Directed by: Chris Sanders
Written by: Chris Sanders, based on Peter Brown’s book
Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Kit Connor, Pedro Pascal, Bill Nighy, Catherine O’Hara, Ving Rhames, Stephanie Hsu, and Mark Hamill
Runtime: 101 minutes
‘The Wild Robot’ spurs untamed, runaway thoughts of technology and its connection with the animal kingdom.
“Being a mother is an attitude, not a biological relation.” – Robert A. Heinlein
Science fiction writer Robert Heinlein’s (“Starship Troopers” (1959)) quote sums up the principal relationship in “The Wild Robot”: between a state-of-the-art robot, Roz (Lupita Nyong’o), and an orphaned gosling, Brightbill (Kit Connor).
Set sometime in the future on this “bright, blue ball” known as Earth, Universal Dynamics, a company that could be Amazon meets Tesla, runs into an accident. One of their ships, during a journey longer than a “three-hour tour,” lands on an isolated island, and a fleet of their Rozzum robots don’t reach their intended address. One automated machine “survives” the traveling mix-up, powers on, explores the isle to gather data, and looks for an assignment. You see, the Rozzum machines are born to serve.
“Do you need assistance?”
“Just ask.”
However, Roz doesn’t speak Rabbit, Deer, or Crow, so it/she activates its/her learning mode, and presto!
She can communicate with all the animals.
Pretty cool. Who needs Rosetta Stone, right?
Along this trek, she discovers her purpose: to raise Brightbill.
Director/writer Chris Sanders’ (“How to Train Your Dragon” (2010), “The Call of the Wild” (2020)) animated feature, adapted from Peter Brown’s 2016 book, welcomes the concept that technology, when applied with care, is a beneficial force for humanity or, in this case, the animal kingdom. Roz, who probably stands eight feet tall and pseudo-resembles BB-8 (“Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens” (2015)) with her (let’s just settle on “her”) spherical head and spherical body. However, Roz has spindly, flexible arms and legs (like Doctor Octopus from the “Spider-Man” comics and movies) that are handy for climbing, running, and grabbing.
Her sturdy metallic frame is toughened armor against the weather. Roz has zero chance of rusting, and she can physically withstand contact with the wildlife’s brawnier creatures, like a grizzly bear, although she is not indestructible and does show wear and tear. She isn’t a fearsome T-800 from “The Terminator” (1984) as her programming is akin to Mary Poppins, always wanting to offer a metaphorical spoonful of sugar.
Roz’s sweet but ultimately pragmatic parenting skills influence Brightbill’s personality. Her logical, scientific approach to everything makes his interactions a bit robotic as well.
He’s a bit of an outcast in the geese community, so the movie hinges on two ideas: Brightbill’s growth into hopeful acceptance and Roz’s parenting work becoming an emotional bonding experience.
Sanders and the animation department effectively portray Brightbill and Roz’s parallel emotional journeys. Frequent reminders of Brightbill’s vulnerabilities with his fellow fowls form a distinct, palatable underdog story for audiences, and Roz’s ever-present attempts to formulate the correct answer for her surrogate son and other island dwellers develop a sincere rooting interest for her synapses to reach a magical emotive resolve.
Roz expresses her “feelings” through expressive changes with her eyes, and Nyong’o balances Roz’s silicon-based, synthetic cadence with underlying empathy and compassion.
The film works best when Roz and Brightbill’s bond is embraced and tested. This petite gosling should eventually grow up and join a flock for migration, and this fact also becomes a point of contention.
Any mother who drops her 18-year-old at a freshman dorm knows this specific pain.
Now, changing gears from children flying from the nest and to the animation. This movie looks beautiful. Dynamic color palettes frolic on an isle free from human beings. Dazzling coastal blues, gray mountainous peaks, shades of greens in forests, and vibrant varieties of life are everywhere. They are waiting for Roz’s discovery, including our programmed heroine mimicking her new animal buds (and some, at first, enemies) and even placing her hand on a yellow tree trunk, which reveals a massive assembly of butterflies.
Of course, we meet all kinds of four-legged friends, including a fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal), a geese leader called Longneck (Bill Nighy), a mama opossum named Pinktail (Catherine O’Hara), a grizzly bear named Thorn (Mark Hamill), and much more.
The comic relief is hit and miss, and more of the former. Still, Fink, a fox, becomes Brightbill and Roz’s guide to the island’s particulars, and he MUST constantly quell his instincts from devouring the young bird, which begs the question:
Couldn’t Fink be an herbivore, like a deer or something?
Fink’s relationship with Brightbill previews a later effort when ALL the animal residents need to become neighborly colleagues. In reality, this idea would be problematic as many carnivores would need to eat their BFFs to survive, and this critic can’t see Thorn dining on berries and alfalfa off-camera. Can you?
A widespread partnership is eventually required, as a prime character’s arc takes an additional turn that feels tacked on during the third act. Does the aforementioned turn hurt the movie? No, but it extends the narrative outside the original and clear dynamic between Roz and Brightbill. It’s not necessary. Admittedly, this third-act twist aims to deepen their connection, but the 101-minute runtime felt long. Leaving the unnamed plot point on the cutting room floor would ironically have left a more potent impact on the film’s basic premise…in this critic’s opinion.
Still, this PG-rated film offers a positive and pleasant family-friendly experience. With wondrous animation and an emotional story, “The Wild Robot” spurs untamed, runaway thoughts of technology and its connection with the animal kingdom.
What could be better?
Well, parents, please prepare your children for any future accidental steps into their television or YouTube excursions where they could run smack dab into a nature video of a lion hunting down and devouring an unsuspecting zebra. They might have questions.
Jeff’s ranking
3/4 stars
