-Written by Kyle Bain.
After washing up on shore during a monsoon, ROZZUM Unit 7134 (Lupita Nyong’o) finds herself among the wildlife of a secluded island. On that island the animals fight, they eat one another, and, yet, they all rely on each other. The Wild Robot tells the story of unusual and unexpected family, a story of hope, passion, and love that knows no bounds. In one of the greatest animated films of my generation, The Wild Robot is simply astounding.
How does an animated film make you feel like you’re being torn apart, like every bit of emotion is being touched upon? How does a film without life-action characters, with almost no humans whatsoever, manage to reach viewers emotionally? To some degree, I’m still not sure that I can provide a thorough answer here, but The Wild Robot extends itself far beyond what animation should be capable of doing. It exists among the ranks of impeccable films such as Encanto and Up, and I think this just might be Dreamworks’ greatest production to date. I felt every emotional bit of this film, as nearly every moment possessed something great, something truly powerful.
The comedy works wonderfully throughout the course of The Wild Robot, causing me to laugh out loud on multiple occasions. Some of the humor was silly, certainly geared towards children, but it works on more mature audiences as well. Furthermore, there are a few (literally just a few) moments in which The Wild Robot takes a slightly more mature approach toward comedy, but it does so in a way that will go right over kids’ heads and resonate with adults. Never did the comedy fail to entertain, never did it fail to reach its audience.
Furthermore, there’s an impressively strong juxtaposition between the comedy and the hard-hitting drama that extends itself from start to finish. There is a ten-minute montage toward the middle of The Wild Robot, preparing viewers for the final act of the film, and paired with Marren Morris’ new song “Kiss the Sky,” once again, it doesn’t miss. I was drawn so close to tears, so close to breaking in both the most heartwarming and heartbreaking ways.
When you watch an animated film, however, you’re not necessarily looking for a connection to the characters. You’re more than likely going into this film hoping that the animation is effective, even superb. The Wild Robot meets, and sometimes exceeds, expectations. While 3D animation is the most prominently featured use of animation in The Wild Robot, there are other techniques used that blend together to create something thrilling and spectacular. The use of animation helps to create depth within the story, but it also works to place viewers in the right mindset, and the right place in time and space. Even if you don’t feel an emotional connection throughout (and you might be a psychopath if you don’t), you will most certainly walk away amazed by what this team creates visually.
The Wild Robot is about as close to perfect as it gets, one of (if not) the best film of the year, and one of the greatest animated films of the last decade (maybe even longer). There’s nothing more to say other than you have to go see this film.
Directed by Chris Sanders.
Written by Chris Sanders & Peter Brown.
Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Matt Berry, Ving Rhames, Mark Hamill, Catherine O’Hara, etc.
9.5/10 = DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH IT NOW
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