Yesterday I went to see the movie Wall *E . Ironically I had not seen or heard much about this movie at all except for its basic premise. Wall*E is a machine left to clean up all the garbage on earth after the human race abandons it because it is no longer inhabitable. The movie takes place 700 years after the initial abandonment.
Prejudiced by the fact that a majority of the products coming out of Hollywood and network television recently clearly were made to promote an environmentalist agenda, I immediately decided that the premise of this movie was based on an extremist view. I put up my guard and began filtering what I saw in a defensive manner. I interpreted it with the mindset that there was a negative message about the human race attached to every aspect of the film.
As the movie plot develops Wall*E arrives on a large spaceship called “The Axiom.” It is essentially an ark housing the current generation of people descended from those who left earth centuries earlier.
The life style and habits of those aboard the intergalactic ark are depicted as self indulging, glutenous consumers. They are all over weight, have limited ability or desire to move. They spend their entire existence leaning back on a mobile lounge chair while staring at a computer screen. Robots do everything for them including personal hygiene, getting them dressed, and bringing them food and beverages. The only contact one of these people has with others is through the previously mentioned computer screen.
I immediately saw the depiction of these earthly descendants as a negative commentary on the issue of obesity. I interpreted the people's lack of energy, ambition, and deterioration of their bone structure as a consequence of their obesity. This movie was not only taking general shots at the human race it was targeting over weight people. I thought “Hey, I’m part of both of those groups!”
I felt insulted and betrayed by both Disney and Pixar. The companies whose partnership has produced some of the most original and entertaining animated movies for more than a decade has sold out to the environmentalists and the anti-human movement.
The main characters and action in the movie were both interesting and funny. I enjoyed the visual effects and the overall plot line of the film. But I couldn’t get past the aspects that offended me. I left the theater very disappointed.
After seeing the movie I went to visit with my friend Brent. I told him about the movie and what I thought of it. He showed me a magazine article that included an interview with the films writer/producer/director: Andrew Stanton.
Stanton is a Christian. In the interview he openly discusses what his intentions were in making Wall*E. He stated that he did not intend to infer any kind of environmentalist message when he decided to use the human abandonment of earth as a starting point for the movie. He just needed a reason for the main character, a machine, to be alone on the planet just doing his job.
As far as the depiction of the people and life on the spaceship is concerned Stanton stated that the message he wanted to send was not a negative one about obesity. What he was trying to do was play out the eventual consequences of man’s obsession with leisure. The ability to ultimately have the world at your finger tips, which is portrayed to the extreme in the film, has one drastic drawback: the deterioration of human relationships.
Stanton states that the reason for living is to have relationships with God and with people. The highest degree of this would be a personal relationship of Love with God and his only son, Jesus Christ, but love, friendship and companionship with others is a close second.
As I read about the intention and perspective of the man who created and produced Wall*E I began to understand what the film’s message was supposed to be. As I reviewed the movie in my mind once again I realized that it was communicated loud and clear but I missed it. I was too busy focusing on the wrong messages.
Knowing what I know now about Andrew Stanton and the story he’s trying to tell I need to watch the movie again. This time knowing the true message the filmmaker wants people understand as it's communicated through the actions of a kind, compassionate, faithful machine named Wall*E.
Prejudiced by the fact that a majority of the products coming out of Hollywood and network television recently clearly were made to promote an environmentalist agenda, I immediately decided that the premise of this movie was based on an extremist view. I put up my guard and began filtering what I saw in a defensive manner. I interpreted it with the mindset that there was a negative message about the human race attached to every aspect of the film.
As the movie plot develops Wall*E arrives on a large spaceship called “The Axiom.” It is essentially an ark housing the current generation of people descended from those who left earth centuries earlier.
The life style and habits of those aboard the intergalactic ark are depicted as self indulging, glutenous consumers. They are all over weight, have limited ability or desire to move. They spend their entire existence leaning back on a mobile lounge chair while staring at a computer screen. Robots do everything for them including personal hygiene, getting them dressed, and bringing them food and beverages. The only contact one of these people has with others is through the previously mentioned computer screen.
I immediately saw the depiction of these earthly descendants as a negative commentary on the issue of obesity. I interpreted the people's lack of energy, ambition, and deterioration of their bone structure as a consequence of their obesity. This movie was not only taking general shots at the human race it was targeting over weight people. I thought “Hey, I’m part of both of those groups!”
I felt insulted and betrayed by both Disney and Pixar. The companies whose partnership has produced some of the most original and entertaining animated movies for more than a decade has sold out to the environmentalists and the anti-human movement.
The main characters and action in the movie were both interesting and funny. I enjoyed the visual effects and the overall plot line of the film. But I couldn’t get past the aspects that offended me. I left the theater very disappointed.
After seeing the movie I went to visit with my friend Brent. I told him about the movie and what I thought of it. He showed me a magazine article that included an interview with the films writer/producer/director: Andrew Stanton.
Stanton is a Christian. In the interview he openly discusses what his intentions were in making Wall*E. He stated that he did not intend to infer any kind of environmentalist message when he decided to use the human abandonment of earth as a starting point for the movie. He just needed a reason for the main character, a machine, to be alone on the planet just doing his job.
As far as the depiction of the people and life on the spaceship is concerned Stanton stated that the message he wanted to send was not a negative one about obesity. What he was trying to do was play out the eventual consequences of man’s obsession with leisure. The ability to ultimately have the world at your finger tips, which is portrayed to the extreme in the film, has one drastic drawback: the deterioration of human relationships.
Stanton states that the reason for living is to have relationships with God and with people. The highest degree of this would be a personal relationship of Love with God and his only son, Jesus Christ, but love, friendship and companionship with others is a close second.
As I read about the intention and perspective of the man who created and produced Wall*E I began to understand what the film’s message was supposed to be. As I reviewed the movie in my mind once again I realized that it was communicated loud and clear but I missed it. I was too busy focusing on the wrong messages.
Knowing what I know now about Andrew Stanton and the story he’s trying to tell I need to watch the movie again. This time knowing the true message the filmmaker wants people understand as it's communicated through the actions of a kind, compassionate, faithful machine named Wall*E.
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