Warning: This review contains spoilers.
With such high profit margins, animated sequels are now bigger than ever in Hollywood. 2024 releases such as “Despicable Me 4,” “Kung Fu Panda 4” and “Inside Out 2” have brought big returns to the box office and helped animated films rise in popularity. “Inside Out 2” stands as the eighth-highest-grossing movie to date and the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. Although these films saw tremendous box office successes, oftentimes the achievements of animated works are shadowed by their unoriginality. Because so many recent animated film releases are sequels, some audiences feel that the lack of new content doesn’t bode well for the future of the industry.
DreamWorks Pictures, the studio behind several popular franchises such as “Shrek,” “Kung Fu Panda” and “How to Train Your Dragon,” has been cranking out sequels left and right, such as “Trolls Band Together” (2023) and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” (2022). It’s clear that major animation studios see that the money lies in sequel-making, cementing DreamWorks Pictures’ newest film, “The Wild Robot,” a welcome surprise.
“The Wild Robot” is on track to become a classic, due in large part to its stellar vocal cast which consists of Lupita Nyong’o (Roz), Pedro Pascal (Fink) and Kit Connor (Brightbill) — all of whom delivered marvelous performances. Veteran director Chris Sanders also delivered on the essential familial themes that drive the picture.
“The Wild Robot” follows Roz, a robot stranded on a desolate wooded island. Alone and unsure of what to do, Roz must navigate a non-human, non-technological world. She navigates the island in search of a task that will complete her programming, eventually stumbling on a baby duck named Brightbill. Roz quickly becomes Brightbill’s mother after accidentally killing his family; however, she struggles with how to compute motherhood into her advanced code, as well coping with the accident that caused her impromptu maternity. From then on, the movie becomes a heartfelt examination of motherhood, familial dynamics and what it means to love someone else.
The film is refreshing and feels different from popular animated movies. There are no lively pop songs, over-the-top arguments that are resolved within 10 minutes or easily marketable mascots for the film to sell merchandise of.
To top it off, the entire movie is grounded in nature. The characters go on a journey, but there’s no evil sorceress or monster they have to face besides the cruelty of nature itself and the technology that threatens the natural cycle of life. “The Wild Robot” breaks precedents set by major animation studios by taking risks and choosing to be original, rather than simply following a formula of what would make the most money.
One of the most intriguing aspects of “The Wild Robot” is its vivid storytelling.
The protagonist, Roz, wakes up on a cold, grim island and her environment is drawn to reflect it. Gray clouds steamroll overhead as she figures out how to escape a massive tidal wave. Once she manages to escape her initial peril, Roz has to spend months analyzing how animals communicate with other species. When she finally understands how the animals connect with each other, they treat her as if she is a monster. But, she eventually gains their trust and understands the dangers that she, as a robot, poses to them. This emotional growth is reflected by her environment; when spring arrives, the beautiful woods become green and vibrant with life. Creatures both eating and being eaten make the forest feel realistic, untouched by humanity. The setting is crafted expertly, with the cruel nature of the food chain contrasting Roz’s programmed desire to assist others.
The plot of “The Wild Robot” is unforgiving; multiple animals die on and off-screen during this film. Viewers even see some beheaded right at the movie’s beginning. Although the animals don’t die brutally, their deaths are used to showcase the fragility and cycles of life. While this may seem violent, especially for a children’s film, the harsh reality of nature is a truth that both Roz and the children watching this film learn. These lessons translate off-screen quite well, as younger audiences will learn a lot more from the film due to its mature content. The process of Roz coming to terms with death being around every corner, in tandem with the film making it obvious that these animals can and will die, highlights the film’s individuality compared to its more tame competitors.
While many animated features try to teach young viewers mature yet valuable life lessons, they fail to explore the darker artistic mediums that make those lessons stick. For example, Disney’s attempt at exploring the theme of loss in “Onward” (2020) doesn’t hold up well; the characters are often sidetracked from their feelings and put into comedic scenarios. Although the picture’s ending revolves around coping with the loss of a family member, the film takes no creative risks in depicting the coldness of that absence. The heavy conflicting emotions are hinted at but not long enough for a real impact to be made, making it feel like the filmmakers did the bare minimum in showcasing the emptiness that follows loss.
In contrast, “The Wild Robot” doesn’t shy away from displaying those deeper feelings. When Roz copes with Brightbill leaving for the winter, she experiences an unending void. Even her environment reflects this, with the shades of green and brown turning gray due to the onset of winter. Moreover, Brightbill’s guilt-ridden absence is made more bleak due to not having conveyed his real feelings toward Roz before his departure.
Adult themes are scattered throughout the film but with an attention to detail that allows younger audiences to understand their nuances. One of the more subtle subjects addressed is climate change. The film never states outright that humans destroyed the planet but the implication is there, as the few shots of cities show buildings half-submerged in the ocean. One particular setting that caught my attention is the haunting shot of the Golden Gate Bridge with its highest arches sticking out while the road and bottom rungs are completely submerged. While small in nature, these animated details enhance the already excellent world-building and help the viewer understand more about the world that Roz is forced to navigate.
Another major theme of the film is being truthful to yourself and others. Many characters struggle to tell each other about how they feel on the inside. Nyong’o captures this struggle perfectly, as Roz’s robotic voice softens the more that she embraces motherhood. She wants to tell him she loves him but doesn’t exactly know what love means, eventually learning about the concept through nature and its animals. This difficulty is made all the more real when you hear the desperation present in Nyong’o’s voice throughout the film.
In contrast, Pascal’s vocal performance is wonderfully dark. His character Fink is the opposite of Roz in many ways. He was born on the island and knows exactly how it operates. He’s smug and not the best teacher to their son, Brightbill; yet, Pascal’s performance evokes a complexity often unseen in a kid’s movie. Fink wants to love and be loved, yet he’s not quite sure he can admit that without appearing weak. The film even hints at the lack of love within Fink’s own family, implying he’s so cynical and defensive because he was deprived of familial affection.
Change may be the most poignant theme of the film itself. Everything eventually changes; that’s the way nature has been and always will be. All the characters grow in terms of trusting and valuing each other, working to ensure that they all survive life’s natural cycles together. The score reflects this idea beautifully. Soaring trumpets accompany soft violins, making for one of the most beautiful climax scenes I’ve ever seen in a film — one that masterfully encapsulates these complex themes and makes the picture worth watching spoiler-free.
However, the movie is not without its flaws. While the finale is excellent, there’s no breathing room. Most of the character arcs conclude well, but slower pacing would have helped keep the film’s otherwise paced tone in check. The ending happens so fast, as compared to the gradual buildup of the characters’ arcs earlier on in the film. An extra 10 or 15 minutes would have allowed for a more condensed end product. Another critique I have is that the film’s villain, Vontra, gets no real screen time until the third act, which is an absolute shame. Stephanie Hsu’s vocal performance and the character’s squidlike design would have made for an excellent character foil to Roz if given enough time to shine.
Despite these flaws, “The Wild Robot” is a movie well worth your time. It serves as a timeless example of how refreshing new stories can be. The film never leaves the viewer without hope that the world can change. “The Wild Robot” not only sets an example but a precedent for the film industry in terms of fresh storytelling. Mature, innovative movies may not be as popular as they should be in Hollywood right now, but if more films like “The Wild Robot” follow in its footsteps, a new generation of works could be well on the way.
