The Wild Robot: A Tale of Heart and Humanity

Sometimes to stay alive, we must become more than we’re programmed to be.

The Wild Robot was released in theaters in 2024. After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot named Roz is stranded in an uninhabited environment. The robot connects with the wildlife and raises an orphaned baby goose.

The Wild Robot is a film we need right now. It influences positive themes about tolerance, family, and community. I lost track of how many times my friend and I cooed at how adorable this movie was. The film embarks on a tale about love, but The Wild Robot lacks depth for character development and story details.

Roz is drawn into a new territory that no robot has endured. Exploring a robot’s emotional journey is a remarkable narrative. From the connections she builds, Roz slowly blends into this world. Lupita Nyong’o assembled excellent voice work for this character. She didn’t want to make it your typical robot voice and evolved into human-like qualities.

The cast list for The Wild Robot includes Kit Connor, Pedro Pascal, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Matt Berry, Mark Hamill, and Boone Storm, each bringing various animals to life. My favorite characters were the mother possum and her seven energetic babies. Having Catherine O’Hara voicing the stressed but loving mother was perfect casting!

One of this film’s shortcomings is the limited development of Brightbill’s character. Although he is essential to Roz’s growth, the film doesn’t spend enough time on his own character arc. Brightbill’s identity arc is missing and would have enhanced the depth of the narrative.

The Wild Robot is based on a story written by Peter Brown. Chris Sanders’ love for robots is what made him sign up to direct this movie. He thought this was a unique story that embraced something new. Sanders guides The While Robot with a creative touch that lets the film’s message shine through.

This film has a beautiful animation style. My favorite scene is Roz running with the geese spreading her arms like a bird. The animation is breathtaking, defining crisp layers of nature and intricate wildlife designs. You can feel the warmth and vibrancy in every shot.

When animating the film, artists stayed true to Brown’s art style. Filmmakers experimented with different colors and movements. One specific challenge artists had was making each leaf on a tree different from the rest.

When animating the film, artists paid specific attention to character movements. Roz was the center of attention for the crew and how she moved and developed in the story. Specific attention was focused on her transition to her new environment. At the beginning of the film, she is designed as CG until gradually becomes a more lively surface.

While The Wild Robot delivers on the visuals and a poignant message, the film’s pace is fast. The script focuses too much on Roz’s transformation, sidelining characters. The story is also reminiscent of WALL-E (2008) and Zootopia (2016). Albeit, the more movies we have with messages about tolerance and community the better.

This is a film we need right now to see that there’s still some tolerance in the world. As demonstrated in one of the film’s many heartwarming moments, communities do come together. Help anyone who is struggling. Humor is put into the story. I laughed and felt a tender soft spot when young Brightbill helped Roz build their shelter.

My criticisms about the movie aside, the target audience is younger viewers. They will marvel over the story and animation. The Wild Robot is a heartfelt film that deserves a watch in theaters.