Rating: 5 out of 5
Roz joins Wall-E and the Iron Giant in the growing list of animated robots that show us what it means to be human. “The Wild Robot” is a beautiful and heartbreaking animated film from Dreamworks, based on Peter Brown’s novel series of the same name. Despite some differences from the novel, the movie’s complete commitment to the themes, characters, and message gifts audiences with one of the best animated films of this decade, and possibly even Dreamwork’s best.
Written and directed by Chris Sanders, “The Wild Robot” stars Lupita Nyong’o as Roz the robot. Set on an island by San Fran- cisco, which has now been submerged under water due to climate change, the film fol- lows Roz as she raises a gosling named Brightbill, voiced by Kit Conner.
The relationship between Roz and her now-adopted child becomes the overarch- ing narrative of the movie, and it is executed nearly perfect- ly. The movie fits the stories of the first two novels into its hour-forty-minute run time, a decision which seems good un- til the third act, where the pac- ing can get a little sloppy; some parts feel too fast and others parts are too drawn out. One of the things this movie does best is making Roz and Brightbill’s relationship a compelling and realistic evolution of a mother and her child as we see them grow together.
The animation in this mov- ie follows the modern trend of flashy 3D animation remi- niscent of 2D artwork set by popular movies like “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” (2022), and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (2023) but puts its own spin on this unique animation style with a whim- sical aura throughout every frame. Most of the movie takes place during golden hour, leav- ing every scene with beautiful lighting. Although Roz looks similar to Eve from Wall-E or the Iron Giant from “The Iron Giant”, her change from being robotic to something natural is a stroke of visual genius that physically shows her transformation.
The score by Kris Bowers is as beautiful and moving as the animation and story. Every moment is elevated by the futuristic percussion that uses drums and water bottles to achieve a unique sound. Bowers’s score is just another example of how every aspect of this film is per- fectly executed.
Lastly, the voice acting is impeccable. Nyong’o gives the performance of a lifetime, and the supporting cast also gives excellent portrayals. Overall, the movie is a beautiful film from Dreamworks and a near- ly perfect adaption for lovers of Peter Brown’s novels. “The Wild Robot” feels like a classic Pixar movie and will give au- diences of all ages an awe-in- spiring viewing experience. If you’re looking for a movie to pull on the heartstrings and maybe make you cry then look no further.