The Wild Robot, a Dreamworks Studios movie, was released in theaters on September 27. Adapted from the trilogy of books bearing the same name, the film follows Rozzum Unit 7134, or Roz (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o), who finds herself washed up on an island filled with the local wildlife. She, along with the forest’s local fox, Fink (voiced by Pedro Pascal), end up raising a gosling named Brightbill (voiced by Kit Connor), preparing him for the fall migration and his role as the savior of the forest.
The movie primarily focuses on parenting, but Roz was not built to be a parent. Over time, however, she changes her code, allowing her to experience emotion and learn to care for Brightbill. The movie is an appealing watch for both adults and kids as it shows that no one is prepared for being a parent at first, but they will learn to be one.
The art style elevates key moments in the movie. There are several scenes that emphasize the beauty of nature, such as a scene with butterflies on a tree at the start of the movie, which fills the screen with a mirage of yellow and orange. Lazar Veljkovic (IV) comments on the visuals of the movie: “I thought that the art style was nice, although not seamless. It was very well put together, and the shifts in frame rates at key moments really helps accent the pace of the movie.”
Although the film has many incredible moments, the standout has to be the end of the second act, where Roz and Brightbill part ways. The beautiful visuals and fantastic musical score enhance the scene, increasing in intensity as the scene goes on. The humor is hilarious as well. Concerning the humor in the movie, Mack Losi (IV) says, “I believe that the film does an excellent job of adding dark humor, such as the ‘I have six kids’ joke, without babying or putting down the audience.”
The Wild Robot branches off from the traditional formula of Dreamworks films. Most Dreamworks movies including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train your Dragon all include similar tropes of crude humor and celebrity voice casting. Whether these elements benefit these films is debatable, but what is different about The Wild Robot is that it doesn’t use these patterns. Voice actors like Pedro Pascal (Fink) or Mark Hamill (Thorn) fit right into the film, as they aren’t the standout features.
In this way, The Wild Robot takes more cues from golden age Pixar films rather than Dreamworks films. This is due, in part, to the director, Chris Sanders, three-time Oscar winner and director of Disney classic Lilo & Stitch. In an interview with digital entertainment publication Collier, he shares why he decided to direct the movie: “The idea of working with a robotic character, of course, is really exciting to me, and the story of a robot that becomes a mother — that’s even better. That’s something really fresh and unusual.”
The Wild Robot received a 98 percent approval rate from both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes soon after its release, but it remains too early to see whether it could earn an Oscar. The movie is available on major streaming platforms and is playing in theaters if you prefer to watch in person.
