Wall-e Shows us our Possible Future

WALL-E is a 2008 science fiction animation produced by Pixar. It depicts earth as a desolate, rubbish ridden almost apocalyptic wasteland with one inhabitant-a little, rusting, boxy robot named Wall-e. His only objective is to salvage what’s left of the planet and try to restore it to livable standards. He is also the last of his kind and takes the parts he needs from broken Wall-e robots lying around in order to survive to finish his work.

The first part of the film humorously portrays Wall-e scrounging around, compacting rubbish into little squares of trash and stacking them neatly while collecting random objects and items that appear to have sentimental value to the little robot, portrayed in one scene where he find a box with a jewelled ring in it and throws away the ring keeping the box that held it. This scene caused much laughter among the audience and yet when we really analyse why this was funny it becomes apparent that maybe it’s not as amusing as we think. The scene shows us that we, as society, have placed more value on inanimate objects that are not useful to our survival. Wall-e takes the box because the ring has no purpose other than to make the hand look pretty, a box however can be used for many things. Wall-e is showing us wasteful consumerism and with the curiosity of a child he shows that without humans to place monetary value on material goods, he is ultimately the decider of what qualifies for conservation and what does not.

When Wall-e uncovers a tiny green plant growing under on old fridge lying in the middle of a huge pile of rubbish, in a dramatic entrance, EVE is introduced. She is white, sleek and highly dangerous with the ability to destroy anything with a powerful laser gun. She is easily angered at first blowing up an entire boat in a rage after getting caught on a giant magnet. EVE therefore is the opposite to Wall-e, where he preserves, she destroys.

When Wall-e then follows Eve into space to a huge ship, we see our potential future for the first time in the film. The giant spaceship was manufactured to orbit the earth in hope that the people on it will be able to return someday. Made also by the same company that advertised “Buy N Large” back on earth, an obvious peek into what caused the earth to fall from grace. We are then shown what befell the people onboard and a pretty sight it is not as they float around on hover-seats due to their obesity. They depend on robots to do everything for them as they meander around stuffing their faces and relaxing. They speak through virtual screens they each possess which sits right in front of their faces disconnecting them from reality yet again. They eat processed, blended food in cups and have replaced any actual activity for virtual, such as the virtual driving range. Dominated by technology there are oblivious to everything going on around them including the time of day, shown in a scene where the captain of the ship wakes up late for the daily announcement, turns the clocks back on the whole ship and continues to give the announcement. No one notices anything has changed.

When the captain sees the plant brought back by EVE he becomes gripped with finding out what the earth was like before becoming corrupt by consumer needs. Wall-e has more of a desire to live than all the inhabitants of the ship. We see his longing when he watches a scene from ‘Hello Dolly!’ and from how he tries to bring the people back to earth.

Wall-e’s personality implies human emotions as he falls for EVE, only wanting to be loved in return. He is not consumed with greed, gluttony, envy or any of the other negative human feelings or desires. He does not look for newer parts for himself, only ones that will work, portraying his want to live not to be dominated by virtual reality and ‘Buy N Large’ manufactured goods but just to enjoy what real life has to offer us. It’s not our fall that the film represents, that’s inevitable; it’s how we will restore ourselves and the earth to its natural purpose

In a film based wholly on mass produced goods and items, capitalism and technology (or the future of anyway) its not surprising that various well known product names can be identified in Wall-E. Apple was a big one, since Pixar was owned by Steve Jobs before he sold it to Disney. The Robot EVE was designed with the help of Apple and resembles the sleekness of their products, while Wall-E looks more like he was made from a rusty tin can. Although the Apple Logo itself is never shown in the film, Apple was still advertised through the start up tune of their computers as Wall-E recharges. Its subtle, a wink more than actual advertising. It wasn't selling apple products either, rather, it was reinforcing Apple as a growing company. It didn't need to show their products, just to hint at them. In one scene, Wall-E is watching a projected movie from an ipod in the background, but that's about all you'l see of actual Apple Products. In Posters for the Movie a similarity can be seen between Wall-E and Apple again, when Wall-E stands on a mountain of rubbish with purple lights behind him, similar to the OS X Leopard wallpaper on Macs.

And considering how often we see blatant apple symbols, or Coca-Cola signs in films, the subtly of the product endorsement in Wall-E was actually humerus, like the 'No you can't' political sign in Megamind. This type of product placement could well be huge in the future of film, which would be a damn sight better than what we're putting up with in films now. the Apple Logo can be seen in nearly every bi budget Hollywood movie and tv Series, along with other multinational companies. So whether EVE's design and the postmodern Product Placements were simply 'In Jokes' between crew and shareholders or not, it certainly shows us the future of advertising along with Humanities Future.

The film was fun to watch, it had lighthearted, adorable moments with Wall-E, and then when he meets EVE, but it also has some really relevant points on society, that are being taught to children through entertainment so all in all, I think it's a fantastic film. Humerus and really enjoyable to watch. Wall-E is a great character, more human than the people left on the ship, and representative of old technology and EVE's aggressive approach to everything really portrays how us as humankind should have more aggressive opinions on things that will, eventually but without a doubt, impact Earth to the point of destruction, while also representing new technology, that we will be relying solely on.

I also hate advertising, I believe it's deceptive, unreliable and absolutely consuming, since it can be seen everywhere from radio, to tv, to cinema, magazines, newspapers, every single webpage on the internet, on our phones, tablets, games, dvd's, posters, shop windows, we get through email, and our letter boxes are packed full of the weekly savings at local shops, or referendum propaganda, or cleaning supplies, or fricken Avon makeup....the list seriously goes on and on. Its everywhere! So the fact that Wall-E gave us all a break from these obnoxious traditional product placement's that we are so used to seeing on film screens, was a big relief. I loved the ingenuity behind their product endorsement .