WALL•E Criterion UHD Review

WALL•E (or Wall-E) is a warm, endearing, delighting story about purpose and the incomparable, irrational power of love. Arriving in 2008, released between Ratatouille and Up, an unparalleled period of quality for Pixar animation, WALL•E is something very special indeed. Previously release by Disney on 4K, it’s been released again on Ultra High-Definition disc as a Criterion edition, an historic first, this set is packed with special features old and new, looking the very best I believe it possible can for our home theaters, and one hopes simply the first Pixar film to get the Criterion treatment. In short, this release is on point!

The Production: 5/5

“Too much garbage in your place? There is plenty of space out in space! BnL StarLiners leaving each day. We’ll clean up the mess while you’re away”

In a dystopian future, WALL•E is the last robot on an earth that has long since been abandoned by humanity (we trashed the planet and escaped in spaceships). He has been performing his programmed task for hundreds of years, compacting trash and stacking them into enormous towers that through the years have become skyscraper sized monuments of waste. After all this time completely alone, he has begun to develop sentient-like quirks. Despite the endlessness of his routine, he has become a curious collector of trinkets and spare parts and, in a wonderful turn, become a fan of the timeless musical Hello Dolly. When a ship arrives, he is startled, scared and in keeping with his childlike traits, curious as well. And when another robot (Eve) emerges and begins to search for signs of life on the seemingly desolate planet – WALL•E is giddily enamored. These two mechanical beings eventually strike up a friendship, but when Eve discovers signs of life (her mission on Earth) and shuts down, WALL•E is distraught. Soon, the ship that dropped Eve off comes back for her and WALL•E decides to follow, beginning a superb interstellar adventure.

From the mind and heart of Finding Nemo’s creator, Andrew Stanton, WALL•E is a mesmerizing delight. For almost the entire first half of the film, it is like a silent movie, or, as Stanton says in one of the special features, a foreign film without subtitles. It relies purely on visual and non-verbal audio cues to tell us who WALL•E is. Inspired by the skills of silent era stars Buster Keaton and the great Charlie Chaplin (and a little Harold Lloyd), WALL•E completely wraps you up in the life of the unassuming trash-compacting robot and his very human fallibilities. As the film unfolds, it begins to transcend even the wonders of animation to become art, a luminous wealth of brilliance in environments, direction, and atmosphere, worthy of our amazement and appreciation.

The vast and baron earth is depicted with somewhat bleak, apocalyptic, warm, and desaturated tones so much that it becomes beautiful. The characters we meet on this forgotten earth, WALL•E, Eve, and a little cockroach that struck up a playful friendship with WALL•E, are endearing. Even with the limited ability to express themselves (since they are without faces), they convey a complex array of emotions-humor, sadness, tenderness-with exceptional ease. When Eve is collected and WALL•E hitches a ride to the luxurious Star Liner, the adventure grows exponentially. Aboard the ship we find last of humanity has become an oblivious species of indulgence and laziness, focused on the screens in front of their faces and barely looking up to grab the next bit of liquid food that has even eliminated the need to chew. The addiction to screens seems downright prescient. The love story, promised from WALL•E’s enamored response to Eve’s arrival on earth, and teased so richly before Eve shuts down, is given space on the plot and action to be expressed, giving us a beautiful dance in the quiet and calm of space outside the Star Liner.

Nominated for a deserved six Academy Awards, WALL•E was one of 2008’s most illuminating and life-affirming releases. Pixar, long holding the mantle of one of, if not the pinnacle of modern animation, had created something astonishing with WALL•E. The film is replete with beautiful and sophisticated animation, phenomenal storytelling, and a knack for identifying the very best voice talent for the characters. WALL•E and other characters, though without ‘voices’, have their vocals designed by the legendary Ben Burtt, a master in sound design. Eve is voiced by Elissa Knight, providing more emotive sounds than words. The human characters are voiced by some recognizable talent, such as Jeff Garlin as the ship’s Captain and in the role of the ships computer, Sigourney Weaver – a delicious idea for those of us who know how much grief she got from ‘Mother’, the ship’s computer in the film Alien. The film also has live action presence, a first for Pixar, notably Fred Willard as Shelby Forthright, the ‘BnL’ CEO. All round, the accomplishments in WALL•E cannot be overstated.

Technically speaking, WALL•E also remains one the best animated film (just look at the focus pull work between WALL•E and Eve in WALL•E’s ‘home,’). A mastery of efficient storytelling and detailed environments and endearing characters, the film’s score by composer Thomas Newman, adds that final element of excellence. Absent the melancholy of Newman’s Finding Nemo soundtrack, he provides a textured score filled with plucking stings of curiosity, innovative beats and raspy wind instruments that balance the more futuristic techno elements. Throw in songs that take us back to the first half of the 20^th century and you have a winner in every way.

The majesty of animation, the delight of the storytelling art, and out of this world artistry all come together with extraordinary results in this delightful, funny, and heartwarming sensation. With comments on consumption, waste, commercialism, capitalism, and carelessness, WALL•E mixes some serious ideas with great humor, warmth, and genuinely amazing animation. A pure delight and a triumph for all.

Video: 5/5

3D Rating: NA

WALL•E is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.39:1. Outstanding quality. The hazy world that we first enter is rich with intricate specificity in the image. The natural look and feel, incredibly real, is sublime. As is discussed in the special features, the depth of field and use of out of focus elements in the mise-en-scene create a beautiful look as if it were filmed on location, this coupled with the way the camera moves at times, trying to catch up with the onscreen action, creates a perfect sense of realism and its imperfections. The artistry is allowed to shine on this exceptional release.

Now, in 4K courtesy of Criterion, with Dolby Vision HDR grading (as well as HDR10+), the film’s visual strengths are accentuated. Here’s what Criterion has to say in the accompanying booklet:

“This 4K master was created from the digital original files, with unique HDR (high dynamic range) and SDR (standard dynamic range) color grades to take fill advantage of the film’s groundbreaking practical digital lighting and anamorphic-lens technology, which were developed in collaboration with cinematographer Roger Deakins. Grading with supervised by lighting director of photography Danielle Feinberg and approved by director Andrew Stanton.”

The Dolby Vision tightens the contrast and makes hotter and brighter the fire’s we see burning after Eve destroys one of the rusted large ships (which causes a cascade effect). The orange and yellow colors seem to be pushed to the edge, by design, and standout after spending so much time on the hazy, muted color of the earth. The contrast on the ship carrying the last of humanity is also up a notch, with the colors richer, brighter, and the balance of whites and blues and blacks striking. We may be used to animation technology that’s come some way since this film was originally released (the animation in Soul is remarkable), WALL•E still holds its own.

Audio: 5/5

WALL•E comes with a “Dolby Atmos soundtrack…remastered from the original theatrical audio stems.” It’s a vibrant audio that does well enough with the obvious moments (the landing/take-off of the ship that brings Eve to earth), but delights and surprises with how it handles Thomas Newman’s score. It’s an active and lively audio that handles well the multitude of sounds designed by Ben Burtt as they zip, wiz, wallow, sparkle, pounce and punctuated in such a dynamic way throughout the entire experience.

Directional effects and surround action creates a fine audio ambience that has you a part of the baron earth and inside the fully automated Axiom space cruise ship.

One more shout-out to Thomas Newman’s score which is, to my ears, the main beneficiary of the Atmos audio upgrade, with his spirited, jaunty compositions expressed in the overheads delightfully.

Special Features: 5/5

Jam-packed release with almost all the special features released with the DVD/Blu-ray when the film made its home video debut. Missing seems to be the Presto animated theatrical short that played in front of the film in theaters, BnL commercials, and the WALL•E’s Tour of the Universe sneak peek.

Criterions has also produced a handful of new special features, mostly with Director and Screenwriter Andrew Stanton, that explore the birth and creation of the film.

UHD disc:

• Audio Commentary with director Andrew Stanton – Good commentary from top-notch animation director Andrew Stanton. Revealing of source inspiration, effort and challenges, the director comfortable shares some good information.
• Audio Commentary 2 (TBD)

Blu-ray disc 1:

• Audio Commentary with director Andrew Stanton – Good commentary from top-notch animation director Andrew Stanton. Revealing of source inspiration, effort and challenges, the director comfortable shares some good information.
• Audio Commentary with Bill Wise, Lindsey Collins, Derek Thompson, and Angus McLane: Character supervisor, Bill Wise, Co-producer Lindsey Collins, story artist Derek Thompson, and directing animator Angus McLane share stories and insight in this 2008-recorded commentary track.
• NEW! Where It Began: The Origins of WALL•E (23:34): Director Andrew Stanton discusses the origins of the WALL•E through his early experiences with cinema (art-house and mainstream, big and small), and his journey learning filmmaking at Pixar and writing. He shares films and scenes that made a mark on him and became influences.
• NEW! Anatomy of a Scene: The Plant (16:35): Director Stanton deconstructs a sequence from the film and the reason, purpose, and importance of the elements that make up the scenes.
• A Visit to the Pixar Living Archive (27:17): Stanton traces the evolution of WALL•E through early drawings and more from the creation of the film.
• The Pixar Story (1:28:30): Leslie Iwerks. Incredible 2007 look at the history and artistry of animation and the Pixar company that has come to define excellence in the medium. Archives and interviews from a host of executives and creatives. An exception special feature.
• Trailers: 4 trailers, including the Superbowl Trailer

Blu-ray disc 2:

PROCESS

• NEW! RALPH•E: The Art of the Color Script (11:23): Production designer Ralph Eggleston (who passed away this year) and writer-director Andrew Stanton discuss Eggleston’s color scripts, showcases his contributions to the production.
• NEW! Directing Animation: 12 Scenes (18:50): A look behind the scenes at some of the discussions that went into various elements of the production.
• The Imperfect Lens – Creating the look of WALL•E – (14:32)
• Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from The Sound Up – (18:43) – Legendary sound designer Ben Burtt shares the secrets of creating the many sounds in WALL•E. This film exists at the mercy of the sound design and the breadth of sounds needed, the diversity required and uniqueness important in telling the story required exceptional talent. Ben Burtt delivers. Looking back at how sounds were created for some of Disney’s early creations is fascinating.
• Trash Planet (4:23): A look at the creation and realization of earth as a trash-filled planet.
• WALL•E’s Truck Tour (3:42): A look at the truck WALL•E calls home.
• WALL•E and EVE (7:00): Bringing the film’s two central character to live through design and realistic aesthetic creation.
• Captain’s Log – The Evolution of Humans (7:57): The evolving state of the captain character before the film was realized.
• Go Live (3:23): A look at filming real people, the first time a Pixar film had used live action elements, for the film.
• Notes on a Score (10:42): A look at the score composed by Thomas Newman, featuring footage from the recording sessions.
• Life of a Shot: Deconstructing the Pixar Process (5:08):
• ROBO-EVERYTHING – (5:46)
• Deleted Scenes – (23) – Deleted scenes with optional introductions by Director Andrew Stanton. The scenes here are “Secret Files” (from an earlier version of the film), “Docking” (again from an earlier version with different designs for humans – here they are more like living pillows that grunt and groan), ‘Garbage Airlock’ (where WALL•E and EVE’s roles are revered) and ‘Dumped’.
• Geek-O-Rama (4:48): A look at the lovable geeks that helped make the movie.

PROPHECIES

• NEW! WALL•E A to Z (almost) (12:49): Andrew Stanton and story supervisor/co-scriptwriter Jim Reardon talk how WALL•E told a little of the future that we’d see realized, or come closer to reality, since the movies release.
• BNL: A series of public service announcements created in 2008 for the central corporation in the film, Buy n Large.
  • The History of Buy N Large
  • Operation Cleanup
  • All Aboard the Axiom
  • Captaining the Axiom
  • Meet the BNL Bots

ROBOTS

• Meet the Bots (8:47): Explore the many robot characters from the film (28 of them), with these character files. Cute, but I couldn’t figure out how to get back to the Robots menu from this extra.
• WALL•E’s Treasures & Trinkets – (4:54) – Fun character playground where our robot favorites enjoy playing around and having fun.
• “Lots of Bots” Story book. – Available with read-along and play-along mode.

SHORT FILMS

• A Story (6:47): Andrew Stanton’s 1987 short film is an “irreverent commentary on Saturday-morning cartoons). Features a new introduction from Stanton.
• BURNE – (7:35) – A scene from the WALL•E seen from the perspective of a repair droid in this fun short. We see him suffer mishaps and frustrations, oblivious to the plot going on around him. Very funny.

Booklet containing a new essay by Sam Wasson, art, storyboards, and more.

Overall: 5/5

WALL•E is a warm, endearing, delighting story about purpose and the incomparable, irrational power of love. Arriving in 2008, released between Ratatouille and Up, an unparalleled period of quality for Pixar animation, WALL•E is something very special indeed. Previously release by Disney on 4K, it’s been released again on Ultra High-Definition disc as a Criterion edition, an historic first, this set is packed with special features old and new, looking the very best I believe it possible can for our home theaters, and one hopes simply the first Pixar film to get the Criterion treatment. In short, this release is on point!

Highly Recommended!

WALL•E (The Criterion Collection) [4K UHD]

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Neil Middlemiss

Neil has been a member of the Home Theater Forum reviewing staff since 2007, approaching a thousand reviews and interviews with actors, directors, writers, stunt performers, producers and more in that time. A senior communications manager and podcast host with a Fortune 500 company by day, Neil lives in the Charlotte, NC area with his wife and son, serves on the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte Board of Directors, and has a passion for film scores, with a collection in the thousands.