Based on Peter Brown’s bestselling tween books, The Wild Robot is an adventure directed by Oscar-nominated Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch) and produced by DreamWorks Animation. The story follows a robot (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o) named Rozim 7134, later called Roz. Designed to help humans, she ends up stranded on an island full of animals.
The Wild Robot begins with Roz booting up on the island, where she quickly encounters various animals who are initially mean to her. That changes when she meets Brightbill (Kit Connor), an orphaned gosling who bonds with Roz from the moment he’s born. Taking advice from a fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal), Roz compiles a set of directives to help raise Brightbill through his infancy.
The film really explored what it means to find family in the strangest people and places. A lot of the themes focused on how a machine can have a heart, taking a note from Wall-E and Baymax in Big Hero 6. It showed how outcasts and misfits often form strong bonds when they struggle to find a community. Every one of these themes were great because of the messaging this can show kids who watch this movie, as it pertains to real-life relationships.
The score/music was fairly simple, hitting the touchy-feely notes of sadness, inspiration, conflict and resolution. This was Kris Bowers’ (The Color Purple, King Richard) first composition for an animated feature, so he can get a pass on this one. But where Bowers lacks in the score, the animation took off.
After the TIFF 2024 screening, Sanders explained that the backgrounds in The Wild Robot were hand-drawn, while the characters were the most three-dimensional elements. He discussed how new technology was developed to focus brush strokes primarily on the environments, with some attention given to the characters as well. The textures of the animals were particularly sharp, with deep, dark lines enhancing the furrier creatures.
“With its technical achievements and strong storytelling, The Wild Robot stands out as one of the stronger Hollywood-made animated films.”
The brush stroke style resembled that of Arcane and Nimona, but was applied differently for distinct purposes. Sanders noted that there was some inspiration from Hayao Miyazaki’s work in The Wild Robot too. The water simulations were so turquoise and clear, especially in the opening of the film. This was very reminiscent of the Kool-Aid blue waters from The Sea Beast.
In addition to the impressive animation style, the sound design was crisp, from the crackling fires to the tinny sounds of animals inside Roz’s body. The laser sounds were sharp, and the branches breaking made the theatre feel like it was immersed in a real forest. Experiencing the film in IMAX only enhanced this effect. One standout moment was when Roz had to learn the universal language to communicate with all the animals. The sound of the decoding process was particularly pleasing, as the animal noises gradually became understandable in English.
A third strength of The Wild Robot was its cinematography. The camera work was stellar, reminding me of the pseudo-documentary camera work in Surf’s Up. The POV of the animals rocking on the water at the beginning of the film was superb and so realistic. Whenever the action picked up throughout the movie, the camera appeared to move as if the cameraperson was running, swimming, or flying with the characters—the weight of the camera was evident and sold the hyperrealism.
Sadly, the film faltered with some of its story choices. Director Sanders mentioned that they stayed as true as possible to Brown’s novel but took some liberties with the ending. While the book may have its own convenient plot devices, the film’s conclusion felt a little too convenient. It also struggled to fully commit to certain tropes, which is both a plus and a minus. In the end, the story structure followed a formula typical of films in this genre.
The range of emotions and tonal shifts Lupita Nyong’o delivered in The Wild Robot were impressive on their own. She transformed from a static, typical robot voice to a piece of metal with feelings and almost a human heart. Her incredible voice acting drove both the heartwarming and heart-wrenching moments. Even Pedro Pascal’s sly remarks as he, Roz, and Brightbill bonded together added depth. The three characters formed a tear-jerking dynamic.
With its technical achievements and strong storytelling, The Wild Robot stands out as one of the stronger Hollywood-made animated films. It left me wanting to read the book it’s based on, along with its sequels. The 1-hour, 41-minute runtime worked perfectly, thanks to the emotional build-up. Every story beat was carefully crafted to ensure enough time was spent developing the relationship between Roz and Brightbill, who are at the heart of the film.
Check out more of CGMagazine’s TIFF 2024 coverage here throughout the festival.
