. Fun for the whole family with games, activities, stories, answers to children’s questions, color pages, and more! One of the Web’s first and most popular Christian Web sites for children. Nonprofit, evangelical, nondenominational.
| Featuring | Ben Burtt, Paul Eiding, Jeff Garlin, Kim Kopf, Kathy Najimy, Garrett Palmer, John Ratzenberger, Sigourney Weaver, Fred Willard |
| Director | Andrew Stanton — “Cars” (2006), “The Incredibles” (2004), “Finding Nemo” (2003), “Monsters, Inc.” (2001) |
| Producer |
Pete Docter John Lasseter Jim Morris |
| Distributor |
 Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar Animation |
“After 700 years of doing what he was built for—he’ll discover what he’s meant for.”
Pixar Studios has produced some of the best family entertainment since Walt Disney died. Their latest picture, “Wall-E,” is allegedly one of the first they thought of, but they could not sell the idea until recently. One might call it a love story between two Robots (one of which is called “Eve”). Of course the movie is about far more than that. It is also a social commentary on corporations and about the human condition. As “Wall-E” and “Eve” leave the Earth they arrive at a spaceship full of the only human survivors from Earth. There the people's every needs are taken care of by computers and robots, but Wall-E and Eve soon help mankind realize that his future is back on Earth making things called “farms” and doing things like “dancing.”
“Wall-E” is a thoroughly entertaining movie, but as someone who does not have children himself, I wonder if children will enjoy this one as much as some parents. The first half of the movie has nary a word of dialog and might seem slow to children used to Superhero movies and the fast paced action designed for the ADD generation. Will they pay attention? Will they enjoy a love story about two robots? Certainly they will love the robots, but what about the larger social commentary?
Morally I did not see anything wrong with the film. Perhaps really small children might be bothered by a couple of robots which are demolished, but I could not find a single dirty joke or inappropriate comment. On the other hand, “Wall-E” seemed to have a great deal of social commentary that might require explanation. Has technology made us into living vegetables? Have we harmed our planet in our desire to make life more entertaining and work free? Obviously these issues could be explosive political issues, but it is handled well enough that each viewer can largely formulate his own opinion. The theory of global warming is never mentioned but pollution and trash certainly are. Is this too heavy handed for young ones? No. The film does not preach political solutions, but does clearly mock the seeming fact that man is becoming a couch potato. Let us examine this closely.
First, planet Earth is literally a pile of trash after the “Global CEO” of a giant corporation seemingly turned the entire planet into a bunch of mindless consumers unable to think for themselves. The humans about the spaceship float around on hoverchairs and are shaped like butterballs. Most have never walked in their lifetime and in one scene which parodies the scene in “2001 A Space Odyssey” where apes evolve into upright walking creatures, the Captain struggles to get out of his chain and take the first steps of his life. Other humans are hooked up to virtual reality computers and seem oblivious to the real world around them. They are fascinated when they see it. Now some might call this heavyhanded, but I was not offended. It is clearly parody and specific issues and solutions are not preached from the screen. What is preached is summarized in the words of the Captain,
“I don’t want to survive. I want to live!”
That is the theme of the film. Living. Have we forgotten the simple pleasures of life? Are we just mindless consumers who long for entertainment and have forgotten how to do anything ourselves? The Captain must asks his computer what a “farm” is and and soon learns that he can grow his own food, such a apples and pizzas!
The only thing really missing from the film was God. This is perhaps all to predictable, but unfortunate. If we really want to understand our way in the world and our purpose in life then we need to know God, and only through Christ can we understand that. Perhaps that is the real reason that so many people have become mindless consumers looking for something, but not knowing what they are looking for. We scurry back and forth seeking happiness in games, entertainment, and valuables, when real happiness is found in our relationship with God.
The real joy of the film is in the two leading robots. Wall-E is fascinated by little things, but especially by love. The robots show us what too many of us seem to have forgotten in the hustle and bustle world. “Wall-E” ranks among Pixars’ best films, although I would not put it in the same class with “Toy Story” or “The Incredibles.”
The only real question is how will children react? That is something I am very curious to know. Perhaps that is why the film was never made until now. One thing is for sure; Pixar’s new movie will not be a flop.
Violence: Minor / Profanity: None / Sex/Nudity: None
See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.
Positive
Positive—My wife and I saw this today and highly recommend it for the whole family, including adults. I don't think either of us expected the “deeply romantic” storyline which I thought outweighed even the moral messages contained in the film.
The makers take the first part of the movie to set the stage, but once it gets going it really does capture your attention without alarming any of the family members. Both of us were “deeply” touched and shared many lines of the movie together much after it was over. The ending was very appropriate and heartfelt. A warm, light and romantic adventure you'll be glad you went to.
The moral message is one about taking action, not becoming lethargic, etc. This can relate to several scriptures: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philipians 4:13), Faith evidenced by works (James 2) and the last mentioned, Laodicean Church of Revelation 3 which was “lukewarm” of which Jesus “spit” them out. Certainly we can all relate to times where complacency has taken over and risk taking faith combined with action was severely needed.
Also health and exercise was an issue presented and an environmental message, neither of which had political overtones of any kind.
I hope you decide to see it and if you do, I believe you'll enjoy it like we did!
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
The makers take the first part of the movie to set the stage, but once it gets going it really does capture your attention without alarming any of the family members. Both of us were “deeply” touched and shared many lines of the movie together much after it was over. The ending was very appropriate and heartfelt. A warm, light and romantic adventure you'll be glad you went to.
The moral message is one about taking action, not becoming lethargic, etc. This can relate to several scriptures: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philipians 4:13), Faith evidenced by works (James 2) and the last mentioned, Laodicean Church of Revelation 3 which was “lukewarm” of which Jesus “spit” them out. Certainly we can all relate to times where complacency has taken over and risk taking faith combined with action was severely needed.
Also health and exercise was an issue presented and an environmental message, neither of which had political overtones of any kind.
I hope you decide to see it and if you do, I believe you'll enjoy it like we did!
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Tony Ellsworth, age 39
Positive—I took my 5-year-old son to view this film over the weekend and we both really enjoyed it. My son is really into robots, so he has been looking forward to this movie for quite some time. It did not disappoint.
Regarding the issues the reviewer and other critics have mentioned: I think that my son and I hardly noticed that there was not any dialogue in the beginning of the movie. Wall-E's “personality” was easily conveyed through mechanical movements and subtle sound effects. My son understood the major plot elements involved in moving the story along.
I do think the subtler plot elements may have gone over his head, such as the endless consumption and laziness of humans in general and the negative portrayal of the corporation. I don't think these things were shown in a way that was particularly offensive or that even promoted one specific social view over another.
However, as the reviewer stated, there is no reference to God at all in the movie. I am sure that “Wall-E” will be promoted and hailed amongst the “green” crowd. But, I think that there is also an opportunity for Christians to begin a dialogue with their children about being good stewards of the Earth. Even the smaller children could probably, with help, begin to understand the connection between everything we throw away at home filling up landfills. I don't think they should be scared into believing that the whole Earth will be filled with trash, but maybe they could be reminded to reuse a plastic cup the next time, instead of throwing it away and getting a new one for every drink.
Overall, we really enjoyed the movie. It could have gone done a more doom-and-gloom road than it did. My son was thoroughly entertained and did not seem to notice the lack of dialogue in some portions of the movie. I would recommend this movie to other children.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Regarding the issues the reviewer and other critics have mentioned: I think that my son and I hardly noticed that there was not any dialogue in the beginning of the movie. Wall-E's “personality” was easily conveyed through mechanical movements and subtle sound effects. My son understood the major plot elements involved in moving the story along.
I do think the subtler plot elements may have gone over his head, such as the endless consumption and laziness of humans in general and the negative portrayal of the corporation. I don't think these things were shown in a way that was particularly offensive or that even promoted one specific social view over another.
However, as the reviewer stated, there is no reference to God at all in the movie. I am sure that “Wall-E” will be promoted and hailed amongst the “green” crowd. But, I think that there is also an opportunity for Christians to begin a dialogue with their children about being good stewards of the Earth. Even the smaller children could probably, with help, begin to understand the connection between everything we throw away at home filling up landfills. I don't think they should be scared into believing that the whole Earth will be filled with trash, but maybe they could be reminded to reuse a plastic cup the next time, instead of throwing it away and getting a new one for every drink.
Overall, we really enjoyed the movie. It could have gone done a more doom-and-gloom road than it did. My son was thoroughly entertained and did not seem to notice the lack of dialogue in some portions of the movie. I would recommend this movie to other children.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Jessica, age 28
Positive—Last week's WORLD magazine had a great article on this film and the creators. http://www.worldmag.com/articles/14127 I didn't know before I read it that Andrew Stanton, who directed Wall*E, is a Christian. Some people have seized upon the film's junk-filled Earth setting as an environmental message, but it is not. '[F]ar weightier themes—like how technology distances us from the wonder of creation and how that distance cripples us spiritually—play a bigger role. In fact, if Stanton criticizes people for anything, it's for worship of leisure. Because they live to be cared for rather than to care, the few human beings WALL•E meets have become, to use Stanton's words, giant babies—literally feeding on milk rather than solid food. In contrast, WALL•E, the meek little trash collector, accepts stewardship in a way that people have rejected. And because love springs from service, he comes to love the creatures that inhabit Earth. That's not an environmental message, it's a biblical one.'
I don't think young people will be automatically turned off by a film that is devoid of dialogue for most of its first half hour. Rather, I think both kids and adults will be charmed by Wall*E, and see our lives in a new way through his—and Andrew Stanton's—eyes.
“Wall*E” deserves best picture of the year. Are you reading this, Academy people?
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
I don't think young people will be automatically turned off by a film that is devoid of dialogue for most of its first half hour. Rather, I think both kids and adults will be charmed by Wall*E, and see our lives in a new way through his—and Andrew Stanton's—eyes.
“Wall*E” deserves best picture of the year. Are you reading this, Academy people?
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Carrie Rostollan, age 39
Positive—Def. ideal entertainment for small children who require little in the way of plot devices, plodding dialogue, etc. Also ideal for deaf people and people in general (a lotta good gags adults will pick up on). Swell movie all around. I know if I were 5 again, I'd be watching this movie everyday alongside “Race for Your Life Charlie Brown,” “Home Alone,” and “E.T.”
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4
Jacob Keenum, age 22
Positive—Around last year, I had heard of Pixar's newest endeavor and wondered what a lot of people were probably thinking: “How are they going to pull this off?” And yet, Pixar continues to amaze with quality family entertainment and values packed into some of the best cinema in recent years. “Wall-E” is definitely no exception, providing a very unique and uplifting viewing experience that is truly unforgettable. The titular character is a robotic trash compactor designed to clean up the garbage left behind by the humans who abandoned the planet centuries earlier. Interestingly enough, he is the only one of his kind still performing his job. Along the way, we discover a lot about his daily life—he is very lonely and has only a cockroach for a pet, he keeps himself entertained with a VHS copy of “Hello, Dolly,” and he collects various treasures found in the piles of trash he cleans up. One day, his world is turned upside down when a spaceship lands and deposits a life-seeking female robot named EVE, whom he instantly falls for.
I won't say too much about the plot beyond that, except that the film's human element resonates with a wonderful theme about enjoying what God has given us in life. Although God is not mentioned in any way, a large part of the story seems to parallel the flood account in Genesis: the human race has abandoned Earth to escape a cataclysmic event and lives aboard an ark or “cruise ship” in space. EVE is sent to see if there is life on Earth so humans can return home. Beyond that, there is not a whole lot of spiritual content. Humans, however, are given a rather interesting critique. We see every single human aboard the ship as a gelatinous blob in a hover chair with an electronic screen in front of them, eating food from cups, being tended to by robots, and buying products from one major corporation without even getting up. In fact, when a few humans finally take the time to look away from their screens and at the stars, they realize just how much of life they have missed out on by allowing their lives to be controlled by technology. It's a very timely critique that I found to be appropriate for our day and age.
As far as objectionable content goes, there is virtually none to be found. The only thing some parents might feel a bit uncomfortable with is a scene where a curious Wall-E finds a bra in Earth's refuse and tries to wear it over his eyes. Also, there is a bit of comic slapstick violence, mostly played for laughs, but definitely nothing heavy-handed. Wall-E's and EVE's romance is definitely one to root for. There is a wonderfully touching and sweet bond between the two robots that is honestly more human than many of the sexually charged relationships seen in today's movies.
“Wall-E” is one of this year's best films and a true sci-fi masterpiece. For those who are sci-fi aficionados, you'll catch a myriad of nods to films like 2001, E.T., and others. I highly recommend it—but be sure to bring a few tissues, though!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
I won't say too much about the plot beyond that, except that the film's human element resonates with a wonderful theme about enjoying what God has given us in life. Although God is not mentioned in any way, a large part of the story seems to parallel the flood account in Genesis: the human race has abandoned Earth to escape a cataclysmic event and lives aboard an ark or “cruise ship” in space. EVE is sent to see if there is life on Earth so humans can return home. Beyond that, there is not a whole lot of spiritual content. Humans, however, are given a rather interesting critique. We see every single human aboard the ship as a gelatinous blob in a hover chair with an electronic screen in front of them, eating food from cups, being tended to by robots, and buying products from one major corporation without even getting up. In fact, when a few humans finally take the time to look away from their screens and at the stars, they realize just how much of life they have missed out on by allowing their lives to be controlled by technology. It's a very timely critique that I found to be appropriate for our day and age.
As far as objectionable content goes, there is virtually none to be found. The only thing some parents might feel a bit uncomfortable with is a scene where a curious Wall-E finds a bra in Earth's refuse and tries to wear it over his eyes. Also, there is a bit of comic slapstick violence, mostly played for laughs, but definitely nothing heavy-handed. Wall-E's and EVE's romance is definitely one to root for. There is a wonderfully touching and sweet bond between the two robots that is honestly more human than many of the sexually charged relationships seen in today's movies.
“Wall-E” is one of this year's best films and a true sci-fi masterpiece. For those who are sci-fi aficionados, you'll catch a myriad of nods to films like 2001, E.T., and others. I highly recommend it—but be sure to bring a few tissues, though!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
John Lewis, age 19
Positive—This movie is simply THE best family film ever released. It is one that never, ever panders to the lowest common denominator, never insults your intelligence, and never gives you what you expect just because you expect it. This film is regal, tasteful, and stunning beautiful. Dialogue is only at a need-to-use basis, and you don't know how refreshing that is, especially with the kiddie flicks coming out nowadays that are full of hyperactive dancing animals affected with ADD and overtalkative behavior issues. This is THE most mature G-rated film to come out since “2001: A Space Odyssey”—and speaking of '2001: A Space Odyssey', be grateful that Kubrick had to guts to make that 40 years ago, because without that film as a precedent, “Wall-E” would have had an even harder time selling itself. Similar to 2001, it has very little dialogue, an excellent use of background music (including two musical allusions to 2001 with “Blue Danube” and “Thus Spake Zarathustra”), and a refusal to stick to the norms of their genres. However, “Wall-E” is very much its own movie, and definitely the best of the year so far.
Is it appropriate for your kids? YES. There is no inappropriate humor in here. Anywhere. No fart jokes, no sexual innuendo (even with the robot romance), no off-color humor. You know how some people complained that one shot in “Ratatouille” seemed to (doubtfully) hint that Linguini was looking at Emile's butt, even though the movie was rated G? Well, there's not even anything like that. “Wall-E” is the cleanest movie I have seen in a long, long time. In fact, if I were to choose the cleanest film of all the ones I admire, “Wall-E” would probably be it. The parent who finds something offensive in “Wall-E” is an oppressive parent indeed.
Is the movie too intelligent for your kid? Don't you dare think that. The kids in my theater were entertained, most posters on the Internet say their kids were entertained, and if you're worried about a film being too intelligent for your kid, that is bad parenting. Never underestimate a kid's intelligence or patience. They may have grown up on the sound-byte clips of MTV, but they have it in them to sit through a film where there's no real dialogue for the first 30 minutes.
All you religious parents: you've been waiting forever for a movie that is both age-appropriate AND intelligent (is it easy to get one or the other, but not both). Well, here it is, and it surpasses most films in both categories. Watch this film as soon as possible. Watch it WITH your kids. Then rewatch it… in theaters.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Is it appropriate for your kids? YES. There is no inappropriate humor in here. Anywhere. No fart jokes, no sexual innuendo (even with the robot romance), no off-color humor. You know how some people complained that one shot in “Ratatouille” seemed to (doubtfully) hint that Linguini was looking at Emile's butt, even though the movie was rated G? Well, there's not even anything like that. “Wall-E” is the cleanest movie I have seen in a long, long time. In fact, if I were to choose the cleanest film of all the ones I admire, “Wall-E” would probably be it. The parent who finds something offensive in “Wall-E” is an oppressive parent indeed.
Is the movie too intelligent for your kid? Don't you dare think that. The kids in my theater were entertained, most posters on the Internet say their kids were entertained, and if you're worried about a film being too intelligent for your kid, that is bad parenting. Never underestimate a kid's intelligence or patience. They may have grown up on the sound-byte clips of MTV, but they have it in them to sit through a film where there's no real dialogue for the first 30 minutes.
All you religious parents: you've been waiting forever for a movie that is both age-appropriate AND intelligent (is it easy to get one or the other, but not both). Well, here it is, and it surpasses most films in both categories. Watch this film as soon as possible. Watch it WITH your kids. Then rewatch it… in theaters.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Jm, age 18
Positive—Good, clean, fun, family-friendly entertainment at the movies; good choice for disposable income! Nothing in the film that would make Christian parents cringe. Took my five-year old daughter to see “Wall-E”, and she required no assistance in understanding the plot or storyline: an adventurous, sci-fi, romantic-comedy that's head and shoulders above its peers.
The story is set in a quasi-post-apocalyptic world (in the sci-fi sense) of refuse, but refrains from brow-beating us with the typical all-our-fault, guilt-laden, enviro-messages. To me, it simply reminded me to be a good steward of the creation. We got a kick out of Wall-E's “indestructible” pet. And, be on the lookout for HAL 9000's little brother!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
The story is set in a quasi-post-apocalyptic world (in the sci-fi sense) of refuse, but refrains from brow-beating us with the typical all-our-fault, guilt-laden, enviro-messages. To me, it simply reminded me to be a good steward of the creation. We got a kick out of Wall-E's “indestructible” pet. And, be on the lookout for HAL 9000's little brother!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Dave, age 40
Positive—Watching Pixar’s “Wall-E” delivered EVERYTHING a movie-going experience is meant to be: you are in awe of the incredible visuals, you are moved by the music, you are inspired by the story, you laugh, you feel, and yes, you are even made to think.
Wow, “thinking” at a movie. Unfortunately, that’s something SOME folks don’t want to be made to do… “think” while watching a film. And in reading some of the (very rare) bad reviews for this movie, one quickly gets the notion that those who express offense at being made to “think” during “Wall-E” are the exact same folks who just threw out their unseparated and un-recycled trash, got into their gas guzzlers and drove to the nearby McJumbo Burger (leaving their lights and Tee-Vees running at home), and then headed on to the moo-vies to be numbly entertained. If anything, it’s their own guilt, their own bad consciences sitting on their shoulders that begin whispering in their ears as soon as the essence of WALL-E’s story line becomes clear to them.
And when those same folks write in their reviews how “I didn’t like being preached at and even my children hated it,” something tells me that their own reactions (and inactions) have gravely influenced those of their children—and not only with respect to this finely-crafted movie.
“Wall-E” is the perfect film for reminding kids (and even adults) the peril truly facing our world today. Sure, there is a message as the colorful frames flicker on the screen, but certainly not one that should offend viewers with any kind of reason.
And while this movie probably is not for average kids under the age of 6, there is an entire universe of humor, beauty, drama and fun waiting for everyone else… entertainingly beckoning all of us to leave our hover-loungers and take a stand for love, a stand for this planet that so desperately needs us.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Wow, “thinking” at a movie. Unfortunately, that’s something SOME folks don’t want to be made to do… “think” while watching a film. And in reading some of the (very rare) bad reviews for this movie, one quickly gets the notion that those who express offense at being made to “think” during “Wall-E” are the exact same folks who just threw out their unseparated and un-recycled trash, got into their gas guzzlers and drove to the nearby McJumbo Burger (leaving their lights and Tee-Vees running at home), and then headed on to the moo-vies to be numbly entertained. If anything, it’s their own guilt, their own bad consciences sitting on their shoulders that begin whispering in their ears as soon as the essence of WALL-E’s story line becomes clear to them.
And when those same folks write in their reviews how “I didn’t like being preached at and even my children hated it,” something tells me that their own reactions (and inactions) have gravely influenced those of their children—and not only with respect to this finely-crafted movie.
“Wall-E” is the perfect film for reminding kids (and even adults) the peril truly facing our world today. Sure, there is a message as the colorful frames flicker on the screen, but certainly not one that should offend viewers with any kind of reason.
And while this movie probably is not for average kids under the age of 6, there is an entire universe of humor, beauty, drama and fun waiting for everyone else… entertainingly beckoning all of us to leave our hover-loungers and take a stand for love, a stand for this planet that so desperately needs us.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Starboybilly, age 41
Positive—I took my 5 year old boy to this movie today and he was glued to the screen the whole time. We did not even notice the lack of dialogue in the first half of the movie. Watching Wall-E's daily life was fascinating to both of us.
The message that really came through to me was Wall-E's refusal to give up. He was a little robot that had been working for 700 years collecting and cleaning up trash. He outlasted all of the other robots and even adapted to repair himself and continue his work. He showed a perseverance and work ethic that all of us could learn from.
In the end he was willing to sacrifice himself to save humanity and return them to Earth. I will admit it—I am a sucker for a story about the little guy with a big heart. It shows kids that no matter how insignificant each one of us may feel or seem we all have the potential to be extraordinary.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
The message that really came through to me was Wall-E's refusal to give up. He was a little robot that had been working for 700 years collecting and cleaning up trash. He outlasted all of the other robots and even adapted to repair himself and continue his work. He showed a perseverance and work ethic that all of us could learn from.
In the end he was willing to sacrifice himself to save humanity and return them to Earth. I will admit it—I am a sucker for a story about the little guy with a big heart. It shows kids that no matter how insignificant each one of us may feel or seem we all have the potential to be extraordinary.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Eric P, age 33
Positive—Heartwarming, with an environmental message. My husband and I liked it so much, we saw it twice! The commentary on how we Americans are driven by advertising and media hype was SO on target! The brainwashing appeared to have happened easily, as it does in our world through the media. And how appropriate was the name of the company that ran the world?
I also liked the message about how much garbage we produce. The satellite trash floating around the Earth was an interesting aspect as well. It showed how we are not being good stewards of the resources God has entrusted us with. WALL-E himself showed good sense in recycling.
All in all I feel this film showed how miserably we fail when we try to do things on our own. This is a movie I will be first in line to buy when it is released on DVD. Good job, PIXAR!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
I also liked the message about how much garbage we produce. The satellite trash floating around the Earth was an interesting aspect as well. It showed how we are not being good stewards of the resources God has entrusted us with. WALL-E himself showed good sense in recycling.
All in all I feel this film showed how miserably we fail when we try to do things on our own. This is a movie I will be first in line to buy when it is released on DVD. Good job, PIXAR!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Bernadette Cooper, age 41
Positive—This film is amazing! I saw it yesterday, me and my friend were one of the few teenagers in the crowd The rest were adults with children. I highly recommend it. It is thought-provoking and beautifully made.
As for the people who say it's “propaganda,” do some background research first. I found this in the Plugged In Online review, the director is speaking. “I wasn't trying to make the humans into fat, lazy consumers,” he told Christianity Today, “but to make humanity appear to be completely consumed by everything that can distract you—to the point where they lost connection with each other, even though they're right next to each other. The reason I made them look like big babies was because a NASA guy told me that they haven't yet simulated gravity perfectly for long-term residency in space. And if they don't get it just right, atrophy kicks in and you begin to lose your muscle tone—you just turn into a blob of goo.”
The robots in the film, to me, symbolized the part of humanity that still retains it's childlike wonder. Every once in a while we should look up to the stars and think about the God who created them. I'm pretty sure if I did this more often, I would see God differently.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
As for the people who say it's “propaganda,” do some background research first. I found this in the Plugged In Online review, the director is speaking. “I wasn't trying to make the humans into fat, lazy consumers,” he told Christianity Today, “but to make humanity appear to be completely consumed by everything that can distract you—to the point where they lost connection with each other, even though they're right next to each other. The reason I made them look like big babies was because a NASA guy told me that they haven't yet simulated gravity perfectly for long-term residency in space. And if they don't get it just right, atrophy kicks in and you begin to lose your muscle tone—you just turn into a blob of goo.”
The robots in the film, to me, symbolized the part of humanity that still retains it's childlike wonder. Every once in a while we should look up to the stars and think about the God who created them. I'm pretty sure if I did this more often, I would see God differently.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Jemma, age 18
Positive—I've never been one for animated films (I prefer live action) but when I saw the previews for “Wall-E” I knew I'd have to check it out. Science fiction, funny robot… what's not to like, right? I didn't expect it to be so good.
What can I say? This is definitely the sweetest, most adorable movie I've ever seen in my life. Wall-E and EVE have a total vocabulary of about 5 words apiece, but they don't need to speak in order to win each other's hearts and yours. Sound designer Ben Burtt is without a doubt the most brilliant sound designer there is (a close listen will have you recognizing several sounds from Star Wars and elsewhere), as he managed to create a sweet, touching storyline even with minimal speaking on the parts of our two heroes. And touching it is; I had to fight back tears several times throughout the movie.
I must admit that I cringed inwardly when I found out that the setting was a trash-filled Earth, and I steeled myself for a bad “Happy Feet” repeat that was preachy and predictable. But what I got was the farthest from that; I found that I completely forgot the “trashy Earth” storyline as I got wrapped up in the story of Wall-E's love and devotion and the wonder of discovery.
Also, this is the cleanest movie I think I've ever seen. I found not one thing objectionable in it. I wouldn't hesitate to take young children to this movie, yet it is intelligent enough for the grown-up crowd. “Wall-E” definitely stole my heart.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
What can I say? This is definitely the sweetest, most adorable movie I've ever seen in my life. Wall-E and EVE have a total vocabulary of about 5 words apiece, but they don't need to speak in order to win each other's hearts and yours. Sound designer Ben Burtt is without a doubt the most brilliant sound designer there is (a close listen will have you recognizing several sounds from Star Wars and elsewhere), as he managed to create a sweet, touching storyline even with minimal speaking on the parts of our two heroes. And touching it is; I had to fight back tears several times throughout the movie.
I must admit that I cringed inwardly when I found out that the setting was a trash-filled Earth, and I steeled myself for a bad “Happy Feet” repeat that was preachy and predictable. But what I got was the farthest from that; I found that I completely forgot the “trashy Earth” storyline as I got wrapped up in the story of Wall-E's love and devotion and the wonder of discovery.
Also, this is the cleanest movie I think I've ever seen. I found not one thing objectionable in it. I wouldn't hesitate to take young children to this movie, yet it is intelligent enough for the grown-up crowd. “Wall-E” definitely stole my heart.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Rachel Davidson, age 19
Positive—I loved this film, I've already seen it twice. Really the only glaring disappointment I personally have is the fact that there was no mention of God. If there had been some sort of testimony to Him, I may have rated this 10 out of 10. However, I found that (and I doubt I truly expected to find this) the character of Wall-E came off almost as symbolic of Jesus in a few scenes.
*** Possible spoilers ahead: ***
On more than one occasion, Wall-E encounters a person on the Axiom, the ship where all humans are currently living during the film. Each person is barred from reality in their hover chairs, and even communicating with each other results from looking at a video screen.
Wall-E breaks open a woman's video screen at one point, and she is completely shocked by the world she sees around her. She later sees Wall-E again and remembers him as the robot who freed her. During the course of the film she walks around the Axiom, noticing a pool and the stars outside, things she never noticed before in her entire life.
I felt that could relate to what happens after Jesus frees us. We suddenly become more aware of the good in life. At least, that's what happened to me. Family moments suddenly mean much more. A night sky is suddenly just a bit more beautiful, just a bit more new. I dunno, it was just my opinion.
Wall-E also put love above all else, but in one scene, he pushed love (his love for Eve) aside in order to continue helping the humans to get back to Earth.
I didn't expect to end up enjoying this film as much as I did. Like other all-time favorites of mine, such as Spider-Man 2, this film would have been near perfect if it had at least made some sort of positive nod to God. But the message of love and truly living, rather than just surviving as a couch potato, is practically screamed from this film.
On a personal note, it's a wake-up call I needed and that I need to remember to put into practice. There's a life out there that God wants us to live. I have to get out of my television and laptop and start seeing what I'm meant for.
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
*** Possible spoilers ahead: ***
On more than one occasion, Wall-E encounters a person on the Axiom, the ship where all humans are currently living during the film. Each person is barred from reality in their hover chairs, and even communicating with each other results from looking at a video screen.
Wall-E breaks open a woman's video screen at one point, and she is completely shocked by the world she sees around her. She later sees Wall-E again and remembers him as the robot who freed her. During the course of the film she walks around the Axiom, noticing a pool and the stars outside, things she never noticed before in her entire life.
I felt that could relate to what happens after Jesus frees us. We suddenly become more aware of the good in life. At least, that's what happened to me. Family moments suddenly mean much more. A night sky is suddenly just a bit more beautiful, just a bit more new. I dunno, it was just my opinion.
Wall-E also put love above all else, but in one scene, he pushed love (his love for Eve) aside in order to continue helping the humans to get back to Earth.
I didn't expect to end up enjoying this film as much as I did. Like other all-time favorites of mine, such as Spider-Man 2, this film would have been near perfect if it had at least made some sort of positive nod to God. But the message of love and truly living, rather than just surviving as a couch potato, is practically screamed from this film.
On a personal note, it's a wake-up call I needed and that I need to remember to put into practice. There's a life out there that God wants us to live. I have to get out of my television and laptop and start seeing what I'm meant for.
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
James Signoretta, age 20
Positive—First of all, let me make it clear that I loved “Wall-E”. I saw the film a week after it opened and was blown away by what I was witnessing. Here was a motion picture that, for the first half hour was simply images and sounds like Beeps and Boops. Yet what the picture allows you to feel emotionally is what is truly astounding. The blank faced characters of Wall-E and EVE are brilliantly constructed to allow the audience to overlay their emotions on the character's faces. I sat through the entire movie without blinking or a straying eye. I could not believe what I was seeing. I thought the message of the movie was timely and important. My family and I do our best in our daily lives to conserve our resources and keep physically healthy. I guess that you might say that we are about as physically and environmentally conscious as one can be without becoming an actual activist.
Having said this, I found the notion of a Utopian society where nobody has to do anything, but rather is sedated by technology, and allows themselves to grow to such a level of morbid obesity… it terrified me. I have read some of the comments that have been written on this page, some positive, some negative. I do not mind for people to express their own opinion. In fact, it is our G-d given right to do just that, so therefore it should be exercised and kept healthy and diverse. But what I could not fathom are those who were attacking the film on its environmental standpoint. I am a Messianic Jew who studies the bible, prays and attends synagogue. I do not hold to any political party, calling myself one thing over another. I am a believer. And as a believer I can't help but believe that G-d has made us stewards over his creation, to take care of what he has made. And it is not only my opinion, but evidently clear that this world is in ill repair and in dire need of cleaning up. Believe what you want about global warming. I don't see how this is a partisan issue at all. Is this not the world that G-d created for us to live in? Therefore, we should be held responsible for its upkeep.
The other idea in the film that I loved, which I have briefly expressed, is the consumer sedative. That was amazing. Is this the pinnacle of capitalism? I don't know. All I know is that this consumerism, this “give me more, more, more” is paganism in the scriptures point of view.
The ‘Buy-N-Large’ company, represented in the film as the drug of choice, is very much like a god, if you look at it closely. That is what the people depend on, that is who they turn to in time of need. It is the ultimate way of the world anyway, the self made man who only cares about their own comfort. The bible calls us not to be drunk, although it does not prohibit the drink. This is the same exact thing. The excess of what we have to gain which will only pass away in this world, that is what it is like to be drunk. That we have so much of something, it dulls the senses.
This movie is a masterpiece. I went to go see it again, a week after my first viewing and it was even better the second time. This is the best American movie to come out in theaters within the last five years. This is PIXAR's best film to date. I don't know if they will ever top it, but I'd sure like to see them try.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Having said this, I found the notion of a Utopian society where nobody has to do anything, but rather is sedated by technology, and allows themselves to grow to such a level of morbid obesity… it terrified me. I have read some of the comments that have been written on this page, some positive, some negative. I do not mind for people to express their own opinion. In fact, it is our G-d given right to do just that, so therefore it should be exercised and kept healthy and diverse. But what I could not fathom are those who were attacking the film on its environmental standpoint. I am a Messianic Jew who studies the bible, prays and attends synagogue. I do not hold to any political party, calling myself one thing over another. I am a believer. And as a believer I can't help but believe that G-d has made us stewards over his creation, to take care of what he has made. And it is not only my opinion, but evidently clear that this world is in ill repair and in dire need of cleaning up. Believe what you want about global warming. I don't see how this is a partisan issue at all. Is this not the world that G-d created for us to live in? Therefore, we should be held responsible for its upkeep.
The other idea in the film that I loved, which I have briefly expressed, is the consumer sedative. That was amazing. Is this the pinnacle of capitalism? I don't know. All I know is that this consumerism, this “give me more, more, more” is paganism in the scriptures point of view.
The ‘Buy-N-Large’ company, represented in the film as the drug of choice, is very much like a god, if you look at it closely. That is what the people depend on, that is who they turn to in time of need. It is the ultimate way of the world anyway, the self made man who only cares about their own comfort. The bible calls us not to be drunk, although it does not prohibit the drink. This is the same exact thing. The excess of what we have to gain which will only pass away in this world, that is what it is like to be drunk. That we have so much of something, it dulls the senses.
This movie is a masterpiece. I went to go see it again, a week after my first viewing and it was even better the second time. This is the best American movie to come out in theaters within the last five years. This is PIXAR's best film to date. I don't know if they will ever top it, but I'd sure like to see them try.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Jesse Bedwell, age 24
Positive—***possible spoiler*** I've read a lot of people saying the environmentalist aspect was offensive, and I braced myself as soon as it started, but was pleasantly surprised… the ending where it showed the captain and crew planting plants, and subsequently we see the hillside starting to grow new life, because MAN was taking care of the Earth (man was working and reaping benefits) was a good message-we need to do our part. I did NOT feel at all that this was the “Happy Feet” in your face propaganda film at all. It showed the huge consequences of being lazy (sloth) and not being the stewards of our bodies and our Earth-morbid obesity and our planet being very unpleasant and unlivable. The tone was very much not what I got from that disgusting penguin movie (Happy Feet)!
All in all, because it was science fiction-ish, it wasn't my cup of tea, but it was adorable and had nothing offensive in it… I like that Wall-E stood by Eve because he loved her, even during the time she couldn't communicate or do anything (faithfulness), and thought that it portrayed our need for relationships very well… just a cute movie and I know my kids really enjoyed it (they are 4, 3, and 19 months)… :)
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
All in all, because it was science fiction-ish, it wasn't my cup of tea, but it was adorable and had nothing offensive in it… I like that Wall-E stood by Eve because he loved her, even during the time she couldn't communicate or do anything (faithfulness), and thought that it portrayed our need for relationships very well… just a cute movie and I know my kids really enjoyed it (they are 4, 3, and 19 months)… :)
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Angelica, age 23
Positive—There is one particular thing about this movie that jumped way out at me and said this movie needs to be seen by those who can't seem to communicate when it comes to live conversation where eye contact, facial expression, and body language adds great meaning to what's being said. I mean now days you'll find people standing right next to each other texting. As a whole our “shoot from the hip” communication skills are getting really, really flabby just like our bodies are as we learn to rely way too heavily on technology as the movie's primary message seems to focus on. There is so much that is said with Eve's eyes and the different postures Wall E uses expressing a plethora of emotions throughout the entire movie. The show wouldn't have been the least bit enjoyable if the 2 robots texted back and forth as they communicated and never actually looked at each other changing expressions using all the tools the Lord gave people to communicate with. Eve and Wall E humbled me making me want to be much more animated in my communication w/ the people the Lord gives me the responsibility to witness to.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Derin, age 44
Positive—The only thing I have found offensive with this movie is the credits. At the end of the movie (while the credits role), they show the Earth slowly becoming normal again. With fish and animals just magically replenishing the Earth after becoming extinct. Showing some sign of a belief in evolution, if my perception is correct.
I thought this movie was wonderful. It's main characters, WALL-E and EVE, are very funny, with there only means of self expression being the sounds they make and actions they do.
The movie was based off of the fact that we are running out of room in our landfills. But instead of relocating garbage, humans relocated to a temporary space station vacation. My perception is that this movie takes place 900 years in the future. Over a period of 700 years, humans become very fat on their vacations. As in normal life, children born in the high technological society, automatically accommodated to the easy life. So walking, talking face to face uncomfortably and physical contact had become a thing of the past, due to the technological advances that made it possible to avoid such uneasy experiences. So inevitably they became overweight.
This movie is very funny, but you have to find the humor, like the robots rejecting their programming to complete their work (trying to follow WALL-E's off course contamination) and the cockroach being the only thing to survive on Earth. It is very clean, nothing that should offend morally. I think it is a great example of what kind of movies should be produced in the future. With the one exception of the evolution hint, but it's a step in the right direction compared to all the other desensitized materials that are being accepted by “Christians” today.
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
I thought this movie was wonderful. It's main characters, WALL-E and EVE, are very funny, with there only means of self expression being the sounds they make and actions they do.
The movie was based off of the fact that we are running out of room in our landfills. But instead of relocating garbage, humans relocated to a temporary space station vacation. My perception is that this movie takes place 900 years in the future. Over a period of 700 years, humans become very fat on their vacations. As in normal life, children born in the high technological society, automatically accommodated to the easy life. So walking, talking face to face uncomfortably and physical contact had become a thing of the past, due to the technological advances that made it possible to avoid such uneasy experiences. So inevitably they became overweight.
This movie is very funny, but you have to find the humor, like the robots rejecting their programming to complete their work (trying to follow WALL-E's off course contamination) and the cockroach being the only thing to survive on Earth. It is very clean, nothing that should offend morally. I think it is a great example of what kind of movies should be produced in the future. With the one exception of the evolution hint, but it's a step in the right direction compared to all the other desensitized materials that are being accepted by “Christians” today.
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Rob, age 22
Positive—All in all this is a very good animated movie. Technically it absolutely shines, especially the first 30 minutes of the movie. I wasn't too happy at how the humans were animated, but I guess you can't have it all. As far as the storyline goes, we are presented with a more or less post apocalyptic wasteland. The lesser part meaning the acopalypse never happened, the people just left Earth. What follows has been described above already. As far as christian values go for this one, I think it's actually conveying a very christian message: God put us in charge of this planet, and we need to safeguard it for our children. Now I'm not jumping on the climate change bandwagon here. From my point of view, this movie just shows what will happen if there is no one left to protect and nurture our planet.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
William, age 29 (Canada)
Positive—This is truly one of my favorite movies ever. The characters are lovable and well developed, the animation is astounding and the story is sweet and has a happy ending. My son and I love watching this movie together and WALL-E is his favorite character (for now…) out of all movies. I know some have said that the environmentalist theme is pushed a little too hard, and if you're looking to read into that kind of thing, then you will certainly find it.
In my humble opinion, God gave us (man) dominion over the Earth and all that is within it. We are to be good stewards of what the Lord has entrusted us with, and honestly (while I am NOT an environmentalist by any means) man has done a poor job with that stewardship. Does Pixar go a little overboard with the extremity of the trash problem? Perhaps. But maybe something like that was designed to portray a warning, not predict the future. But that's not the point of this review.
The movie is completely inoffensive, there is no language, nudity, sexuality or any objectionable phases of any kind. There is very minor “violence” if you consider cartoon robot part flying and robots getting smashed violent. But even that is handled with taste. The story does tend to revolve around WALL-E and EVE, the two main characters, but there are numerous side character developments that are fun to observe as well. WALL-E was made to be a kids film, but it has delighted the kid in this grown man time after time!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
In my humble opinion, God gave us (man) dominion over the Earth and all that is within it. We are to be good stewards of what the Lord has entrusted us with, and honestly (while I am NOT an environmentalist by any means) man has done a poor job with that stewardship. Does Pixar go a little overboard with the extremity of the trash problem? Perhaps. But maybe something like that was designed to portray a warning, not predict the future. But that's not the point of this review.
The movie is completely inoffensive, there is no language, nudity, sexuality or any objectionable phases of any kind. There is very minor “violence” if you consider cartoon robot part flying and robots getting smashed violent. But even that is handled with taste. The story does tend to revolve around WALL-E and EVE, the two main characters, but there are numerous side character developments that are fun to observe as well. WALL-E was made to be a kids film, but it has delighted the kid in this grown man time after time!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Mark S., age 36 (USA)
Neutral
Neutral—This movie is non-stop entertainment for the attention-challenged generation, with quick movements and rapid scene shifts that made me feel dizzy. If you blink, you will miss much. Saying this though, it was a good, clean, family-friendly movie that the kids will love. It had a creative and unique storyline, as well as state of the art animation. The kids will want to see this one again on DVD, but I think that I will skip it in the future.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Elicia, age 38
Neutral—Honestly, this really isn't one of Pixar's best. The movie is very clean and there's nothing offensive in it. That's the good part! The bad news is, I just felt like in “Wall-E”, there wasn't a lot of effort put in this. I was going to say “negative,” but I decided to put “neutral,” because I decided the movie was better than the way it was broadcast on the trailers. Seriously, the theatrical trailers don't give “Wall-E” enough justice.
I've been a Pixar fan ever since Toy Story, and I've loved every single movie they've come out with. When I compare all of them to “Wall-E”, “Wall-E” fails to measure up. The beginning of the movie is very slow, and I know the beginning is the hardest part to always do. That's the time where your trying to lay out the foundation of your story. But, the robots never even talked, and I just didn't even feel excited in the end. In all the other Pixar movies, I'm always at the edge of my seat because I'm thinking, “Oh boy, what's going to happen next?” I just couldn't feel that with “Wall-E”. Everything was so slow-paced that it was hard for me to feel excited. Towards the end, I just didn't even feel like I really cared about the characters. I just wanted the movie to end.
If you have kids 7 and under in your family, they may enjoy this movie. Kids above the age of 7 may grow restless. However, one point of the story I do like is this: I found Wall-E and Eve's love for one another very admirable. Through out the movie, they always help each other out and always protect their friend no matter the cost. I think that's a great example of what Jesus had to do for us (John 3:16).
So, if you want to take a trip to the dentist's, you can go see “Wall-E” or buy a gallon of ice-cream and eat it all up. Either way, you're going to wind up with a mouth full of cavities.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4
I've been a Pixar fan ever since Toy Story, and I've loved every single movie they've come out with. When I compare all of them to “Wall-E”, “Wall-E” fails to measure up. The beginning of the movie is very slow, and I know the beginning is the hardest part to always do. That's the time where your trying to lay out the foundation of your story. But, the robots never even talked, and I just didn't even feel excited in the end. In all the other Pixar movies, I'm always at the edge of my seat because I'm thinking, “Oh boy, what's going to happen next?” I just couldn't feel that with “Wall-E”. Everything was so slow-paced that it was hard for me to feel excited. Towards the end, I just didn't even feel like I really cared about the characters. I just wanted the movie to end.
If you have kids 7 and under in your family, they may enjoy this movie. Kids above the age of 7 may grow restless. However, one point of the story I do like is this: I found Wall-E and Eve's love for one another very admirable. Through out the movie, they always help each other out and always protect their friend no matter the cost. I think that's a great example of what Jesus had to do for us (John 3:16).
So, if you want to take a trip to the dentist's, you can go see “Wall-E” or buy a gallon of ice-cream and eat it all up. Either way, you're going to wind up with a mouth full of cavities.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4
Sarah, age 18
Neutral—My wife and I agreed that we actually enjoyed the cartoon before the show better than “Wall-E.” We both laughed almost through the entire cartoon, but actually dozed off briefly during the show. In a nutshell, to us, it was well made, but somewhat boring. I donno, maybe we were just tired.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
H Fath, age 63
Neutral—I'm going to have to say I was a bit let down by this movie as its enjoyable moments were overshadowed by it's environmental message (both overt and subliminal).
Of particular disappointment is what I call a subliminal attack of President George Bush throughout this movie. You will notice that the President stands in front of a presidential seal for “Buy Large.” Of course, every shot shows the letters obstructed by the president's head, so you see the letters “BU**” and “***RGE.”
Considering that the president bears a passing resemblance to George Bush and coupled with the appearance of the letters of his name (Last name first, first name last), I found this to be an intentional subliminal jab at the sitting president for not taking on the environmentalist agenda. If you like politics in your family-friendly cartoons, then maybe you will like this element, but for me, it seriously undermined my enjoyment of the movie.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Of particular disappointment is what I call a subliminal attack of President George Bush throughout this movie. You will notice that the President stands in front of a presidential seal for “Buy Large.” Of course, every shot shows the letters obstructed by the president's head, so you see the letters “BU**” and “***RGE.”
Considering that the president bears a passing resemblance to George Bush and coupled with the appearance of the letters of his name (Last name first, first name last), I found this to be an intentional subliminal jab at the sitting president for not taking on the environmentalist agenda. If you like politics in your family-friendly cartoons, then maybe you will like this element, but for me, it seriously undermined my enjoyment of the movie.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Keith Bradbury, age 40
Negative
Negative—I took my 2 girls, one who has been waiting for this movie for a very long time. The short movie at the beginning, is about a magician and his rabbit. Our thoughts on that movie, was it was rather violent. The rabbit isn't very kind to the magician and ends up doing quite a bit of harm to the magician. Seemed to be of the Roadrunner and Coyote style of cartoon.
Then came the movie. Our pervasive feeling throughout and after the movie was that the overall theme they were trying to portray was, if we don't do something about our garbage and take better care of the Earth, it will be covered in garbage and we'll have to go to space to survive. And then when we do get into space, we're just going to get fat and lazy.
Out of a 1 to 10 rating, we gave it an average of 4. The funny parts were mostly covered in the trailers and clips we've seen before the movie. Pixar did a good job giving the 2 main characters, which are robots, human feelings and emotions, but it wasn't enough to carry the movie.
As for a Christian perspective, I don't remember any moments of foul language. I don't remember any adult situations or suggestions. It was a clean movie in that respect. But the overall Environmental brow beating was overwhelming.
An interesting point that my youngest pointed out, was that when they were in space on the colony ship, they had adults and babies, but no teenagers/tweens anywhere. Just an interesting observation.
We don't plan on seeing this again. And certainly won't purchase it when it comes out on DVD. Poor showing for Pixar overall.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Then came the movie. Our pervasive feeling throughout and after the movie was that the overall theme they were trying to portray was, if we don't do something about our garbage and take better care of the Earth, it will be covered in garbage and we'll have to go to space to survive. And then when we do get into space, we're just going to get fat and lazy.
Out of a 1 to 10 rating, we gave it an average of 4. The funny parts were mostly covered in the trailers and clips we've seen before the movie. Pixar did a good job giving the 2 main characters, which are robots, human feelings and emotions, but it wasn't enough to carry the movie.
As for a Christian perspective, I don't remember any moments of foul language. I don't remember any adult situations or suggestions. It was a clean movie in that respect. But the overall Environmental brow beating was overwhelming.
An interesting point that my youngest pointed out, was that when they were in space on the colony ship, they had adults and babies, but no teenagers/tweens anywhere. Just an interesting observation.
We don't plan on seeing this again. And certainly won't purchase it when it comes out on DVD. Poor showing for Pixar overall.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Steve, age 37
Negative—I have been looking forward to “Wall-E” for quite some time now, ever since Stanton the director announced the premise online some years ago and although I was a bit skeptical in regards to the setting I was willing to put my trust into the exceptionally talented hands of Pixar and go along for the ride. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed with just how much of the story was focused on the Environmental agenda. Don't get me wrong, the film itself looks and sounds phenomenal and Wall-E is an extremely endearing character, but the film has an extremely dark focus, and one I'm not at all in agreement with!
I knew going in that the Earth’s condition and potential renewal would be focused on, and understood that there would probably be some messages in that regard. But having the main character sacrifice himself so that the plant could be saved, what are we teaching our kids? Sacrifice you own life to save the planet, as in the trees, plants and flowers? I was surprised at how little attention was given to plot lines when explaining that the plant needed to be delivered to the central processing/guidance unit so that the ship could locate Earth, and having that processing unit across the other side of the ship and not on the bridge made no sense. Didn't the ship that took EVE just make 2 trips to Earth? So why doesn't the computer know how to get back to Earth a 3rd time?
Environmentally speaking God wants us to be good stewards of what He has given us, but we are to serve him, and not people, animals or the Earth. That's called idol worship. “Wall-E” is making some not-so-subtle assertions that the most important thing we all have to do is to save the planet. We have a responsibility to be wise with what we have and how we use the things we have been blessed with, but having a children's film make emphatically clear we must save our planet or leave it goes a bit too far.
I am also getting very tired of films portraying Americans as excessively overweight slobs, as this film also does. Why do I say Americans, because whether the plot called for it because having subtitles for other cultures would turn kids off, ore whether the filmmakers deliberately chose to do so purposefully, the only humans with speaking roles had American accents and nearly everyone that was shown was caucasian. Has the Caucasian race not paid enough over the past 40 years or so for what has been done to other cultures? I personally hold everyone in equal standing regardless of race, sex, religion, and show contempt for those who continue to use the crutch of stereotypical behavior to excuse themselves from responsibility. I don't believe that's racist, I believe that's being lazy, and Caucasians have also become lazy in accepting responsibility for everything we, as a race, are accused of having done at one time or another. When we make any suggestions thought that people of other races might be out of line, again we are slandered and called racist. And once again this film holds one race accountable, one race responsible, and shows how that same race has devolved into the most slovenly, pathetic, Godless society of mindless automatons, (with the token African-American represented) who's lack of consideration for the planet has resulted in it's near-destruction and contamination. How the global CEO is shown to be uncaring and incompetent in explaining that nothing can be done so just stay in space, with not-to-subtle lines being drawn between him and George Bush.
As far as the main characters of Wall-E and EVE I was delighted with their relationship and how much humanity was conveyed in their actions. I wasn't overjoyed with them being used as poster children for the environmental movement, but their interactions and personalities were very sweet making the aforementioned nonsense more tolerable, but in the end unable to make up for what some film critics are dubbing 'A Kid-convenient Truth'! That's quite a devious accomplishment, and throw in the message that our society is overly focused on consumerism, which I agree it is, at the same time as taking advantage of nearly every toy/video game tie-in possible for “Wall-E” and the hypocrisy reaches new heights.
Bottom line: my 3 year old daughter loved it but every time she has asked me to explain the story again, and again, and again, I keep stumbling over all of these conflicting issues. You want a children's movie without political nonsense then take your kids to see “Kung Fu Panda” instead!
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
I knew going in that the Earth’s condition and potential renewal would be focused on, and understood that there would probably be some messages in that regard. But having the main character sacrifice himself so that the plant could be saved, what are we teaching our kids? Sacrifice you own life to save the planet, as in the trees, plants and flowers? I was surprised at how little attention was given to plot lines when explaining that the plant needed to be delivered to the central processing/guidance unit so that the ship could locate Earth, and having that processing unit across the other side of the ship and not on the bridge made no sense. Didn't the ship that took EVE just make 2 trips to Earth? So why doesn't the computer know how to get back to Earth a 3rd time?
Environmentally speaking God wants us to be good stewards of what He has given us, but we are to serve him, and not people, animals or the Earth. That's called idol worship. “Wall-E” is making some not-so-subtle assertions that the most important thing we all have to do is to save the planet. We have a responsibility to be wise with what we have and how we use the things we have been blessed with, but having a children's film make emphatically clear we must save our planet or leave it goes a bit too far.
I am also getting very tired of films portraying Americans as excessively overweight slobs, as this film also does. Why do I say Americans, because whether the plot called for it because having subtitles for other cultures would turn kids off, ore whether the filmmakers deliberately chose to do so purposefully, the only humans with speaking roles had American accents and nearly everyone that was shown was caucasian. Has the Caucasian race not paid enough over the past 40 years or so for what has been done to other cultures? I personally hold everyone in equal standing regardless of race, sex, religion, and show contempt for those who continue to use the crutch of stereotypical behavior to excuse themselves from responsibility. I don't believe that's racist, I believe that's being lazy, and Caucasians have also become lazy in accepting responsibility for everything we, as a race, are accused of having done at one time or another. When we make any suggestions thought that people of other races might be out of line, again we are slandered and called racist. And once again this film holds one race accountable, one race responsible, and shows how that same race has devolved into the most slovenly, pathetic, Godless society of mindless automatons, (with the token African-American represented) who's lack of consideration for the planet has resulted in it's near-destruction and contamination. How the global CEO is shown to be uncaring and incompetent in explaining that nothing can be done so just stay in space, with not-to-subtle lines being drawn between him and George Bush.
As far as the main characters of Wall-E and EVE I was delighted with their relationship and how much humanity was conveyed in their actions. I wasn't overjoyed with them being used as poster children for the environmental movement, but their interactions and personalities were very sweet making the aforementioned nonsense more tolerable, but in the end unable to make up for what some film critics are dubbing 'A Kid-convenient Truth'! That's quite a devious accomplishment, and throw in the message that our society is overly focused on consumerism, which I agree it is, at the same time as taking advantage of nearly every toy/video game tie-in possible for “Wall-E” and the hypocrisy reaches new heights.
Bottom line: my 3 year old daughter loved it but every time she has asked me to explain the story again, and again, and again, I keep stumbling over all of these conflicting issues. You want a children's movie without political nonsense then take your kids to see “Kung Fu Panda” instead!
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
Jeremy, age 33
Negative—Global Warming propaganda at it's best. Humans=BAD, anything green=GOOD. I can't recommend this film due to it's anti-human, anti-capitalism, anti-business message. It's basically another Disney/Pixar environmental guilt trip. Isn't Disney/Pixar being a bit hypocritical? A movie tailored to kids containing rampant anti-consumer imagery/messaging; yet these companies make a substantial part of their money selling the same kind of garbage WALL-E is busy destroying in our future world?
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Charles Wilkes, age 48
Negative—“Wall-e” was not a film for kids who believe in God. Although the animation was great, as would be expected from Pixar, the agenda was nauseating. Al Gore appears to have been the creator and director of the film. It was not for kids, and my kids did not even enjoy it. My 4 year old was ready to leave, unlike “Cars” or “Kung fu Panda”. This movie clearly showed the lack of belief in God by showing that Earth was dead. It was so anti oil, nuclear power, consumers, and over the top pro green! There is a new religion that is in our movies and schools, yet where are the Christian voices defining this? “Wall-e” was a terrible film for kids and was done to further the agenda by the wealthy in the world who don't live as they preach. So much for a happy movie that my kids come out of with smiles and laughter as they did cars.
Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2½
Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2½
Aaron Guzik, age 37
Negative—For those whom are Christians and are looking for a movie that does not contain language that you do not want to bring into your home you may want to reconsider “Wall-E”. These are the following words that I found in the movie: by golly, darn it all, and get the heck out of here—these three were all spoken during a prerecorded message by a human. Blasted ship and stupid wheel were spoken by the captain of the ship.
Personally I prefer not to have movies especially for my small child that are a slang curse.
Gosh, gad, golly, gee, and goodness are a few of the words that also mean God. Depending on the way the words are being used in the movie you will have to decide your comfort level with the movie and also if you would like your child repeating those words.
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Personally I prefer not to have movies especially for my small child that are a slang curse.
Gosh, gad, golly, gee, and goodness are a few of the words that also mean God. Depending on the way the words are being used in the movie you will have to decide your comfort level with the movie and also if you would like your child repeating those words.
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Disciple4thelord, age 33
Comments from young people
Positive—This movie was absolutely beautiful in every way. It's fun, cute, deep, romantic, and nothing is wrong with it unless you fail to suspend disbelief about robots having souls (Please do, for the love of Pete.) I'm a huge animation geek. I've seen tons of animated films. This is the best ones I have ever seen.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Netbug, age 17
Positive—I am a huge Pixar fan, I've seen all of their movies in theaters and I own them all. I can definitely say that “Wall-E” did not disappoint me at all; the animation was terrific, and WALL-E and EVE were very cute and likeable. The only part that some people could find objectionable is when WALL-E finds a bra in the trash, but I thought that part was hilarious, because he's just like a curious little kid who doesn't know what it is! Other than that, there's nothing in this movie that's offensive.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Katie Hervey, age 16
Positive—Wow, I just have to say I loved this movie, it had no offensive things in it at all. It kept me wanting to cry in some parts (but I’m thirteen, and a boy, so I didn’t want to cry in the movies) and was a happy movie at the same time. To summarize it, see it, and buy it!
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Gage, age 13
Positive—This was a wonderful film. I do admit I got a bit bored during the first part on Earth, but overall it was great. The romance was clean, beautiful, and not offensive or ungodly in any way. I really don't care if God isn't mentioned, (remember they have to think about their non-Christian audience, too) and it had extremely good morals. Unlike many animated films these days, it was completely clean without any dirty jokes that seem to taint good movies. At first, I was a little concerned about the environmentalism, (I hate when children's movies are filled with adult opinions) but it simply presented these problems without rubbing it in your face. I loved it.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Rachel, age 12
Positive—This is one of the best films of the year, so far. Its better than “Ironman” and Indy 4. Though I do caution you that this movie may be boring for kids 6 and under because it barley has any dialouge in it and it is kind of like “Castaway” in a robot, Disney-way, and my brother who are 4 and 2 mostly got bored in it.
It’s a very interesting movie and is very well written. There isn't much violence and there is no nudity or profanity. Now you may be asking is there any spiritual content in the movie and yes there is I believe. Wall-e wants to be loved and then when the mysterious robot Eve comes he discovers he can be loved. So the main value in this movie is Love because nothing can break love so yes this is a great value to show in any movie.God is not mentioned in the movie nor Jesus but there was a deeper message in there I'm still trying to figure out. It is deep and I do not think it was meant for little kids under eight and it isn't very funny. So “Wall-E” does show good values.
Grace is also in the movie, I think. When Wall-e messes up Eve gets really angry but she has grace on him. And also when she sends him back to Earth but she is mistaken for putting him in a bomb sort of thing she runs and tries to save him. The producing and direction is excellent. “Wall-E” is probably the best movie of the year so far. If you want a movie that is entertaining, has good values in it and is very good, this is your chance.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
It’s a very interesting movie and is very well written. There isn't much violence and there is no nudity or profanity. Now you may be asking is there any spiritual content in the movie and yes there is I believe. Wall-e wants to be loved and then when the mysterious robot Eve comes he discovers he can be loved. So the main value in this movie is Love because nothing can break love so yes this is a great value to show in any movie.God is not mentioned in the movie nor Jesus but there was a deeper message in there I'm still trying to figure out. It is deep and I do not think it was meant for little kids under eight and it isn't very funny. So “Wall-E” does show good values.
Grace is also in the movie, I think. When Wall-e messes up Eve gets really angry but she has grace on him. And also when she sends him back to Earth but she is mistaken for putting him in a bomb sort of thing she runs and tries to save him. The producing and direction is excellent. “Wall-E” is probably the best movie of the year so far. If you want a movie that is entertaining, has good values in it and is very good, this is your chance.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Langston, age 10
Positive—I have eagerly been awaiting Pixar's new movie since they first showed previews for the box-like robot with binocular eyes. Bearing in mind it was made by Pixar, I expected a good movie. All expectations were met! The movie-making quality was excellent and the storyline was clever! “Wall-E” was the best blend of comedy and a strong plot I have seen in a long time!
On the Moral Rating, “Wall-E” was fine to watch as I could find nothing offensive, however, Pixar includes a short (as always) about a man whose job is being a magician and working with two magic hats. However, this is very benign and I had little to no trouble watching it. As a final note, “Wall-E” is a great film to watch!
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
On the Moral Rating, “Wall-E” was fine to watch as I could find nothing offensive, however, Pixar includes a short (as always) about a man whose job is being a magician and working with two magic hats. However, this is very benign and I had little to no trouble watching it. As a final note, “Wall-E” is a great film to watch!
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Brandon Walther, age 15
Positive—This movie was a amazing movie that I think is a great movie for the whole entire family. It was a very clean movie that in my opinion had nothing objectionable in it. It was cute love story with a happy ending. I enjoyed this movie a lot and my brother (age 11) and dad (age???) enjoyed this movie just as well.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Mackenzie, age 13
Positive—“Wall-E” was an excellent movie in my opinion. At the beginning it started out as a short cartoon called “Presto.” It was about a magician who tried reaching a rabbit thru his magic hat. The rabbit did every possible thing he could to the magician because the magician didn't feed the rabbit. It was like Tom and Jerry. “Wall-E” was probably the most excellent animated robot movie ever.
The animation was so good, that some pictures looked like a picture in the real world. Overall negatives people may give, this movie was a fun, family, movie. It had some comedy, romance, and futuristic ideas that were amazing. I recommend this movie for anybody.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
The animation was so good, that some pictures looked like a picture in the real world. Overall negatives people may give, this movie was a fun, family, movie. It had some comedy, romance, and futuristic ideas that were amazing. I recommend this movie for anybody.
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Randy, age 12
Neutral—I have mixed feelings about “Wall-E.” On the positive side, this was one of Pixar's most stunningly beautiful films. The CGI was so crisp and pristine that, at certain scenes, the movie becomes an art. The character Wall-E is incredibly charismatic as you quickly fall in love with him and sympathize for his loneliness. The movie focused more on the characters than humor, so I'm not so sure on how many young children will be truly entertained by it (don't get me wrong, there is some humor in it).
Now on to the negatives. The movie was definitely trying to convey two, or more, messages, particularly to the youth. One: Lack of exercise leads to severe consequences. No problem with that. Two: If we don't take steps in preserving our planet, it will become an unbearable wasteland. I fear this movie might raise questions as to who really is in charge of Earth's, and humanity's, future.
Even though the propaganda in this movie seems strong, it was definitely a treat to watch. I'd imagine that it will appeal to older kids more than younger ones. Overall, I loved “Wall-E,” and I fear that's a victory on the “WE can save the Earth” perspective as opposed to the “God's in control” stance.
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Now on to the negatives. The movie was definitely trying to convey two, or more, messages, particularly to the youth. One: Lack of exercise leads to severe consequences. No problem with that. Two: If we don't take steps in preserving our planet, it will become an unbearable wasteland. I fear this movie might raise questions as to who really is in charge of Earth's, and humanity's, future.
Even though the propaganda in this movie seems strong, it was definitely a treat to watch. I'd imagine that it will appeal to older kids more than younger ones. Overall, I loved “Wall-E,” and I fear that's a victory on the “WE can save the Earth” perspective as opposed to the “God's in control” stance.
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Samuel Chavarria, age 15
Positive—“Wall-E” is a very thought-provoking film that is a good warning to us of what may happen if we continue to take the resources which God has provided us for granted. God tells us to be good stewards of what we have been given, and I think this film reinforces that with a picture of what could happen because of our carelessness with God's wonderful creation. It also shows how our decisions can affect everyone around us.
The only reason we're even having conversations about virtues in movies is because the world is sinful, and that originated from Eve's decision to ignore God's only instruction and eat the fruit she'd been commanded not to. See all »
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
The only reason we're even having conversations about virtues in movies is because the world is sinful, and that originated from Eve's decision to ignore God's only instruction and eat the fruit she'd been commanded not to. See all »
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Holly S., age 13
Positive—I thought “Wall-E” was an awesome movie! One of the things I loved was how you could see the emotions a character even if they were a robot. I thought that the film had many points and themes that Pixar was trying to get across, as well as entertainment.
Some of the themes that I saw was to care for the Earth, value relationships, and several others. I thought that these two specific themes were very biblical! God tells us—especially in Genesis—to care for His creation. Also, He tells us many times that we should love one another, as Christ loved us. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone, and I thought Pixar did a FANTASTIC job with this movie!! 5 gold stars!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Some of the themes that I saw was to care for the Earth, value relationships, and several others. I thought that these two specific themes were very biblical! God tells us—especially in Genesis—to care for His creation. Also, He tells us many times that we should love one another, as Christ loved us. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone, and I thought Pixar did a FANTASTIC job with this movie!! 5 gold stars!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Kaitlin, age 14
Negative—When I walked into the theater, I was expecting some cute little movie about a robot, which I didn't want. But that's what I got. As far as I can remember, there wasn't anything Biblically offensive, but it made me think of the verse in the Bible: They worshiped the creation, not the Creator. I don't want to give away any of the movie, but if you're looking for an interesting movie, Wall-E is off the list. The only “action” is when ***SPOILER!!*** he gets sucked up and dies. ***SPOILER OVER!!*** If I were to recommend it at ALL, it would be from 5 to 10 year olds.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 2
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 2
Liz, age 15
Positive— I thought this movie was amazing, it was not at all just a cute cartoon. I thought the quality of the movie was excellent. Even though there was not much talking, it was still funny; it was almost like a new style of movie; it was more than a cartoon. Since there was barely any talking, obviously there was nothing objectionable. I would recommend this movie to everyone.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Aaron Schmidt, age 12
Positive—All I can say is WOW. I saw this movie at the drive-in, and it was amazing. It really gets people's attention and shows us what might happen if we don't take care of our planet. I recommend this movie to everyone!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Lili, age 11 (Canada)
Positive—This is one of the most entertaining and best movies I have seen in many years! It is super clean and really fun! Also, the messages are wonderful throughout it! I would advise this to everyone!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Anna Rose, age 17 (USA)
Positive—It is very rare in this day and age that I see a movie I like. It is rarer still that I see a movie I love. So you can only guess how often it is I see a movie so wonderful that I actually put it in my top five favorite movies of all time. WALL-E is such a movie.
The people at Pixar are absolute geniuses. They understand something about filmmaking that eludes others in the industry, particularly in animated comedies—subtlety. WALL-E's design team understands that your protagonist does not become any more likable or charming just because you made him pass gas or hit him over the head with a pot.See all »
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
The people at Pixar are absolute geniuses. They understand something about filmmaking that eludes others in the industry, particularly in animated comedies—subtlety. WALL-E's design team understands that your protagonist does not become any more likable or charming just because you made him pass gas or hit him over the head with a pot.See all »
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Matt Triponey, age 17 (USA)
Neutral—I picked neutral because although there is nothing offensive morally or in the filmaking. I actually enjoyed the before video thing with the bunny so much more than the movie (I was on the floor dying with laughter). The movie's storyline was okay—boring, but okay. One thing I did like in the movie was how the projected how we are trashing Earth and what will happen if we continue to be blind to what we are doing. But anyway, its a clean, fine movie, but I wouldn't recommend buying it. Don't waste your money. Buy “Kungfu Panda” instead.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4
Vicki, age 15 (USA)
Positive—This is a truly great movie, one of the best movies I've ever seen. I would reccomend this movie to anybody. This a very inspiring movie, proving many good points about saving the enviroment and staying fit.
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Paolo, age 11 (USA)
Positive—“Wall-e” is one of my favorite Pixar films! I just love the fact of a little robot looking for romance, and the story of the movie with the people on the Axiom was amazing! This movie kinda reminded me of the Noah’s Ark story, if you look at it closely. Me, I would recommend it to everyone! Best Pixar film yet, and a great film for every or any Christian family!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Andre, age 15 (Canada)
Positive—When we first watched this movie at school, I thought it would be the most boring movie on Earth, but, when we finished the movie, I was begging to watch it again! It is a very good movie, which has no dirty jokes. It doesn't offend Christ, and the movie has very loveable characters!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Aaron, age 13 (Australia)
My Ratings: Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5