The Wild Robot (2024)
SHOULD I SEE IT?
YES
Hands down, probably the best animated film released thus far in 2024. Certainly one of the best films of the year.
Beautifully made and told, The Wild Robot brings a beloved children’s novel to life in an unforgettable film.
Those who love Peter Brown’s book are going to find this a fantastic cinematic adaptation.
NO
One criticism I have seen regarding the film is a complaint that the film is largely predictable and lacks energy. I could not disagree more.
Though the film is largely fine for the youngest among us, there is a theme of death and loss which could bring forth conversations you may or may not be prepared to have.
You simply cannot allow yourself to like anything a majority of people like, no matter how good the film happens to be. Cool. Also, go touch some grass.
OUR REVIEW
The best movies find a way to connect to our emotions and leave a lasting impression that can be very hard to forget. Perhaps there is a line of dialogue we carry with us once the movie is over. Sometimes it can be the power of one visual image. In other stories, we may relate to characters who share something that lets us relate to a similar or shared experience. When a movie pushes beyond simply being a movie and creates a transformative viewing experience, that’s when you know you have found something truly special.
The Wild Robot is truly special. Writer/director Chris Sanders gives you permission and a safe space to feel pretty much everything his characters are feeling. From elation to sadness and despair and uncertainty to pride and a heartfelt love for those we trust, this is a film that reminds us that no matter what we feel or are going through at any given moment, kindness is the richest gift we can offer someone.
Sanders strikes a powerful balance here with his storytelling, creating moments which feel quiet and personal, only to later dazzle in epic adventure and thrilling action scenes. When we first meet our proverbial “Wild Robot,” Roz (short for ROZZUM unit 734) has crash landed somewhere in a forest on an uninhabited island. Sentient, with a soft and gentle demeanor, the robot strikes an obvious and immediate sense of fear in many of the woodland creatures who roam around the forest where she suddenly finds herself.
Voiced by Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o, Roz soon realizes she exists in something of an eat-or-be-eaten environment. Survival is crucial for the island’s animals and Roz is programmed to take care of the person who has “purchased her.” If we believe sentient AI can have feelings, then Roz’s love language is clearly “acts of service.” Here, without a suitor, she rolls around and tries to find a “task” to complete until becoming increasingly frustrated with a young gosling chick who imprints upon her following an unfortunate accident.
By the time Roz and the chick begin to establish a wonderful connection, the film already had me. You cannot help but be impressed with the film’s paintbrush-like look and feel, some scenes looking as if they were painted by hand. Other scenes embody a particular warmth and innocence. The animation is distinctive. Colors pop. Backgrounds are vibrant and the island is full of fascinating details. Presenting a different animation style than what is found in Brown’s book, the artistry exhibited by Sanders’ animation team is stunning. Watching The Wild Robot, one can easily remember what it feels like to discover the vast wonders within a Hayao Miyazaki film. Or recall how they felt learning that just the right number of balloons can make a house fly. Maybe it is the discovery that toys can secretly come to life when their owners are not in the room, or how it felt cheering for a lion cub who simply cannot wait to be a king.
Perhaps an even better example to The Wild Robot is that unforgettable moment when a dragon with a prosthetic wing, known as Toothless, takes flight with a young boy riding on its back - the duo soaring to heights never thought possible. That movie, How To Train Your Dragon, was written and directed by Chris Sanders.
And like that film and the others referenced, The Wild Robot again makes the impossible feel possible.
As Roz becomes acclimated to her new surroundings, we see a wily fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal) circle around Roz and eventually become an aggravating but loyal companion. Together, they bond over the reality that this young gosling needs a mother. Raising the young bird will become Roz’s “task,” and she soon realizes this is nothing that can be accomplished quickly. Delightfully, we see the gosling grow from an undersized runt of the litter into a mature goose named Brightbill (voiced by Kit Connor).
Nyong’o voices Roz perfectly, blending a robotic, metallic timbre with an increasingly self-referential voice of reason. There is an inquisitiveness, balanced with hints of uncertainty and a splash of persistence that wonderfully captures a mother’s vulnerability.
Elsewhere, Catherine O’Hara (“Schitt’s Creek”) is charming as Pinktail, an opossum mother constantly chasing after six or seven of her babies every time we see her. Additional voiceover work from Matt Berry (“What We Do in the Shadows”), Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All At Once), and Bill Nighy (Living) rounds out a cast of terrific supporting performances.
Make no mistake, the film’s craftsmanship sets The Wild Robot apart from so many of its peers. In addition to its stunning look and presentation, a towering score from Oscar winning filmmaker and composer Kris Bowers could find itself in many awards season discussions at the end of the year. In addition, the film’s nearly flawless sound design only ushers us deeper and deeper into Roz’s world of discovery.
Sanders is also incredibly adept at knowing when to accelerate or decelerate the pace of his storytelling. Every movement made by Roz is interesting and curious. Her evolving emotions become relatable. As Brightbill ages before our eyes, Roz isn’t really a cold, detached task-driven robot any longer. She’s a mother, realizing that she is wholly responsible for helping a child she has raised find the strength to fly on his own.
I love this film. I love its ambition and the sense of wonder it creates for viewers. Much like the films referenced above, and others like The Iron Giant and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse for example, The Wild Robot is a film I suspect we will be revisiting and talking about for a long, long time to come.
CAST & CREW
Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Catherine O’Hara, Stephanie Hsu, Matt Berry, Ving Rhames, Mark Hamill
Director: Chris Sanders
Written by: Chris Sanders
Based on the book “The Wild Robot” by Peter Brown
Release Date: September 27, 2024
Universal Pictures