A particular type of whimsicalness is expected from a Studio Ghibli film. The vibrant color palette, music, phenomenal voice acting, and simple storylines filled with complex nuance are standard from the well-known studio. With Chris Sanders’s The Wild Robot, you get all of that. The film provides the chance to explore the beautiful world Dreamworks Animation offers and gives it so much heart. It’ll have you leaving the movie with a bit more hope in your core and an appreciative outlook on life.
The Wild Robot comes from Chris Sanders and Peter Brown’s creative mind. If the first name sounds familiar, he’s the filmmaker with some form of creative input in classic Disney movies like Mulan (1998), Aladdin (1992), Lilo & Stitch (2002), and The Lion King (1994), just to name a few. The story follows a utilitarian robot named Rozzum (Lupita Nyong’o), or Roz for short. The robot has been stranded on an island filled with life and searches for anyone to give her a task. Roz comes across a hungry fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal), and the two form a kind of bond to raise a gosling named Brightbill (Kit Connor), that imprints himself onto Roz.
Though the plot may be simplistic, the film showcases a significant amount of depth and emotional nuance, making it entertaining enough for kids while presenting so much more for adults.
Sanders has been in the moviemaking business for decades, and the script for The Wild Robot shows that veteran status and is amplified thanks to Brown. The movie’s thematic elements cover motherhood, community, reaching your full potential and becoming more than you were designed to be. The movie does this by presenting an evolving connection between Roz, Fink, and a mature Brightbill. The relationship between all three helped each character traverse their arcs in a naturalistic way and allowed me to find something to connect to.
Roz and Brightbill develop a bond throughout the movie that speaks volumes of what it means to be a parent/guardian or a child. Fink’s lone wolf characteristics begin to break down over time, and The Wild Robot explores what makes that fox tick. The film comes together genuinely with comedic elements that explain why a person doesn’t have to fit a specific mold in life because everyone says so. It’s about finding your individuality and helping those along the way.
All of this is done with expert-level writing, which is only enhanced by the movie’s superb direction and art design.
Sanders has proven that he has an excellent eye for directing in his previous works, like Lilo & Stitch (2002) and How to Train Your Dragon (2010). The Wild Robot displays a considerable level of growth when it comes to some of the film’s beautiful moments. The look of the movie is straightly eye-gasming to behold. It’s like looking at a series of fantastic watercolors in motion while not making it overwhelming. There were several scenes where I was in awe of how it worked so well with the emotional beats and the amazing performance from the cast.
I have a theory if you hear me out. Lupita Nyong’o always brings her “A” game to every role. The actress continues to excel in her craft, helping bring Roz come alive and making her character’s arc authentic throughout the movie. Pascal naturally brings his well-known charm while using his knack for comedic timing. He gives Fink the ideal companion for Roz and Brightbill while presenting depth to the character. Connor does a great job bringing his character to life as the goose goes on this incredible journey of finding a place to belong and a new perspective on family.
The Wild Robot is like watching the beauty of nature while wrapping yourself in a comfortable blanket, and Autumn kicks in. I really tried to pick apart this movie while watching to see what I did not like, but there wasn’t much of anything. I truly appreciated the artistic look, acting, story beats, and direction this film had to offer. Let your kids see this while learning so much from the underlying message. It might be one of Dreamworks Anamation’s best movies ever.