Wall-E – Wall-E
By Jon Winkler
When it comes to kids movies, characters have to grab whatever short attention span they have to keep them invested in the movie. That usually means opening up with some quirky dialogue or a zany musical number. So how does a dirty, box-shaped robot make himself memorable enough for merchandise at the Disney store? Saying only two words and making electronic “beep” noises for 98 minutes…it worked. What makes Wall-E, both the character and the movie itself, is that it’s more about showing than telling. Most of the movie is visual, showing how technological innovation can lead to crippling laziness. But Wall-E is memorable for also being entirely visual, with no actual dialogue. The audience can connect and identify with him just by watching him work, from basic curiosity to the nervous feelings of approaching a crush. Despite being a robot, Wall-E maybe one of the most human characters Pixar ever created.
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