DreamWorks has turned thirty years old this year. During that time, the studio has treated audiences to some of modern animation’s most successful and acclaimed titles, from the 3D spectacles of Shrek and How to Train Your Dragon to deeply moving 2D works of art like The Prince of Egypt and Spirit. The Wild Robot, from DreamWorks and Disney veteran Chris Sanders, blends the best ingredients DreamWorks has to offer. Their latest picture (an adaptation of Peter Brown’s 2016 novel) is the studio’s crowning triumph; an emotional and thrilling spectacle about parenthood, belonging, and family that soars above expectations.
ROZZUM unit 7134, or “Roz” (Lupita Nyong’o), is a robot programmed to serve people. However, she ends up marooned on an island devoid of humans, populated only by an assortment of birds and forest creatures. With nobody to serve, she ends up taking on an unlikely task; raising a gosling runt, who she later names Brightbill (Kit Connor). As she rises to this task and adapts to the forest environment, most of the animals see her as a monster – except, that is, for Fink (Pedro Pascal), a wily fox who initially uses Roz for his own ends before becoming her closest friend.
The Wild Robot is 3D through and through, but with a difference. As opposed to a photorealistic style, Sanders renders the world in a way that feels more akin to a painting or collage, complete with a distinctive texture and the warm, handcrafted feel that this brings. The detail throughout is on another level, from the tiniest snowflakes and leaves to the wonderful expressiveness of the animal, while every scene is draped in the natural light of the season. The influence of films like Bambi and My Neighbour Totoro is plain to see, capturing the smallest details of the natural world to add to the ever-present sensation of wonderment. The action sequences, too, are thrilling to watch, with POV shots making you temporarily forget that what you are looking at was painstakingly created from nothing frame by frame. It is a bewildering achievement.
Studio Ghibli especially inspires not only the film’s visuals, but also its maturity. For a U-rated picture, death has a constant matter-of-fact presence. Far from feeling needlessly heavy, this lends the film a thematic and emotional sincerity that sits neatly alongside The Wild Robot’s inherent blockbuster appeal (death is even used in the name of dark humour, but not in a way likely to trigger distress or alarm). This encourages you to form meaningful bonds with the characters, making their struggles your own and resulting in moments of both delight and sorrow that will inevitably leave you in tears.
Similarly, this ability to build relationships between a simple master-and-servant dynamic challenges Roz the most, and watching her go beyond what she was programmed to be to achieve this proves to be an enthralling, compelling watch. The bonds she forms with the animals, and how she becomes one with her new environment, feel purposeful and real in a way that belies the near-absence of human characters. It makes their triumphs all the sweeter, and their setbacks hit all the harder – sensations amplified further by a rousing, pitch-perfect score from Kris Bowers.
The supporting cast is blessed with supreme talent – Matt Berry, Mark Hamill, Ving Rhames, and Bill Nighy, to name just a few who excel in their roles. Nyong’o, however, is simply transcendental. She brings Roz’s journey to life wonderfully. Her transition from an emotionless Alexa-esque robot servant to a being grappling with its own heart and soul makes for the most tender performance of her career. Sometimes, you can’t tell if she’s short-circuiting or if her voice is simply breaking, and it isn’t always clear to her either. Roz’s tale is, at its heart, a rather straightforward one, but Nyong’o ensures that it is maximised to the fullest extent. Pascal, too, is in fine fettle as Fink, complete with the dry wit you expect from a fox but going far beyond a mere supporting role.
The Wild Robot is the last film that DreamWorks will be animating and producing entirely in house. This being the case, the best film Chris Sanders has ever made is also the highest DreamWorks has ever soared. Like how Roz has to become more than she was ever meant to be, Sanders has taken your typical 3D animated family adventure and pushed beyond its comfort zone for a deeper, more detailed story. Much like DreamWork’s other stellar 2024 entry Orion and the Dark, The Wild Robot treats its intended younger audience with the maturity and emotional intelligence they deserve, but for an even more spectacular result. The Wild Robot is a thrilling, funny, and warm adventure that is destined to become a classic.
The Wild Robot is out in cinemas now.
