THE WILD ROBOT – A Review by Jenn Rohm
Based on the children’s book series by Peter Brown, The Wild Robot is now an animated film. Filled with important lessons for us all to remember, we follow a Universal Dynamics ROZZUM unit number 7134 as she adapts to a new environment to find her task and complete it. As she attempts to adapt to the island without humans, circumstances lead to a gosling imprinting upon her hatching. With the assistance of a fox known as Fink, the unit now calling herself Roz finds herself with a task she hasn’t been programmed for; of course, no mother is ever programmed to raise offspring. Others are watching to see what happens while still unsure of Roz. Toward the end, all the animals are given a reason to go against their base instincts and come together for a common goal.
The film is being promoted as a family movie. The book series is aimed at readers aged 8 and over, and the plot covers the realities of life. Consider Bambi while deciding if it is appropriate for your child. The script treats the audience like adults while still able to be followed by a younger audience.
The animation is outstanding. To show the changing of seasons, a change in color palettes is used, and I found myself putting on my jacket as it became fall and winter. There are moments with birds in flight, and you can almost feel the wind they create brushing past you. I found the style to be reminiscent of the geometric characteristics’ of 70s cartoons with a modern, refined touch. This took me back to my childhood, and I believe I appreciated the film more for it.
Using a mix of known and unknown voices created moments of I know that voice without taking away from the piece. Nyong’o provides a voice with a polished mechanical quality that softens to a bit more friendly as her programming grows. Pascal is sly with his lines, and a few can be taken in different ways (within PG parameters) depending on the age of the person listening.
My only issue was the attempt to appeal to such a wide age range of audiences. I would rather know I was walking into a film for kids, teens, young adults, or more seasoned adults. Stretching this wide creates areas that could have been more refined if the age gap was smaller.
Director: Chris Sanders
Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor
MPAA Rating: Rated PG for action/peril and thematic elements.
Selig Rating: 4 stars
Runtime: 1h 41m
Release Date: September 27, 2024
Genre(s): Animation, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Movie Site: The Wild Robot website
Trailer: The Wild Robot trailer
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
