The Wild Robot: A Beautiful Triumph About Survival, Acceptance, and Parenthood
Stunning animation, flawless voice-acting, and the best score of the year makes The Wild Robot the front-runner for Best Animated Feature Film at the Academy Awards.
I’ve long said that some of the best films of all-time are adapted from incredible books. The Wild Robot is no exception. Based on the beloved children’s book by Peter Brown, there hasn’t been an animated feature film in over a decade that feels as important as The Wild Robot.
With an art style that will be leave you dumbfounded by its beauty combined with a brilliantly voice-acted story about love, acceptance, survival, and fitting in, The Wild Robot will tug on your heart strings in all of the right ways.
The film majestically transports you into a world that will have you laughing, crying, and hurting for its characters. You’ll be unable to resist listening with a different part of yourself… both with your ears and your heart. That is, after all, what Roz would tell you to do.
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Do yourself a favor and listen to my favorite song from the film’s soundtrack as you read the rest of this. It is called Kiss the Sky by Marren Morris.
Breath of Painted Fresh Air
As I’m sure many of you can relate, I have grown tired of animation studios constantly recycling their existing IPs. Don’t get me wrong, there is always going to be a place in my heart for Kung Fu Panda 4 and Toy Story 5, but perhaps more than any other medium, this genre has been in desperate need of something new. Something that feels fresh and unique. Something that can define animation of the 2020’s.
Fortunately, The Wild Robot, fills that void and then some.
The animation style brings me back to the most beloved movies, cartoons, and video games of my childhood. Referred to as “hand-painted” animation, you’ll see shades of Bambi, The Jungle Book, Spirited Away, and The Iron Giant all over The Wild Robot.
Impressionistic animation is obviously nothing new, but because modern cinema has departed from this style, its return in The Wild Robot is both refreshing and familiar. The film’s sci-fi and futuristic themes deliver a color palette and style new to the genre.
You’ll walk away feeling like you’re back in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, but at the same time feel like you’ve never seen anything like it. What does that remind you of? Oh yeah… take it away, Luke Skywalker.
“It reminds me of back in the day when I was trying to describe Star Wars to people who hadn’t seen it. It’s sumptuous. It’s emotional. It works on so many levels. The kids will love it. The whole family will love it.” - Mark Hamill (Thorn the Bear)
Like I said, it is fresh. It is unique. It is special.
A Unique Message
The most heartwarming and simultaneously gut wrenching moment in the film is when Roz’s baby goose, Brightbill, learns to fly in order to join the flock’s annual winter migration.
Coming of age stories are commonplace in “Rated E for Everyone” films, but The Wild Robot flips that narrative on its head.
There is a moment when Brightbill feels rejected by his peers for being different and rather than go to his mother for solace, he blames her. He takes his frustration out on the person who loves him the most. Not only is this scene relatable, but it also brilliantly conveys the sacrifice good parents make for their children. A sacrifice that often goes unappreciated. That is where the narrative is flipped. Rather than solely focus on Brightbill’s struggles since he is the kid, we also focus on Roz’s.
Despite her complete ignorance to the island, geese, or motherhood, Roz did her best and raised Brightbill to be an intelligent, strong goose. He had all the tools to succeed and ultimately did.
You’ll walk away wanting to call your parents and say thank you after seeing this movie. The Wild Robot teaches that it is okay to make mistakes, it is okay to be different, and it is okay to mess up when you’re a kid and an adult.
This leads me to the one element of the story that I felt was missing. We do not get enough of that critical moment where Brightbill and Roz discuss their feelings. We are left to infer that Brightbill learned from Roz the same way Roz learned from Brightbill.
I think this was a missed opportunity because that conversation would have added an even deeper layer to the already well written main characters.
Colorful Score
The vibrant, lively animation of The Wild Robot would be incomplete without its exceptional score. In a rare feat, Kris Bowers managed to convey the sound of the wilderness using a groovy, percussive tone that highlights the adventure and freedom of the wild.
This score is one of those you’ll find yourself humming along to. It is a scene stealer! There are at least 10 moments from the film off the top of my head where the score makes the moment. It is perfectly in sync with the tone, pace, and art style of the movie.
I highly recommend a listen to the score in its entirety. Something tells me Kris Bowers has a real chance to steal the show this awards season.
Final Verdict
The Wild Robot will win Best Animated Feature Film and should at least be nominated for Best Feature Film and Best Score at this year’s Academy Awards. It is a movie with a beautiful message, unique animation, and purposeful themes. Roz, Brightbill, and Fink are well-written and impeccably voiced characters with depth, complexity, and relatability. This is a memorable movie that, no matter your age, will impact you in more ways than one.
The Wild Robat is in theaters today. What did you think of the film? Let me know in the comments. I look forward to our discussion!
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