The Wild Robot Review: Wondrously Cathartic Adventure for Parents & Kids

The Wild Robot book series by author Peter Brown has been a hit with kids for nearly a decade now – which is perfect timing for a new film from Dreamworks Animation, the studio behind greats like Shrek and How to Train Your Dragon. With an all-star voice cast that includes Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o as the titular character and a unique visual style that brings the book to life onscreen, the movie adaptation is a big win from a technical standpoint. 

Writer/director Chris Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon, The Croods, Lilo & Stitch) once again proves why he is one of the greats in multi-level animated storytelling: The Wild Robot movie is both a warm and wondrous parable about parental love, while simultaneously being a sardonic and, at times, deeply cathartic commentary about the trials and deep sacrifices required of being a parent. With both levels working perfectly in tune, The Wild Robot is another big win for Dreamworks Animation – and a guaranteed franchise starter. 

The Wild Robot is set in a future version of Earth where major corporation Universal Dynamics supplies versatile robot assistants (“ROZZUM utilitarian robots”) to homes, businesses, and even farms. However, when one of the Universal Dynamics cargo ships capsizes in a storm, model “Roz 7134” gets inadvertently activated and begins searching for a customer to serve. When Roz ascertains that she is in a location only populated by animals, she adapts to learn their communication patterns and assist in their lives. Unfortunately, those good intentions result in Roz having to care for an orphaned gosling she names “Brightbill” (Kit Connor); lacking any parental programming (so to speak), Roz must lean on the guidance of a wily red fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal), forming an oddball family unit between the three.   

Roz finds herself on a ticking clock: Brightbill must be taught to swim and fly before the winter migration arrives, while Roz is torn between her chosen service to Brightbill, and her deeper programming to signal Universal Dynamics of her location and fulfill her “true” function.

At this point, Chris Sanders is just cementing his run as one of the greats in animated feature filmmaking. With a top-notch team of animators behind him, Sanders creates visual storytelling that often doesn’t even rely on dialogue (especially at the start). From the clever design and functions of the Roz 7134 robot to the wilderness world and various animals in it, the mix of nature and technology is fun and uniquely hopeful in depicting harmony between the two. Narratively, Sanders once again crafts a story that feels poignantly insightful for both young and old viewers, and timeless in its themes about the child-parent relationship (whether biological or chosen). The only critique is that the story may go on a tad too long for younger viewers (102 minutes), but arguably earns that extra 20 minutes or so with a thrilling blockbuster-sized climax. 

The voice cast is an excellent ensemble that includes a wise-cracking Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian), Catherine O’Hara (Beetlejuice 2) stealing scenes as a weary but experienced mother possum, Bill Nighy (Underworld) as an elder goose and leader of the flock, with Mark Hamill (Star Wars) and Ving Rhames (Mission: Impossible) appearing as a ferocious Bear and noble Falcon (respectively). Of course, the movie wouldn’t work at all without the vocal talents of Lupita Nyong’o, who gives Roz the entire breadth of personality, sensitivity, and humorous naivete that creates a sympathetic and very “human” robot protagonist. By the end of the opening act, Lupita (as the sole vocal performer) endears Roz to every viewer in the audience, quickly establishing another Dreamworks animated icon. 

With its visual splendor, a mix of ironic humor for adults and slapstick for kids, a talented cast, and some powerful themes about family bonds, The Wild Robot delivers like only the greatest animated features can. It’s another product notch in Dreamworks Animation’s belt – and thanks to Peter Brown’s sequel books, this film has franchise potential written all over it. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Wild Robot is now playing in theaters.