Plot: Based on the novels by Peter Brown, The Wild Robot tells the story of ROZZUM Unit 7134, or Roz for short, a highly advanced, multipurpose automaton that washes ashore on a remote island teeming with wildlife. Programmed to assist in any task within her ability, Roz searches for a directive amidst the lush forest, tributaries, and craggy mountainsides. While exploring, Roz accidentally crushes a nest of gosling eggs, with only the runt of the gaggle surviving the unintentional destruction. Unsure of what to do, Roz assumes a motherly role and acts as the gosling’s caregiver until he can eat, swim, and fly alone. Considered outcasts on the island, Roz and the gosling struggle to win the approval of the local wildlife but eventually become something much greater than anyone expected.
Review: I feel attacked. Allow me to explain. When I woke up this morning, pried myself away from playing Astro Bot, and drove to the Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto for the world premiere of Dreamworks Animation‘s The Wild Robot, I was unprepared for Chris Sanders’ latest to hit me as hard as it did. What is essentially the last film to be animated entirely in-house by the studio that brought us Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, and more, The Wild Robot is nothing short of phenomenal.
The first thing that impressed me about this movie was its dynamic sound design. While Roy Thompson Hall’s sound system is among the best I’ve ever heard, the mix here is incredible. Most of The Wild Robot takes place in a densely populated forest, with weather and wildlife creating a geophony of thunderstorms, animal calls, and natural splendor shifting with each new season. The music by Kris Bowers is a brilliant accompaniment, saturating the audience in symphonic soundscapes oscillating between rollicking, wondrous, and melancholy. As your attorney, I advise you to watch this movie with a killer sound system, if possible.
Next comes the film’s visual design, which employs a look similar to 2022’s criminally underrated animated heist film, The Bad Guys. We live in a post-Into the Spider-Verse world, and animation is better for it. The Wild Robot combines Monet-like smears with Miyazakian character design, resulting in a style that looks infinitely better in motion than any promotional screenshot could hope to convey. The film’s color palette is boundless, with the natural beauty of Roz’s surroundings feeling alive, serene, and untouched by human hands.
Parents, prepare to explain Darwinism to your kids because The Wild Robot gives no quarter to depicting survival of the fittest but couches the instruction in humor and hilariously timed sight gags. Speaking of humor, I straight-up missed sections of dialogue because the Roy Thompson Hall audience, especially the adults in the crowd, was howling with laughter every few minutes. At its heart, The Wild Robot is a meditation on motherhood and the lengths we’re willing to go for the ones we love.
What surprises me the most about The Wild Robot is the film’s ability to reach into my sentimental soul and choke it until tears stream from my eyes. I’m not afraid to admit this movie is, at times, a tear-jerker, and I welled up about five times during the screening and cried twice, but who’s counting? I wasn’t the only one. All around me, I could hear people sniffling, gulping air, and shifting in their seats.
At the core of the film’s emotional output is the brilliant cast, including Lupita Nyong’o as Roz, Pedro Pascal as the conniving fox, Fink, and Kit Connor as Roz’s surrogate gosling son, Brightbill. The trio makes up the film’s beating heart. Catherine O’Hara, Bill Nighy, Matt Berry, Mark Hamill, and Ving Rhames deliver hilarious and heartfelt performances as various animals from the forest. Finally, there’s Stephanie Hsu as Vontra, an unfeeling robot sent to retrieve Roz and siphon the unique and invaluable knowledge stored inside her core memory. Think GLaDOS from Valve’s Portal video game series, but with less pithy humor and definitely lying about there being cake at the end of the experiment.
Undoubtedly, The Wild Robot is my favorite Dreamworks movie in the studio’s long history. In my estimation, it’s Dreamworks’ most mature movie. Beyond the life lessons, laughs, and heart-stopping heroism is a carefully crafted tale about breaking the bonds of isolation, trying to fit in where others feel you don’t belong, and going about life your way and no one else’s. Roz’s winning the island over through her selfless acts will surely be a topic of conversation come awards season. I’m genuinely so excited for more people to see this film. The first act will leave you in stitches, the second will hug your heart, and the third will blow you away with action, inspirational acts of sacrifice, and closure.
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