The Wild Robot (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island’s animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose.

My Take – While they have had some exceptional works to their name, the past two decades has always seen Dreamworks as a studio behind Disney, Pixar, and Studio Ghibli in the animated feature race. However, for their last in-house production, as they plan to outsource for their future projects, they have truly hit it out of the park, in what may be arguably the best animated film of the year.

Helmed by Chris Sanders, the writer-director of How to Train Your Dragon (2010), The Croods (2013) and Lilo & Stitch (2002), this adaptation of Peter Brown’s winning middle grade novel is an absolute triumph that effortlessly blends lighthearted moments with deeper emotional themes, making it an instant classic for the ages. Delivering the type of all-ages-welcome animated entertainment that will delight kids and leave a lump in adult’s throat.

Sure, narratively it undoubtedly takes few risks and many key happenings will be overtly predictable for any seasoned viewer but with its breathtaking animation, nuanced storytelling, and powerful emotional core. The film manages to transcend the typical animated fare, offering a poignant and unforgettable story that acts as a fitting swansong to a wondrous period of DreamWorks products.

Set in the future, the story follows ROZZUM unit 7134 aka Roz (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o), a technologically advanced android programmed to serve and complete tasks, who finds herself in a predicament when her carrier crashes and she finds herself stranded on an uninhabited yet lush, vibrant island, devoid of human masters to guide her. While a censor on her head could activate and signal her location to her human creators, Roz’s inherent curiosity and the wonders of her surroundings compel her to explore.

Only teeming with a diverse array of animals, in order to settle into her temporary forest home, she decides to learn the various languages and customs of the surrounding. But even after mastering the local languages, acceptance remains elusive. As the animals recoil, branding her a monster, but under certain circumstances she ends up finding an ally in Fink (voiced by Pedro Pascal) a cunning fox.

Especially, when she becomes the unlikely caretaker of a gosling, Brightbill (voiced by Kit Connor). Brightbill, orphaned and alone, imprints on Roz, causing her to navigate the complexities and challenges of what is essentially motherhood, teaching him essential survival skills like eating, swimming, and flying in preparation for the upcoming migration.

No doubt, at first glance, the film might evoke comparisons to animated classics like WALL-E (2008) and The Iron Giant (1999), where both tales follow an unlikely mechanical protagonist finding their place in the world. But Sander‘s screenplay quickly defies expectations, confidently sidestepping the pitfalls of derivative storytelling and offers a wholly original narrative and animated experience.

Utilizing the entirety of its quick-fire 102 minute running time, the film has very few lulls or downtime as Roz’s journey of discovery with new friends, as well as what it means to truly care and love outside of her designed confines takes us on a familiar theatrical ride but one that’s done with enough uniqueness and sense of its own identity that there’s never a worry that it is merely ticking boxes along its way to crafting a memorable outing that will have you cheering, laughing and more than likely crying throughout its course. Along with its core message of belonging, what makes this film a true winner is its celebration of adoption and found families.

The push-and-pull of being a parent is there, as is the celebration of friendship. And there is death, an honest reminder of the struggle to stay alive. It really helps that the musical score is simply fantastic, truly inspired work by composer Kris Bowers, who proudly shows off his talent in the big parts of the film. Visually, the film is absolutely stunning.

The animation eschews glossy photo realism for a more stylized approach that harkens back to the whimsical illustrations of classics and the fantastical realms of Hayao Miyazaki, adding a layer of charm and nostalgia to the experience.

Voice performance wise, Lupita Nyong’o is wonderful as Roz and is throughout inspired and dedicated. Pedro Pascal and Kit Connor who inject a lot of charisma into their characters. In other roles, Catherine O’Hara, Bill Nighy, Matt Berry, Ving Rhames, Mark Hamill and Stephanie Hsu provide excellent support. On the whole, ‘The Wild Robot’ is a visually stunning, emotionally powerful tale that is wholly heartwarming and refreshing.