A very human tale in ‘The Wild Robot’
Writer/director Chris Sanders (“Lilo & Stitch,” “The Croods”) makes a triumphant return to animation with “The Wild Robot,” in the running for one of the best films to come from Dreamworks Animation. Not an entirely shocking result, as Dreamworks’ best film, “How to Train Your Dragon,” was co-directed by Sanders.
An adaptation of the book by Peter Brown, “The Wild Robot” concerns a personal utility service robot designated Rozzum-7134 or Roz for short (Lupita Nyong’o), who crash-lands on an uninhabited planet.
Lessons on coexistence
Not knowing she has gone off-course, Roz searches for who ordered her, having to learn quickly how to survive and ultimately speak to the animals around her. She gradually learns how to coexist with all the creatures, but also has to take on the duties of raising a little orphaned gosling named Brightbill (Kit Connor). Assisting her are Fink the fox (Pedro Pascal), Pinktail the possum (Catherine O’Hara), Thunderbolt the falcon (Ving Rhames) and an elder statesman goose named Longneck (Bill Nighy). Other assorted unique characters of the wild include Paddler the beaver (Matt Berry, a gift to voice acting) and Thorn the bear (Mark Hamill).
“The Wild Robot” is a gorgeous movie, in more ways than one. Visually stunning, it has a number of shots and sequences that can take your breath away. While it uses CG models, there is an overlay of soft colors that look like brushwork, and the palette is also warm, full of golds and browns and reds. It’s like a storybook come to vivid life. Bursting with life, as it turns out. The many animal characters are a delight, especially Pinktail’s children and their no-nonsense approach to life contrasted with their little child voices.
Cinematic montage
Much use is made of the montage, a convenient way to compress time while showing development; Roz’s exploits while learning the lay of the land and the ways of its animal inhabitants is endearing and hilarious. So, too, are the flying lessons of Brightbill, apparently challenged as the runt of his gaggle.
The passing of the seasons, the building of a runway, the rescue of helpless critters during a particularly harsh winter—all of these and more get lovely treatments under Sanders’ direction. Kris Bowers’ score matches these scenes, and the rest of the film, with his soulful compositions.
Tearjerker
Ultimately “The Wild Robot” is a story about parenthood, and anyone with a maternal/paternal instinct would do well to bring some tissues for the inevitable tears. The writing and storytelling are all honed for maximum emotional defenestration.
Roz joins Wall-E, Baymax, The Iron Giant, the robot from “Robot Dreams,” and more to teach us what it means to be human by embodying the best of us. From reluctant caretaker to breaking her own programming, Roz runs the gamut of parental feelings, and her sacrifice of time and energy will ring familiar with any parent or adult child.
“The Wild Robot” is engineered to have you calling your mother as soon as you get out of the theater, so you may as well save yourself the trouble and watch it with her if you can.
“The Wild Robot” is in theaters Oct. 9.
