The Wild Robot Movie Review: This year, animated films have offered both children a way to create core memories and adults a chance to heal in the process. Earlier, we were moved to tears by Inside Out 2, which made many of us feel seen. Now, DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures’ The Wild Robot continues that trend with its heartwarming approach to love, loss and the theme of belonging.
Directed by Chris Sanders, The Wild Robot follows the journey of Roz, a robot that falls into a jungle during transit and comes into contact with the jungle’s animals. Programmed to help and fulfill tasks, Roz initially tries to chase the animals to offer assistance. However, the creatures view her as a monster. Feeling purposeless, Roz decides to call for a rescue ship to return her home. One stormy night, she falls into the valley of the jungle, landing on a nest of wild geese. The impact kills the mother goose and the eggs, but one egg survives.
When the egg hatches, the gosling imprints on Roz. While the little gosling treats Roz as its mother, the jungle creatures inform Roz that her new mission is to teach the gosling to feed itself, swim, and fly before migration season. Enthusiastic about her new task, Roz embarks on the journey with sincerity and gets help from a mischievous red fox named Fink. The film follows Roz’s emotional journey as she transforms from a mechanical entity to one with a metaphorical heart.
Much like The Jungle Book and its central character Mowgli, The Wild Robot focuses on the bond between three jungle friends. Roz takes care of the orphaned gosling, Brightbill, while Fink supports Roz along the way. Over the course of the two-hour film, you become part of their trio, rooting for each of them—Roz’s evolution from a mere robot to someone who feels human emotions, Brightbill’s search for community, and Fink’s quest to find the love he’s been missing.
The film’s emotional depth is beautifully interwoven with the storytelling. Director Chris Sanders explores a wide range of emotions through a thoughtfully crafted screenplay, making you feel everything the characters experience. In scenes such as Brightbill being bullied for being different or Roz braving a harsh snowstorm to save the animals, it’s hard not to tear up. Sanders immerses the viewer in the jungle, evoking the nostalgia of watching animated films as a child.
The animation is top-notch. The attention to detail and overall production quality are impeccable, living up to DreamWorks’ legacy with films like Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, and Shrek. The Wild Robot maintains that high standard.
The voice actors – Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Catherine O’Hara, Matt Berry, and Ving Rhames – bring their characters to life with authenticity, shedding their public personas to fully inhabit their roles. Pedro Pascal as Fink stands out as a favourite, while Catherine O’Hara’s portrayal of Pinktail, a Virginia opossum who assists Roz with raising Brightbill, adds heartwarming moments.
The Wild Robot feels like a warm, comforting hug you didn’t know you needed. This film deserves at least one viewing, and before you know it, you’ll be booking tickets to see it again.
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