“The Wild Robot” Review: A Surprising Robot-Centred Masterpiece That Rivals “The Iron Giant”

Back in 1999, the animated film “The Iron Giant” was released; it was a special story about a 50-foot-tall alien robot that learnt to be human. Though it was a touching film that should have won several awards, it flopped at the box office. Despite this, it’s fondly remembered today as a cult classic because of how much of an emotional rollercoaster it was, filled with memorable lines that some die-hard fans still quote today.

Now, after 25 years, we have another wholesome robot film called “The Wild Robot,”  which some have already likened to the aforementioned film, but this time, with a few key changes that allow it to stand on its own two feet. But this begs the question: can this colourful new robot movie carve out its own path, or will it simply crash, never learning to fly?

The story opens with a robot, known as ROZZUM unit 7134 or “Roz” (played by Lupita Nyong’o), which was shipwrecked on an uninhabited island. The ROZZUM robots are specifically designed to be assigned and complete tasks, something that is completely impossible on a human-less island. In Roz’s desperation, she begins to learn and understand the language of the animals as a means of adapting to the harsh surroundings and hopefully, find that task that will complete her programming.

As the story unfolds, she becomes the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling whom she later names Brightbill (played by Kit Conner). Together with a sly fox named Fink (played by Pedro Pascal), the three must learn to navigate through the pitfalls of a family, especially one as unorthodox as theirs.

The film’s trailer makes it seem like a fun, unassuming story, especially since you don’t really know what to expect (unless you’ve read the books, but even then, the film varies greatly from the original source material). But our opinion shifts greatly as the movie progresses, as the story focusses on the very wholesome relationship between the three main characters and how they try to be more than what they are for the sake of the others.

But it doesn’t really hammer our heads with that idea, thankfully. The film takes its time when it comes to navigating its themes and sprinkles in a lot of comedy early on to both space out the heavier sequences and prepare for the emotional climax.

While on the topic of comedy, for a family-oriented film, there is a lot, and we mean A LOT, of black comedy – that you really can’t help but laugh at. It’s incredible what this film is able to get away with for a laugh. And you shouldn’t feel bad for it, as practically every parent has thought the same things once or twice when dealing with their excessively rambunctious kids. Though on the surface it looks like it’s geared towards a younger age group, “The Wild Robot” has something that all age brackets and genders can enjoy.

Additionally, this film also dabbles in and talks about heavier topics, ones which are quite difficult and delicate to broach to younger minds. But it handles the subject matter in such a delicate manner, illustrating it as part of life, and sometimes playing for laughs, that adults and maybe some younger audience can process it properly. Again, this is a movie made for the whole family. You can argue that there are particular segments that are specifically made for parents, especially first-time ones, which is incredibly validating. But even if you’re coming in solo, you’re still in for a treat – that much is guaranteed.

Of course, we can’t move on without discussing the gorgeous artistry that goes into the film. Unlike the typical 3D-rendered films that have popped up as of late, “The Wild Robot” features a more unique art style that looks like it was masterfully painted on a canvas. From a thousand butterflies flapping their wings to blazing fires, the colours and the way they were designed simply pop. Pair this up with the stellar voice work of the cast and a mesmerising score by Kris Bowers, and you can tell this film was made with passion rather than profit in mind. You can feel it. In a time when most children’s media and entertainment are milked like cows in a cynical cash grab, “The Wild Robot” chooses to go against that depressive norm to deliver a lovely film, and it should be commended.

With all of these factors combined, “The Wild Robot” is an unassuming masterpiece for the whole family that takes you by surprise. It’s a colourful and vibrant flick that doesn’t shy away from dark topics and darker humour, with gut-wrenchingly familiar subject matter that we can’t really hide away from. This culminates in a memorable movie for all age groups and might even be this generation’s “The Iron Giant.”

“The Wild Robot” opens in theatres nationwide on 19th September.