When I first heard of Dreamworks’ masterpiece that is The Wild Robot, I never expected to be so meaningfully moved by a story about a clueless robot and her adopted goose son.
That’s only the first in a parade of surprises The Wild Robot offers, and the cumulative effect is one of the richest and most rewarding experiences I’ve had at the cinema this year.
What begins as, at first appearance, a simple premise of technology finding its place and harmony with nature instead is an all ages exploration of parenthood, childhood, and what forms and shapes the natures of all creatures and beings.
Based on the book series by Peter Brown, the film follows most of the first novel, which sees an automated assistant robot ROZZUM 7134, or "Roz" for short (Lupita Nyong’o) crash landing on a forest island.
When left without a task, she accidentally becomes the adopted mother of a gosling named Brightbill (Kit Connor), and must now raise him to survive in the wild.
It’s hard to know how to start with the long, well-earned list of praises for the Dreamworks team and their work. Led by veteran Chris Sanders (a three time Oscar nominee for his work on films like Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon), this new offering is among the studio’s best in its 30 year history.
There’s lavish, watercolour-inspired animation style evokes jaw-dropping awe and beauty. There’s a warm, thoughtful script delivered by a winsome cast. There’s Kris Bowers’ dynamic musical score. There are charming and inventive character designs abounding.
All of these components make for a refreshing work of true art. The Wild Robot is a brimming example of how transcendent and emotionally arresting that cinema can be, even within an all-ages treatment.
The last time the relationship of human robotics and the natural world was handled this deftly and seriously was, oddly, another animated film: 2008’s Wall-E from Pixar. Both films feature foreign worlds for their robot heroes to explore, only to find themselves rescuing the new communities and families they form.
Lupita Nyong’o has found her second dazzling headliner role of the year, following June’s A Quiet Place: Day One. But the entire voice cast is just as stirring, balancing grounded humour with their animal instincts playing the various woodland creatures.
This is unquestionably poised to claim the title of 2024’s best family film by a significant margin. While the summer’s Inside Out 2 was a smart, bright and cathartic story, this is a rare case where the big animated cry fest is instead coming from Pixar’s biggest rivals.
The Wild Robot ranks among the best movies Dreamworks has ever produced, on par with the Dragons franchise and 1998’s The Prince of Egypt or the original Shrek.
If you behold the heart, humour and majesty of those titles, get your family together (robot, goose or otherwise) and get out to see masterful The Wild Robot.
The Wild Robot
9 out of 10
G, 1hr 42mins. Sci-Fi Family Animation.
Written and directed by Chris Sanders.
Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Kit Connor, Pedro Pascal, Catherine O’Hara, Bill Nighy, Mark Hamill and Stephanie Hsu.
Now playing at Milton Cineplex Cinemas on Maple Avenue.