2 days Ago By Ladyfingers
The Wild Robot is an animated film based on the book series by Peter Brown. Directed (and written) by Chris Sanders, it’s a fine family film with something for everyone. ROZZUM unit 7134 ( Lupita Nyong’o ) washes up on the shore of a deserted Northern Pacific island and, seeking tasks, accidentally becomes a parent to an orphaned gosling she names Brightbill (Kit Connor).
Helping the robot (now called Roz) is the fox Fink ( Pedro Pascal ) who teaches her whatever she needs to know in exchange for some creature comforts only the sophisticated machine can provide. When Roz first arrives, she cannot understand the local wildlife, but through a time-lapse “learning mode” sequence, the wordless creatures gradually take on the voices of American celebrities. The lack of dialogue in the first few minutes of the film makes you wonder if you’re in for something as transcendent as the opening of the Pixar classic Wall-E, but the sudden lapse into modern speech is only a disappointment for a few seconds.
There’s just a little of that DreamWorks post-modern smarminess but, overall, the dialogue only helps to establish more complex character motivations. The world and its inhabitants are so richly drawn that there’s really very little to complain about at all in terms of tension-lancing self-awareness. It’s possible there is an even more interesting version of this story with no dialogue at all, but what we get is more than good enough.
Where it really cannot be faulted is its frank depiction of nature red in tooth and claw. Animals are very clearly either predator or prey and the prey are shown sympathy, but seldom any mercy. The Wild Robot is visually astounding from the very first frame.
Computer animated, but appearing in the style of vintage gouache sci-fi renderings, the world of the film is so lush and detailed that it generates a continuous sense of awe. Part of the joy of the film is the complexity of its world. Proper science-fiction elements gradually creep into the natural environment of the film, depicting a lush yet almost post-apocalyptic vision of Earth where humans have retreated into futuristic corporate arcologies.
Recalling the artwork of 1970s sci-fi visionaries like Syd Mead, Rick Guidice and Don Davis, the limited insight we get into the human world of the film is intensely intriguing. It seems funny to describe a film about a robot raising a goose as an epic, but The Wild Robot really is an actual animated epic. The plot barrels along, growing more complex and exciting by the minute, and your attachment to the characters grows with it.
There are loads of moments sure to generate a little watering of the eyes and lump in the throat of even hardened viewers, at least partially due to the soaring score by Kris Bowers. There is also very exciting action on offer as this gleamingly futuristic human world interacts with Roz and her animal friends. Some of the action is perhaps a little too intense for the youngest viewers, but anyone past the age of five is likely to be thoroughly enraptured.
While The Wild Robot is most certainly a film for younger viewers, it is so expertly done that you won’t regret being their chaperone. It’s good enough that you might even sneak back for a second viewing later. The Wild Robot is that rare children’s film that appeals to children and adults on exactly the same level.
It’s beautiful both visually and thematically, and made with real care and artistry. It’s sentimental, but it earns those tears. Don’t miss it on the big screen.
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