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Movie reviews: WALL-E

by S. Linda Jensen

Even adults will enjoy the movie Wall-E. The plot takes us to the future where earth's inhabitants have left and live in space. Earth is a planet full of trash and devoid of human or plant life. Only robots can live on earth. Wall-E is here to work day after day sorting and moving trash and garbage left over form the time humans lived on the planet. He takes the trash and places it into a compartment of his robotic body where it will compress. After it compresses it turns into cubes. There are cubes all over the place in stacks and rows. The air is believed to be so toxic that nothing can live, except a bug, a cockroach, is Wall-E's companion.

For several minutes the film is all about Wall-E and his job cleaning up the trash former earth dwellers left behind. Wall-E is a dinged up, rust spotted, little robot sort of cute in his way.His name comes from his type of robot. The music and Wall-E's mechanical sounds are all that are heard as the movie begins you watch the little robot work gliding here and there doing his job. He lives in an abandoned gigantic piece of construction equipment. Wall-E collects various items to keep as if they are some kind of treasure. He sorts them and puts them on a revolving shelf. One of his favorite treasures is an old movie, he watches and he wishes he had someone to share his life with. (Yes, Wall-E has the non-robotic inclination to feel emotional and to think!) The little robot appears to be lonely and seems to want some kind of companionship other than the little bug that he has befriended.

One day a large ship arrives from space and deposits another robot. She is a beautiful white thing with gleaming eyes and a powerful weapon that zaps things to powder when she feels threatened or they present danger. Eve, is her name. Wall-E finds her to be his one desire. She is not that taken with him she often seems to be trying to blow him away with her zap gun. For quite some time she tries to shake loose of Wall-E until Eve discovers Wall-E has found plant life and has added this to his treasure collection. Wall-E has also discovered a working cigarette lighter putting it in his treasure collection.( At this point you see that the air has changed and the lighter works.) As Eve changes into a hibernation like state, due to her directive, Wall-E tries to protect her. Eve is picked up by the ship that left her on earth and inside her she carries the plant Wall-E had found. Wall-E doesn't want Eve to leave him so he attaches himself to the space ship as it takes Eve away.

Eve and Wall-E begin an adventure in a huge space ship. Eve is returning to fulfill her directive and Wall-E it is trying to protect Eve, to win her affection. Eve must save the plant and give it to the human leader but all kinds of problems arise and Wall-E gets involved to help Eve because he loves her.

It is after they arrive on a large space ship that there are human voices heard and animated humans add to the story. Some sinister humans don't want the other humans to know that the time has come when they could once again inhabit earth. Wall-E causes a robot rebellion and is instrumental in saving the humans living on the huge space ship. There are colorful characters in the human and robot cast throughout the film. The movie has action, comedy, tenderness, and wonderful imaginative characters. It does however also repeat the theme of ugly guy gets pretty girl and everyone lives happily ever after. It is entertaining with music and animation holding your attention.

There is a lot of fun in Wall-E. The movie has good entertainment values for children. But only older kids or adults will pick up on some of the plot. Pay attention as some of the subtle, seemingly unimportant actions, these turn out to be very important in the story of Wall-E! For little children from 3 up it is a fun movie that parents will enjoy too.

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA