TORONTO – As 2024 rounds the corner into the halfway mark for this decade, Hollywood studio-produced animated films have entered what can only be described as a period of corporate malaise. Sequels are pretty much the one and only priority and, if not, a proven formula that appeals to kids first, and then their parents rule the day (see “Inside Out 2” and “Despicable Me 4”). And if the film is allowed to break those guardrails, it’s likely a spin on some well-known intellectual property (either of the “Spider-Verse” movies being prime examples). So, when an original studio-produced animated film arrives on the scene, it’s a cause for celebration. And if it finds a way to transcend its genre, as Chris Sanders’ “The Wild Robot” comes oh so close to doing, then that’s even better.
A world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, the DreamWorks Animation film is an adaptation of a collection of Peter Brown‘s popular “Wild Robot” children’s novels. The setup feels familiar, even if it hasn’t been crafted in this context before. Somewhere in the not-so-distant future, after the world has been fundamentally reshaped because of climate change (or, perhaps, other conflicts) a transport vehicle for the Universal Dynamics corporation crashes on an uncharted island. A commercial utility robot, ROZZUM unit 7134, or Rozz for short (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o), powers up looking for a client to serve. What she finds is a wilderness without any human beings in earshot and a ton of animals that simply do not get along with each other (as animals are wont to do).
After putting herself in a learning stasis, she reboots with the ability to understand and thereby communicate with all the different animal species on the island. This includes Pinktail (Catherine O’Hara), a mother to a litter of adorable possums, and Fink (Pedro Pascal), a more lonely than he’d like to admit fox who slowly bonds with the naive, but powerful robot. After an accidental crash into a bird’s nest, Rozz finds itself in the care of a baby goose, eventually christened Brightbill (Kit Connor). This relationship fundamentally changes Rozz’s programming in unexpected ways. After spending weeks and months attempting to turn on a relay to be rescued and returned to Universal Dynamics, it overrides its mission and makes raising Brightbill its priority.
Eventually, winter will come, even to this island, and Brightbill will have to learn how to swim and fly to migrate to relative safety with the other geese. The snooty flock looks at the runt with contempt except for Longneck (Bill Nighy), the elder goose who sees something special in the small youngling. With only weeks to spare, Longneck instructs Rozz to teach Brightbill how to soar or he’ll never make it off the island. Meanwhile, Universal Dynamics has been hunting for Rozz and the other inventory that was lost with it. If and when the senior robot Vontra (Stephanie Hsu), finds it, Rozz’s programming and bond with Brightbill will be wiped clean away. Or will it?
Part of the appeal of Brown’s novels is their heartwarming nature and Sanders, who also has sole screenplay credit, knows that will be the eventual focus. The first third of the film, however, does nothing to foreshadow this outcome. Rozz’s initial experiences on the island are action-packed, in fact often too action-packed. The accidental falls, crashes, and surprising encounters play out like a non-stop “Looney Tunes” animated episode. And, to be fair, the Looney Tunes aesthetic is an art form to and of itself, but many of Sanders’ choices go overboard. In this context, it frustratingly communicates to the audience that “The Wild Robot” is a juvenile endeavor for young kids first and foremost. Anyone hoping for anything broader or deeper is, in theory, watching the wrong movie.
Thankfully, the goofball action begins to fade, and the heart of the matter between Rozz, Brightbill, and, oh yes, Fink, comes to the forefront. Sure, the film still has some unnecessary formulaic plot points – a big battle at the end, being one of them – but that’s partially the source material. More importantly, the empathetic instincts of Sanders and his talented artists result in a tearjerker of an ending that may have you bawling. And considering Sanders’ previous work, it’s a welcome relief.
The movie is aided by some beautifully lit scenes, an old-school painterly touch to the backgrounds, top-notch individual character animation (Fink, in particular, is wonderfully conceived), and an absolutely breathtaking score by Kris Bowers. The two original songs, “Kiss the Sky” and “Even When I’m Not,” performed by Maren Morris, give the film a heartwarming kick. The question is, will you stick it out for the emotional gut punch at the end? [B]
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