Manoj Panicker’s review published on Letterboxd:
I've been a fan of Chris Sanders for a long time ever since Lilo and Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon, so I felt the need to watch his debut solo animated directorial, 'The Wild Robot' on the big screen.
Based on the New York Times best selling book series by Peter Brown, the movie follows a story about acceptance and kindness to one another as one robot from a special grade of Universal Dynamic's utilitarian series finds itself lost on an Island teeming with wildlife. Searching for the person who summoned her, unit 7134 (or what she would later be called as 'Roz') interacts with the local wildlife to find a task to perform and instead gets treated with hostility for being different. The movie takes its time to gradually establish the themes and the hostility of the world as Roz learns the language of the wildlife (something that most animated movies these days don't do). The way Roz meets the baby gosling, Bright Bill is done pretty well and even serves as a satisfying point of conflict between the goose and Roz later. This dynamic serves as the core of this story as Bill navigates his life's milestones while growing up under Roz and not under another goose. The way they carry the element of being different through Roz and Bill was pretty good, driving their arcs to form a bond of trust with the animals on the Island while Bill builds his trust in Roz again after the reveal.
Throwing in the sneaky fox, Fink, was a fun way to introduce the idea of prey-predator relationships in the world, having a decent characterization of his own that transforms well throughout the story. The way the theme of the movie was also present in how a small community of animals transformed was pretty cool, adding on to the heartwarming journey of acceptance. This change from hostility to respect from the animals really helped to further provide a nuanced study on the movie's throughline about acting beyond your basic programming, something that relates to Roz's journey of feeling love as well. I liked how the story ends on a bittersweet note, with a pinch of promise while leaving every character in a safe place. That being said, I don't think I was as invested in Bill's arc of acceptance as I was with Roz's journey. I liked how the movie balances its light hearted humor with serious emotional moments so that's appealing for all ages.
I don't think any of the voice performances stood out that much, but I feel like every one of the talented cast do their job decently and carry the emotional weight well. The visuals were just insane, and it's not just about the gorgeous hand painting aesthetics. I'm also talking about the incredible attention to framing and cinematography that made most of the movie look like a freaking painting. And it's not just the incredible landscape shots that stand out but also some of the interior shots as well. The overall lightning and use of sharp use of shadows and red during that final battle sequence was pretty good. Like the shot of Bill on top of a shut down Roz where he finally says what he wanted to say, a very visually intimate frame that captured the essence of that scene. Some of the musical pieces were phenomenal, probably even one of the best this year for much it uplifted the emotional weight of its already emotional story.
Overall, The Wild Robot reminded me of a time when animated movies used to so fun and emotionally engaging to watch. A pretty good story that gets its humor and emotional moments right, decent voice performances, gorgeous visuals and commendable score. If you're still unsure about checking this out in a theatre, I can guarantee you that's worth your time and money.
I was afraid that DreamWorks might be falling behind again after Kung Fu Panda 4. But my faith in them has been restored again and I hope they'll continue beating Pixar in terms of quality stories and artistic exploration.
