WALL·E Review: A Robot Love Story with Heart
9/10 — WALL·E (2008)
Pros
- Remarkable wordless storytelling
- Expressive character design
- Thomas Newman's score
Cons
- Second half is more conventional
- Message-heavy
On an abandoned, trash-covered Earth, WALL·E, a small waste-collecting robot, falls for the sleek probe robot EVE and follows her into space, where humanity has retreated. The first act is largely dialogue-free.
What works
Pixar’s animators make WALL·E expressive through movement and sound, and the first half is a beautiful piece of silent storytelling. The vision of Earth and the Axiom’s pampered passengers is witty and pointed, and Thomas Newman’s score is gorgeous.
Where it falters
The second half moves into more familiar family-film territory, and the environmental message can be heavy-handed.
Verdict
A charming, inventive and moving animation, one of Pixar’s very best.
