Parents' Guide to

WALL-E

Movie G 2008 103 minutes
WALL-E Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

S. Jhoanna Robledo By S. Jhoanna Robledo , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 5+

Brainy, charming, eco-friendly animated adventure.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 5+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 5+

Based on 95 parent reviews

age 4+

this is the best movie ever!

i love this movie so much it is just so good. i wish people made a wall-e 2. you should defiantly watch this movie it is so good. (I'm 9 years old)
age 6+

The Bigger Message

WALL-E “Disney’s Bigger Message” When the Disney movie WALL-E first came out in 2008, I worked at a Hollywood Video; you know those stores people used to go to and rent movies? I never got to watch WALL-E, so I took this opportunity to watch it and did not disappoint. The movie is packed with emotions ranging from feeling sympathy to happiness and even excitement. WALL-E is filled with bland colors of a trash covered Earth and then exhilarating bright colors of stars with galaxies leading to the mysteriously unknown. This movie fits the common mold of a classic Disney movie with a up and down storyline, but I observed a movie that digs deeper. For me WALL-E is a movie that delivers a big message that will be eye opening to anyone who watches it. The movie begins with introducing the main character, a trash compacting robot named WALL-E. WALL-E is a timid lone robot spending his days cleaning a garbage covered planet Earth. I quickly learn that despite being alone, WALL-E does make the best of it by collecting interesting artifacts and becoming friends with a crafty hard to kill roach. At night WALL-E watches “Hello, Dolly!” on a makeshift video projector and I started to get the sense that WALL-E so desperately wanted some companionship. Suddenly a rocket ships rattles the atmosphere and knocks over skyscraper high compacted blocks of trash as it lands on Earth. WALL-E watches in amazement as a new shiny slick robot emerges from the rocket, it appears that WALL-E may get that companionship he wants. WALL-E watches from a far as the new robot cuts throw the sky scanning items as she goes. After nearly being blown up by the new robot, we discover that the new robot’s name is EVE. As WALL-E is showing EVE around, he shows her a plant that he recently added to his collection of artifacts. EVE scans the plant and then suddenly freezes and shuts down. EVE is later retrieved by the rocket that originally dropped her off to be taken back into space. At this point I had so many questions. Where are all the humans and why is Earth covered in so much trash? I was hoping that the second half of movie would answer all these question for me. As the rocket takes off WALL-E speeds like a high-speed race car, jumps onto the rocket and holds on for the ride. Attached the rocket ship as it glides through space WALL-E gets to admire vibrant fiery solar flares from the sun, sparkling bright star dust of Saturn and the perplexing purple of the Milky Way. Soon WALL-E is on a ship that has the appearance of glamourous giant cruise ship. I notice that all the passengers are “king size” as they usher around on floating beds and looking at their screens. Any activity they do is through the control and the assistance of robots, humans do nothing for themselves. EVE is taken up to the captain’s quarters and we learn that she was in search for plant life so the ship could return to Earth since vegetation could now grow. The hopeful plans to return home to Earth are nearly sabotaged by a rogue robot; but the perseverance of the captain defeats the villainess robot. At this moment in the movie I realize that the willingness of humanity will always change things for the better. The victory comes at a price that nearly destroys WALL-E but luckily this is a Disney movie. EVE saves WALL-E and now humans are back on Earth where they start to learn how to do things for themselves again. A typical Disney movie normally consists of a warming heartfelt story that brings joy to children, WALL-E does that while delivering a crucial message of what society is trending towards. Presently in a world that relies on intelligent robots and grow reliant on accelerated technical advancements; could humans one day rely on robots as much as they do in Disney’s WALL-E? I think that it is a possible, but there will always be ones that will never take the easy route and find the pride in doing things for themselves. After watching WALL-E I can take away two things: the perseverance humans remain unmatched and Disney movies can go deep with messages that can be eye opening for everyone willing to watch.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (95 ):
Kids say (203 ):

This Pixar film manages to be moving, entertaining, and thought-provoking. Much of the credit is due to director/co-writer Andrew Stanton, who fills the film with tributes to silent films and classic musicals. (Kudos to Burtt for adding such emotion to WALL-E's squeaks and bleeps.)

Early scenes in which WALL-E wonders at the waste left behind by humans are especially poignant, particularly when juxtaposed against the massive pile of waste he's meant to get rid of. Ultimately, the movie's pro-planet message is refreshing, but its depictions of fat people and hoverchair users as lazy and greedy should prompt further discussion with your children.

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