Film Name: 机器人总动员 / WALL·E
Regarding “WALL-E,” I imagine it’s already been hyped up quite a bit online. I bought a disc back then, but when I got to the last quarter, it got stuck and wouldn’t play no matter what, so I set it aside and didn’t join in on the discussions about the film. What I’m sharing now are just a few immature thoughts—hardly a proper review.
What sets this film apart from its predecessors is its creation of two distinct “alternate worlds”: one is Earth, buried in trash and no longer habitable for humans; the other is the highly mechanized, intelligent, and ‘suitable’ for humans, the A.I.M. station. We know that in the past, animated films were already considered quite good if they could clearly depict even one “alternate world.” Examples include the car world in “Cars,” the underwater realm in “Finding Nemo,” the bee society in “Bee Movie,” and the bathhouse in “Spirited Away.” Chinese animation, however, often struggles to establish even one coherent alternate world through symbols or details—a prime example being “Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf,” where the snail’s internal world lacks any logical consistency.
Creating an “alternate world” is a fundamental approach in contemporary animation. It aims to immerse audiences in an imagined spacetime, allowing them to grasp new rules while experiencing the thrill of the ingenuity required to invent them. Of course, any “alternate world” must also contain familiar elements mirroring the real world; otherwise, it won’t be genuinely accepted.
Let’s examine how “WALL-E” makes both Earth and the M.O.VIE-Tron spaceship feel authentic as “alternate worlds.”
On Earth, certain elements continuously reinforce your visual perception, fundamentally reshaping your concept of this planet: 1. Mountains of trash visible everywhere; 2. How these trash mountains are formed (in two steps: robots first compact scattered debris into trash bricks, then stack these bricks in a systematic pattern); 3. Sandstorms (not essential, but their presence significantly heightens the impression of this Earth); 4. Broken garbage-cleaning robots stranded by the roadside, etc.
On the Awakening, similar elements continuously intensify your visual experience, making you firmly believe in the authenticity of this spaceship: 1. The Awakening’s spaceship exterior; 2. Fully mechanized operations upon entry; 3. Robots walking along light trails; 4. The street scenes; 5. The voice-activated virtual control panel communication system; 6. The advanced transportation system; 7. The captain’s waking-up process; 8. The voice-controlled system in the captain’s quarters; 9. The captain greeting all citizens through the broadcast system, etc.
Next, the story needed to connect these two “parallel worlds” with a single thread, establishing some form of connection between them. This thread is clearly the photosynthetic green plant brought from Earth. From searching for the plant, to bringing it back, to abandoning it, and finally rediscovering it, the story skillfully explores grand themes like “where humanity should live, how we should survive, and where our true home lies.” It also brings the two protagonists together, allowing them to meet, understand each other, and fall in love.
While seemingly perfect, a significant question arises: Is WALL-E fundamentally a love story or a narrative of human perseverance? Personally, I believe it’s clearly the former. The robots’ love—transcending energy levels, time, and physical limitations—is the film’s core message. So what role should humanity’s renewed understanding of Earth play in this journey of love? If it’s merely a catalyst, then it feels overly weighty—so weighty that it overshadows the romance between the film’s two protagonists.
In other words, for a work centered on love, the protagonists’ challenges should be mutual—tests of their bond—rather than culminating in a collective effort toward some heroic, individualistic feat. While humanity’s return and the robots’ romance are compelling themes individually, their forced combination feels incongruous and contrived. Two profound elements added together don’t necessarily deepen the whole; they risk becoming shallow instead.
The film’s most commendable moments occur when Eve arrives on Earth and interacts with WALL-E, including their exchanges while she remains dormant. It is through such nuanced portrayal that the true grandeur of love is fundamentally revealed. Eve and WALL-E’s romance should never be defined by her role as the hero who brings humanity home. The most nauseating aspect of this film is the ending, where all humanity cheers for EVE and several small robots play supporting roles to the hero. These elements are too formulaic for a hero’s journey and clash with the love theme between EVE and WALL-E.
This is a minor flaw in the film’s content. Technically, however, the film is already perfect.
Another question I ponder is: just how intelligent are these robots? EVE, who initially followed her programming to the letter, eventually shed all traces of her original code, becoming a robot with a mind of her own. This transformation could perhaps be attributed to the outcome of love. However, the “self-controlled” robot in the captain’s quarters presents a peculiar anomaly. It completely disregarded the captain’s latest orders, stubbornly executing a 700-year-old command instead, resorting to extreme measures that made it seem like a supervillain. This doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. The plot never established that the ancient command held a higher priority than the captain’s current orders, making it imperative to obey. If that prior command wasn’t higher-level, why would the machine “Autopilot” execute it to the bitter end? Why disobey the captain’s latest orders? Did it have ulterior motives? What personal gain could it possibly derive?
Of course, after nitpicking these points, we must return to affirming the film’s strengths, particularly its successful portrayal of WALL-E as a robot brimming with compassion and nuanced emotions.
Though WALL-E is covered in mottled patches while EVE is pure white as jade; though WALL-E is angular while EVE has an elegant oval shape; though WALL-E walks in straight lines and sharp turns while EVE’s flight path traces gentle figure-eights and S-curves—the two transcend all these physical differences. Seeing such a film on February 14th truly moved me from the heart.
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