Celebrating (or embalming) an obsolete technology, WALL-E is the 2001 of 2008–a post-photographic film set in a post-human universe. The movie's single human actor is the designated special effect. A clip of cheerful prancing on a long-lost Hollywood soundstage signifies the Desert of the Real, as glimpsed from within the Matrix of Total Cinema.
— J. Hoberman: Film After Film (Or, What Became of 21st Century Cinema?) (2012)
In the distant future, Earth has become a desolate wasteland, abandoned by humanity and overrun by mountains of trash. Amidst the rubble, a small, lovable robot named WALL-E spends his days tirelessly cleaning up the mess. But when a sleek, high-tech robot named EVE arrives on a mission to search for signs of life, WALL-E is immediately smitten. Together, they embark on a journey across the cosmos.