“WALL * E” trailer soft-pedals the more controversial aspects of this new Pixar film

Jim Hill

17 years ago

Hey, have you heard that there’s a new “WALL * E” trailer up on the Net?

As I understand it, this is the official theatrical trailer. The one that will run in theaters now through June 27, when this new Andrew Stanton film finally reaches the big screen. And as you might imagine, the publicity staff at Walt Disney Pictures has just loaded this 2-minutes-and-30-second ad up with memorable moments from this new Pixar movie …

… Like that sequence from the film where the Axiom’s probe ship flies so close to Saturn that WALL * E can actually reach out and touch its ring.

And let’s not forget about those scenes in this picture that will be sure to melt your heart. Like when this little robot sits alone in his trailer …

… watching an old VHS version of “Hello, Dolly!” Dreaming of the day when he too can discover that “It Only Takes a Moment” to fall in love.

But then comes Eve. And WALL * E is now able to do those things that he’s only dreamed about. Like holding his girlfriend’s hand …

… while they watch a romantic sunset.

Of course, the reason that this sunset is so spectacular is because of all the pollution in the air. I mean, let’s remember that “WALL * E” ‘s basic premise is that man has done such a poor job of taking care of our planet that we’re all eventually forced to abandon our homes …

… leaving behind the Earth itself (which is now basically this brown trashball floating in space) …

… so that we can then live in these huge, sleek spaceships. And wait for the day when our planet was once again clean & pristine, so that we can finally go home.

Okay. I know. That part of “WALL * E” ‘s storyline hasn’t really been played up in any of the ads that have aired up until now. And to be honest, even this trailer soft-pedals that particular aspect of this story. Mostly because Disney’s publicity department isn’t entirely sure how audiences are going to react to the social satire aspects of this new Andrew Stanton film. Especially those moments that twit our far-too-consumeristic modern society.

Of particular concern is what the moviegoers of today will make of the humans of the future. You see, because we have yet to learn from our previous mistakes and have continued to mindlessly consume … As depicted in “WALL * E,” mankind has become so grossly overweight and slothful that we’ve basically lost our ability to walk. Which is why we now travel about in … Well, they’re sort of like flying barcoloungers.

From what folks in publicity have told me, Disney’s PR department is very concerned that this rather bleak prediction of humanity’s future might turn off would-be “WALL * E”” watchers. Which is why they’ve kept the clips from that portion of the picture down to a bare minimum in this trailer. And even then, they only showed the fat humans and all of their floating chairs in a shot that was taken from high above the Axiom’s shopping mall area. So that it’s hard to make out what you’re looking at here.

As for the ship’s captain (Voiced by “Curb Your Enthusiasm” vet Jeff Garlin) … He’s in this trailer for less than a second. Again Disney Publicity deliberately showed this character from above because … Well, that angle makes the Captain look less fat than he actually is in the finished film.

Now don’t fault the folks in publicity at Walt Disney Pictures for putting together the sort of the campaign that they have for “WALL * E.” After all, their main goal here is to put asses in seats. To make sure that they get as many people as possible to head out to the multiplex on June 27th to see Pixar’s latest production.

Besides, setting “WALL * E” ‘s social satire aspect aside for a moment, there are lots of other reasons to admire this new Andrew Stanton film. Like its solid story construction …

You see, Stanton’s one of these guys who genuinely believes in the “Chekhov’s Gun” school of story construction. Meaning that if you introduce a gun in the first part of your story, that gun must then be fired before you reach the end of your tale.

So if you substitute “fire extinguisher” for “gun” in the above axiom … Well, you now have a clue as to how Eve & WALL * E get out of a particularly tight spot in this new Pixar film.

So don’t let the fact that “WALL * E” mixes sci-fi, sentiment and social satire prevent you from seeing this new Andrew Stanton film. Remember that seeing a movie that moves you as well as makes you think, is a good thing. Especially during summer blockbuster season.

Though — that said — you may want to hold off on buying that $7.00 tub of popcorn & that $5.00 soda on your way into the theater to see “WALL * E.”

Why For? Well … Trust me, folks. You may have trouble finishing up all of your refreshments once you see the humans of the future.

Your thoughts?