In 2008, when Disney/Pixar released Wall-E, I had no idea that this film would affect my life in such a great way. It not only gave me hope for the science-fiction genre, but also showed me how much can be said by saying very little. Again, I would have never expected this film to move me emotionally, but since I love Disney so much, I figured I should give this film a try. Wall-E showed me how powerful film can be, and I don’t think I will ever forget the experience.
I must admit that I’m a little bit of a nerd, so shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation and Firefly tend to fill my heart with joy. When a film or television series is done well within the sci-fi genre, it can be a marvel to see. Sadly, most projects tend to fail in this genre, focusing too much on science and less on human emotion. SyFy Channel’s Battlestar Galactica is probably the best example of how sci-fi can transcend genres, dealing with theology, politics and human suffering all while taking place on a spaceship.That being said, when I saw the Wall-E movie posters, I had doubts. I certainly didn’t expect to have a transcendent experience.
This little robot showed me what sacrifice and love truly mean when he exemplified sacrifice in a powerful way towards the end of the film. In this particular scene, Wall-E and E.V.E. are in a trash compactor, and E.V.E. finally accepts Wall-E’s love by taking his hand in hers. Wall-E has desired connection and love throughout the film, yet heartbreakingly, he pushes her hand aside. He realizes that his individual love-life is nothing compared to what he has learened is the “directive” – the possibility for the human race to return to and care for a dying earth. Wall-E was willing to give his life for this “directive,” and this brought tears to my eyes.
This little robot that couldn’t even say a complete sentence understood self-sacrifice better than me. This scene made me think about my own life and how, even with all of the stories I’ve read in the Bible about sacrifice, I wasn’t sure I’d able to do something like that. Wall-E would be a great conversation starter for a church group, and I think this movie would be a nice way for people to talk with their non-Christian friends about what sacrifice and love mean to them. Wall-E eliminates all of the rhetoric that we Christians let get in the way of our testimony to others.
David Griffin is a student at Fuller Theological Seminary and “resident video game and comic book guru” at ThinkHero.com, an online video blog show that focuses on Sci-Fi/Comic Books movies and television shows. ThinkHero.com is a fantastic resource for better understanding video game, comic book, and sci-fi culture. We’re honored to include his reflection on our site.