When I started to write my thoughts about the new animated film The Wild Robot, what first came to mind is the sonnet “How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways” (Elizabeth Barrett Browning) because there are so many things to love about this cinematic delight. Based on the children’s book series by Peter Brown, the film is directed by writer/director Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon, The Croods), all of which have been popular over the years and some of my favorites. I had anxiously waited to view the film after seeing the trailer for several months and this film’s story and the animation is a wonderful, heartfelt experience that exceeded my expectations. It is truly one of those films that an individual or generations of family members will enjoy – not once – but over and over.
I advise adults not to pass up going to view the film on the largest screen possible, because it is so much more than an “animated film” with each frame. The brilliant colors are stunning in each frame and capture the attention of both children and adults. One scene from the trailer is when the butterflies all fly off the wall and this makes the viewer feel as if they are fully immersed in their flight. This art is consistently done throughout the film. I felt as if I was in nature as the scenes emerged on the screen.
A robot named ROZZUM 7314 (or “Roz”) is voiced by Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave, Black Panther) crash lands on an uninhabited island. She has no one to guide her around her surroundings. As she sets out to explore her surroundings, she does what she is programmed to do – start and finish an assigned task. She is ready to offer her services, but unfortunately, the animal creatures have no idea who or what she is – and they readily categorize her as a monster. The scenes are quite humorous as each of the animal species is not ready to accept her or her offers. To say more about any of the dialogue would really impact the humor and the enjoyment of the film.
Some of the animals that Roz meets up at first, include a fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal), an opossum named Pinktail (Catherine O’Hara), a grizzly bear named Thorn (Mark Hamill), and a beaver named Paddler (Matt Berry). Of course she does not understand their dialogue, but she finds the resources within her to communicate effectively to be of use. It is through them that Roz begins to learn about nature with all the beauty and the perils that also exist.
Of the perils on the island that Roz learns from on her own is how an accidental fall can cause a family of birds to perish and how one egg survives. Roz names the newborn gosling Brightbill (Kit Connor), and all the bird has known as a maternal figure is the robot. No creature tells him otherwise; thus, his life is different from the others who grow up within their own species. It is amazing to watch the film about a high -tech robot assistant among creatures in the wild and yet know from the dialogue that this is about parents and children/teens. There are many relatable scenes to real life and that makes our heart feel good in the end.
Additional Cast: Bill Nighy as Longneck (voice), Stephanie Hsu as Vontra (voice), Mark Hamill as Thorn (voice), Ving Rhames as (voice), Matt Berry as (voice), among others. All the voice actors turn in a stellar performance and the music by Kris Bowers (Green Book, The Color Purple) supports the story very well.
This review is from the Texas premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin this month. It opens in theaters on September 27th.
101 minutes ‧ PG ‧ 2024
Source: Universal Pictures
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