Lately, family movies aren't what they used to be, and Chris Sanders's The Wild Robot is here to fix that.
A tale of found family and togetherness, The Wild Robot is just as memorable as it is mesmerizingly beautiful. When helper robot ROZZUM unit 7134, or "Roz" (Lupita Nyong'o), washes up on the shores of a forested island, she learns from, and bonds with, the animals who live there. Roz befriends a fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal) and becomes the adoptive mother of a gosling (Kit Connor), as well as helping the forest critters and overriding her more human programming in the process.
As with Sanders's DreamWorks classic How to Train Your Dragon, The Wild Robot finds a wonderful balance between its complicated themes and nonstop entertainment. With fantastic voice performances from Nyong'o, Pascal and Connor, gorgeous background designs reminiscent of the books it's based on, and thought-provoking writing touching on the realities of death and the difficulties of coexistence, this film is both beautiful and devastating in ways family movies haven't been in years. It also doesn't skimp on the cuteness and humour of the forest animals, each more charming than the last, and still manages to give Roz her opportunity to shine — or, rather, glow — as a protagonist.
A DreamWorks film comes with high expectations, and, admittedly, The Wild Robot isn't as quotable as Shrek and the soundtrack isn't as memorable as How to Train Your Dragon, nor is it particularly reminiscent of other robot-themed family films like Wall-E or The Iron Giant. The Wild Robot might not become a classic, or even stay in the minds of children who watch it, but it dares to be its own creature and does everything it sets out to do without ever forgetting that it's ultimately a movie for children.
Though adult viewers are sure to enjoy the deeper meanings, and, frankly, get a kick out of Pedro Pascal playing a fox, one of The Wild Robot's greatest strengths is how it shows up for its younger audience. It clearly and entertainingly represents the characters' goals and even manages to make the deaths of cuddly woodland creatures feel like a natural part of life. It contrasts the terror of watching a crab get snatched up by a bird of prey with breakneck action leading up to what should otherwise be a terrifying moment.
The Wild Robot shies away from nothing, pulls zero punches, and never pauses to feel twee while giving kids difficult lessons. Instead, the film chooses to represent the joy, as well as the pain, in the struggles that happen both to families and their communities.