The Wild Robot
Composite Score: 93.17
Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Matt Berry, Ving Rhames, Mark Hamill, and Catherine O’Hara
Director: Chris Sanders
Writer: Chris Sanders
Genres: Animation, Sci-Fi, Family
MPAA Rating: PG for action/peril and thematic elements
Box Office: $333.17 million worldwide
My take on Watching This Film:
The Wild Robot is Chris Sanders’s film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Peter Brown about a service robot who is shipwrecked on an island inhabited only by animals as she learns to survive and find a place among the creatures of her new home. The film features the voices of Lupita Nyong’o as Roz, the titular robot, Pedro Pascal as Fink the fox, Roz’s first real friend on the island, and Kit Connor as Brightbill, the orphaned Canadian goose that Roz takes on as her own after his family is killed in an accident. The film received Oscar nominations for Best Sound, Best Original Score, and Best Animated Feature at this year’s Oscars, losing to Dune: Part Two, The Brutalist, and Flow, respectively. Its exploration of community, purpose, and family along with its technical excellence has made it one of the standout films of the year, and many mark it as one of the best animated films of the last ten years.
I tend to agree with the aforementioned celebrants of The Wild Robot. Its story, animation, and sound all weave together to create a truly excellent film for kids, adults, and families that I’ve already revisited multiple times. The entirety of the voice cast does excellent work, but Lupita Nyong’o is the true standout to the point that some people (not really insiders, but still… people) were arguing that she deserved consideration for a Best Actress award this year, and it’s a performance that does touch you and reach into your soul in a way that voice acting performances often fail to achieve – very impressive considering that she doesn’t even have a song to sing, which tends to be the defining characteristic of the best vocal performances. It’s a strong performance in a film that is more than just a kids film that adults can enjoy alongside. The story and themes are such that my wife and I (still currently childless) sat and fully enjoyed the film, and I’d even go so far as to say that we both have the film among our top films of the year because it does tell a universal story. Yes, it’s told with talking animals and zany futuristic robots, but that doesn’t make the message or story any less poignant, important, or relevant. Is it perfect? Probably not, as there are some story elements that get a bit rushed in the film’s second act, but it’s still a highly entertaining and enjoyable film that has something to say that’s worth listening to.
The Wild Robot certainly deserves recognition as one of the best films of 2024 thanks in large part to its stellar voice cast, universal story, and beautiful animation work, and down the road, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it recognized as one of the best of all time either. Its story might rush in places that it shouldn’t, but for the most part it’s a strong film that can be enjoyed and engaged with by all audiences. Currently, you can stream this film on Peacock if you’d like to check it out for yourself.
