By Janie Walenda
I’m excited for a lot of films every year. It comes with my job, and more importantly my lifelong love of cinema. But ever since I saw the first trailer of “The Wild Robot,” I was hooked. The animation, the music and the emotion packed into the short trailer quickly made “The Wild Robot” my most anticipated movie of 2024.
While sometimes trailers can be deceptive, I’m thrilled to say this one wasn’t. “The Wild Robot” is not just stunningly animated, but it wears its heart on its sleeve in a way few stories are willing to do nowadays. The film is written and directed by Chris Sanders, who also wrote and directed “Lilo and Stitch” and “How to Train Your Dragon,” and the heartbeat of those films can also be felt in “The Wild Robot.”
The film follows Roz, voiced by Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o, as a robot stranded in a forest. While completely unsuited to the untamed nature around her, Roz slowly learns to adapt and earn the trust of the animals around her. This includes the orphaned goose Brightbill, voiced by Kit Connor, and the opportunistic fox Fink, voiced by Pedro Pascal.
The film isn’t terribly innovative in the storylines and character arcs it covers. A robot discovering its humanity and finding family is nothing new. What is special about “The Wild Robot” is how its themes, plot lines and characters intertwine. The film is not held down by a single plot line or theme but instead builds on each of them to create a story that feels real, even in its most fantastical moments.
hether it’s Roz and Brightbill learning how to grow and let go or Fink and the rest of the animals learning how to look out for their community, “The Wild Robot” proudly wears its heart on its sleeve. It’s an earnest movie, something that is lacking in most snarky, self-aware modern films. The film is also extremely idealistic, oftentimes at the cost of realism. While it would be easy to roll my eyes at some of the simplistic, sappier moments, the film earns its heart-warming moments.
It earns these moments through a combination of dark humor and elevated stakes. Within the first thirty minutes, “The Wild Robot” executes several dark jokes, one of which left my friends and me completely flabbergasted. The film doesn’t shy away from the natural world that it inhabits, and death is an expectation, not an abnormality. “The Wild Robot” initially plays the dark nature of the animal kingdom for humor, so we feel the impact more greatly when the tone shifts later in the film. The darker moments also pave the way for a more saccharine ending, one that would come off as convenient instead of earned if it weren’t for the moments that made the world seem dangerous.
One of the film’s strongest assets is the jaw-dropping animation. The film utilizes a hand-painted aesthetic, which pairs beautifully with the natural landscapes. The lighting is evocative, infusing scenes with a sense of warmth or danger. It’s easily one of the most gorgeous animated films of recent memory.
“The Wild Robot” is computer animation and DreamWorks at its finest, making DreamWork’s decision to outsource all of its animation for its 2025 films particularly frustrating. It’s not only the end of an era for one of animation’s most iconic film studios, but it also means that potentially hundreds of the animators who created the art of this film will lose their jobs.
“The Wild Robot” is one of those movies that is an instant classic for me, one I’ll encourage/force all of my friends and family to watch. Timeless themes, incredibly engaging characters and gorgeous animation make the film delightful, moving and a must-watch.
“The Wild Robot” is playing in theaters and is available for digital purchase or rent
Janie Walenda is a senior Global Business major and the A&E editor for Cedars. She is overly passionate about musicals, caffeine and weirdly enough Dracula.
Images courtesy of DreamWorks Animation
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