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The Wild Robot Review
Image Credit: DreamWorks
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Directed By: Chris Sanders
Written By: Chris Sanders; Based on The Wild Robot novel by Peter Brown
Runtime: 102 minutes
MPA Rating: Rated PG for action/peril and thematic elements.
Lupita Nyong’o – Roz
Pedro Pascal – Fink
Kit Connor – Brightbill
Matt Berry – Paddler
Bill Nighy – Longneck
Stephanie Hsu – Vontra
Mark Hamill – Thorn
Ving Rhames – Thunderbolt
Catherine O’Hara – Pinktail
Alexandra Novelle – Snowdown
Director Chris Sanders crafts a wonderful, emotional tale with the new DreamWorks Animation release The Wild Robot. Based on the novel of the same name by Peter Brown, Sanders brings the world of Brown’s novel to life, creating a vibrant world filled with charming characters and a heartfelt story that nails its interpersonal relationships. Sanders directs from a script he also wrote, presenting a story with gradually escalating stakes, strong narrative surprises, and a riveting finale.
The Wild Robot follows the Universal Dynamics helper robot Rozzum (Nyong’o), or Roz for short. Roz is a helper droid built for human service, but she’s been stranded on a remote island inhabited only by native wildlife. Isolated and on her own, Roz has no humans to assign her a task. While she manages to master robot-to-animal communication, none of the native critters have any interest in her and find Roz monstrous. Roz soon finds renewed purpose after inadvertently destroying a goose nest, leaving only one unhatched egg intact. The gosling soon hatches, and with its mother gone, the responsibility now falls on Roz to care for Brightbill (Conor). Roz forms a truce and unlikely friendship with the island’s mischievous fox, Fink (Pascal), who offers his guidance in the way of the wild flora and fauna in exchange for help building a new dwelling and foraging for vittles.
With fall fast approaching, Brightbill must learn how to fly soon to join the other geese for their annual migration. Roz becomes Brightbill’s foster parent, forming a unique bond with the gosling. Roz’s time on the island expands her knowledge base as she rewrites her code to grow beyond her base programming from her creators. In short, she truly becomes a “wild” robot.
At first, the penchant for animated talking animals appears to be a detriment to the film’s story. The Wild Robot follows a typical cliche that many animated family films often do, assigning a modern contemporary voice to wild animals. Yes, the critters do speak and interact as humans do, using modern slang and colloquialisms. However, that is the only drawback to how the film depicts its talking animals. Sanders and the DWA animators imbue the animals with such charm, pizzazz, and likability that they quickly grow beyond the overused animated narrative trope. The fact that Roz learns how to communicate with the animals, reflected by the animals conversing like humans, works more as a strength to the plot than a detriment. The reason it works so well is because the plot focuses on not merely how Roz bonds but also how she bonds with the rest of the animals on the island. It becomes one of the film’s most rewarding arcs, especially with how many of the animals initially fear and reject her. Not to mention, the film features a talented cast of thespians who perform splendidly as their animated counterparts.
The other major strength of Sanders’ plot is the way the stakes gradually escalate with the changing of the seasons. In the first half, the movie appears to undergo an emotional low point quite early, and it appears the plot reaches a natural endpoint earlier than expected. However, the narrative progression soon unlocks a more ambitious third act, where Roz’s creators discover her whereabouts and seek to regain their lost property. Sanders showcases his strengths as a storyteller, proving his chops for handling characters on a genuine emotional level punctuated by riveting action-packed setpieces.
The animation looks incredibly vibrant. The DWA animators truly bring the world and the island of The Wild Robot to life. The island where Roz and the critters live features an illustrated, rustic quality that makes the island look beautiful, wild, and untamed. The animators also provide some fascinating bits of visual storytelling when hints of the world outside the island are shown. The world of The Wild Robot has gone through catastrophes and calamities. However, it also appears to be a world in recovery mode. The bleak times have passed, and nature appears to have retaken the world. Humans still exist, but they’ve also made various adjustments to their civilization. These elements are provided through subtle visual cues and stunning animated imagery rather than overbearing exposition.
Throughout the experience, The Wild Robot maintains the mother-and-child-like bond between Roz and Brightbill. Despite the film following many traditional narrative beats, The Wild Robot highlights its characters with great warmth and care. Sanders crafts a wonderful, rousing, animated adventure that is among the year’s finest films.
