DreamWorks Soars to New Heights in The Wild Robot
Image Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation
By Luis Zonenberg
Out of all the animation companies today, none interest me more than DreamWorks. For every fun Bad Guys or Kung Fu Panda, there’s a Trolls or Boss Baby 2 that will annoy audiences. This is why I was most interested in watching their latest film, the Wild Robot, which is based on the children’s book series by Peter Brown. Considering that this is their last in-house animated film before the rest of their projects will be animated overseas, I was interested in seeing if they would end this era on a high note.
The story itself centers on a lost robot called Rozzum Unit 7134 (Lupita Nyong’o), or Roz for short, as it washes up on an uninhabited island. It travels through the woods, looking to advertise its services as a helper robot, but since there are no humans, it seeks to find a customer within the animal community itself. Roz learns to translate what the animals say and befriends Fink, a wily fox (Pedro Pascal). Both take in a baby goose they call Brightbill (Boone Storm and Kit Connor) and find their “task” is to teach him to fly before winter comes.
Director Chris Sanders is able to offer a new perspective on this type of storytelling, just as he did with prior films such as Lilo & Stitch or even How to Train Your Dragon. He can take a familiar story and add enough twists to make it feel fresh, presenting an emotional take on parenthood by focusing on the antics of a fox and a robot teaming up to raise a goose from birth so it can fly. Sounds like the start of a weird joke, right? Well, for the sake of this review, let’s treat it with the respect it deserves as this film manages to find the humor and heart that most animated family films so often miss. You truly understand both Roz and Brightbill’s journey throughout the movie, generating lots of emotion that will leave many (including this reviewer) crying tears of joy by the end.
The animation evokes a style akin to Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, using a watercolor-like appearance that calls to mind drawings you would find in a fairy tale. It even utilizes a higher frame rate to allow for smoother movements and transitions, allowing for a glossy finish that makes the scene appear more like a moving painting. Even the forest landscape lends itself to this type of storytelling through the animation itself. The amount of detail put into every frame of movement with the characters and scenery is just jaw-dropping and gorgeous in and of itself.
Lupita Nyong’o turns in a great performance as Roz, adding a charming albeit naive nature to the character that allows you to instantly connect with the robot. The real star though here is Pedro Pascal as Fink, a mischievous red fox that tries to take advantage of Roz to get him some free food. I could not recognize his voice whatsoever when his character appeared, but even with that said, he adds some much-needed levity and grounds you in this world. His character is actually pretty deep as well, reminiscent of Nick Wilde from 2016’s Zootopia. Even supporting voice roles like Mark Hamill, Ving Rhames, and Catherine O’Hara all add some great nuance and credibility to the film.
Considering this is a family film, I was surprised to find how mature and graphic this movie was. It is rated PG, but it feels more like an 80s PG movie your parents might’ve watched growing up. There are lots of dark jokes relating to the violent nature of animals and the dangers of living in such a wild environment. This made the viewing experience all the more fun and surprising for me, taking me back to the fun time I had watching Del Toro’s Pinocchio a couple of years ago. When I think of the term “family film,” I think more about how a movie can be enjoyable from both a child’s and an adult’s perspective. Considering how much joy and laughter can be had watching this movie, I think it’s safe to say that it offers something for everyone in that respect.
Taking into account all of the movies I’ve watched this year, I’d say this might be my new favorite film of the year (with Furiosa at a close second). It merges a beautiful animation style with a mature, but still “family-friendly,” narrative that will leave most viewers crying in the aisles by the end. It might not be for everyone. However, each person will have their own taste when it comes to movies, and this was just right for me. Under the assured direction of Chris Sanders, The Wild Robot showcases a gorgeous animation style with a terrific narrative that will leave audiences crying and cheering by the end.
Rating: ★★★★ of four
