The Wild Robot: Review (with Spoilers)
Featuring the voices of Lupita Nyong’o, Kit Connor, and Pedro Pascal, “The Wild Robot” delivers dark humor and tear-inducing moments, making this one of the best American-made animated movies of the year.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Plot Summary
Roz is a robot who accidentally ended up on one of the few islands that humanity hasn’t touched or tarnished. This is saying something, for in the world of “The Wild Robot,” global warming seemingly wasn’t stopped, and places like the Golden Gate Bridge are underwater. That aside, Roz is a robot who washes up on the island, and being that robots exist to complete tasks, she finds it challenging to even gain a task when surrounded by animals.
Luckily, her technology is so advanced that, with time and focus, she learns to speak the language of the animals. But, with the animals existing within a predator/prey landscape and Roz being so foreign, she is isolated until she comes upon Brightbill. He hatches in her hands and imprints on her, and Roz’s journey begins to go from an entity focused on completing tasks to evolving into something that goes against her programming.
Noted Cast and Characters Of “The Wild Robot”
Lupita Nyong’o As Roz
Roz is a robot made to do tasks. In part of the film, we see her model handle agriculture, but in advertisements, it seems childrearing and housework are other options.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Us.”
Kit Connor and Boone Storm As Brightbill
Brightbill is a runt goose, and Roz saves him and raises him, thanks to Pinktail assigning her the task.
- Kit Connor is also known for their role in “Heartstopper.”
Catherine O’Hara As Pinktail
Pinktail is the mother of many possums who gives Roz maternal advice and is probably one of the first animals to give Roz a chance.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”
Pedro Pascal As Fink
Fink is a sneaky fox who originally was an adversary to Roz but eventually helped her co-parent Brightbill.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Kingsman: The Golden Circle.”
Stephanie Hsu As Vontra
Vontra is a different robot model made by Universal Dynamics, who is tasked with retrieving Roz.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Joy Ride.”
What “The Wild Robot” Is Rated and Why
Content Rating: Rated PG
- Dialog: Suggestive Language (Dark Humor Dealing With Death)
- Violence: Violence Against Animals (Mainly Against Other animals)
- Sexual Content: N/A
- Miscellaneous: Depiction of Corpses (Implied death of some animals)
Review
Our Rating: Positive (Worth Seeing)
Where To Watch This:Check out our movies page for our latest movie reviews and recommendations.
Highlights
The Dark Humor
When it comes to movies that appear aimed towards children, there is sometimes the need to question whether they are made just for kids and to market products like plushies and more to them, or if they are good movies? With “The Wild Robot,” you get a good movie that begins with humor. Is there some slapstick silliness in there? Yes. However, dark humor also addresses the fact that this is an island where the natural law of nature exists.
The prime example is Pinktail, a possum, and her children. They play dead upon seeing Roz and joke about all the ways there is to die. Pinktail is also a bit nonchalant about possibly losing one, as she explains to Roz all that comes with motherhood, which you pretty much learn as you go. Moments like that are comical, and while Pinktail’s crew are the main ones that get dark like that, others also present that type of humor.
It’s Tear Inducing
So, let me begin by saying that “The Wild Robot” won’t send you into such a state where you’ll be heaving, with a runny nose, and your eyes may burn if you are dehydrated. However, between the voice performances and animation, you get a sense of feeling, connection, isolation, and how that can affect someone. Also, on the flip side, the movie will get to you one way or another between gaining a sense of community or reaffirming relationships within a chosen family.
How It Crafts There Being A Potential Villain In Us All
“The Wild Robot” doesn’t operate with an absolute villain in mind. Roz technically could be seen as a villain, especially when she is far more focused on programming and protocol than Brightbill. Fink, who becomes almost a surrogate father and also the best friend of Roz, seems like he’ll join many a tricky fox in animated media as a villain. Yet, the film pushes from the beginning to end that the villain of any relationship is the one least willing to get to know the other for who they are, who they are capable of being, and who they are trying to be with real effort.
There is a character named Vontra, played by Stephanie Hsu, who can easily be seen as a villain because of their goal and what they are willing to do to accomplish it. Yet, it’s easy to see that Roz could be just as cold and heartless if their task wasn’t to raise Brightbill but to look for natural resources for humanity to exploit and begin extraction. A lot of people, or beings in this case, are only villains due to their limited understanding or knowledge, and if they lack curiosity, empathy, and the pursuit of community, for whatever reason, it easily allows them to evolve into someone to fear and label as a villain.
On The Fence
How It Leaves Room For A Sequel
We’re a bit torn on the idea of a sequel for Roz’s story feels like it could end where it is. Yet, at the same time, similar to “Wall-E,” there could be the desire to know more about the humans and what is going on with them beyond the little we get to know. But whether a sequel could hold the same feelings this movie gave is very hard to fathom.
The Gist
The TLDR Recap/ Review
- In “The Wild Robot,” a robot washes ashore on an island uninhibited by humans, which complicates the fact it is built strictly to do tasks.
- Luckily, over a season, it learns how to speak to animals, but because it is socially awkward and foreign, it is a pariah amongst the prey and predators.
- That is until the robot, Roz, meets Brightbill, who hatches in its hands and imprints on it.
- From that point, Roz finds their task to be getting this runt of a bird capable to migrate for the winter, with the help of a sly fox named Fink.
- Off the bat, what you may love about “The Wild Robot” is that its focus isn’t just about being pretty but also holding depth.
- From the sometimes tear-inducing relationship gains and woes Roz and Brightbill have together, and as individuals to the community’s treatment of them, it can feel like a lot.
- However, what might be notable for many is that no one is an outright villain, for there is an understanding of fearing the unknown or the dangerous.
- Making for, overall, probably one of the best pieces of animation to come out of an American studio, that might be an adaptation, but doesn’t seem purely guild to be a franchise.
General Information
Film Length
1 Hour 41 Minutes
Date Released
September 26, 2024
How To Watch “The Wild Robot”
Theatrical
Distributor
Universal Pictures
- The distributor is also known for “Oppenheimer.”
Director(s)
Chris Sanders
Writer(s)
Chris Sanders
Based On Work By
Peter Brown
Genre(s)
Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi, Animation
Ending Spoilers
How Does “The Wild Robot” End?
“The Wild Robot” ends with Roz allowing herself to be taken back to a human settlement after all of the island fought for her to stay against Vontra. This was hard for them, especially since a portion of the island ended up in flames trying to protect Roz, but they got it. Like the birds, she had to migrate for a season, but she promised to be back.
Considering Vontra nearly erased Roz last time, Brightbill fears that if she goes to the humans, they will succeed, but she reassures him they won’t for she has developed a heart that holds her memories – they no longer are exclusively in her head. When Brightbill migrates for the winter and stops in Roz’s settlement, he approaches her, and she reaffirms that she remembers him, thus giving us a happy ending.
Sequel or Prequel Potential
“The Wild Robot” is more geared towards a sequel featuring Roz making her way back to the island, us getting to see the human settlement more, and learning how humanity ended up in their state. Likely, it would end with the island being threatened for its resources or how humans could monetize how untouched it appears until they realize they could be one with nature and the creatures who live in it.
