Outrage: Does Disney endorses cannibalism …

… of robots?

In the latest Disney/Pixar movie, “WallE,” the eponymous main character is seen replacing its body parts for others. When the robot’s treads grow worn, he plucks a new pair off his dead brother laying on the side of the road. The same thing when he breaks his eye or a circuit board.

What sort of sick, twisted message is Disney trying to advance here? Can you imagine kids on the playground breaking their arm and trying to grab a new one off their schoolmate?

Actually, I can’t.

I think it’s a great credit to the Pixar team that they were able to create such an identifiable — dare I say cute? — characters such as WallE and EVE and yet maintain their non-humanity as robots. EVE has a giant gun as an arm, for heaven’s sake.

Despite my mock outrage, I thoroughly enjoyed “WallE” and place it among the top of Pixar’s excellent heap of quality animated films.

Unlike recent Pixar films, such as “Ratatouille” and “Cars,” there was no huge identifiable villain. For various reasons, some robots were set against each other. However, they’re not “evil” — they’re just following the programming set by the human designers.

The two protagno-bots were different in that they were able to somehow exceed their programming. In same ways this transformation was inevitable for a movie (because it would be lame if they didn’t break out of their metallic shells).

Of course, when these metallic antagonists are sidelined, there’s some satisfaction but there’s no great joy. The triumph of “WallE” lies not in defeating tangible enemies, but winning something greater — freedom, love and a chance at a new life.

That’s no huge spoiler for the film. As with any great movie, the enjoyment is in the journey and how the story is told. “WallE” continues Pixar’s grand tradition of using animation to tell very enjoyable, out-of-this-world stories.