Heading into UK cinemas on Friday 18th October, and now available on digital in the US, is the animated family film, The Wild Robot. Written and directed by Chris Sanders, and based on the book of the same name by Peter Brown, the film follows the story of a service robot who finds itself lost in the wilderness.
In the movie, ROZZUM 7134 is an advanced robot with a range of skills. After crash landing on an island populated by animals, the bot updates its programming to communicate with the creatures, in the hope that one of them is in need of its services.
Unfortunately, none of the creatures require the bot’s skills. That is, until ROZZUM 7134 accidentally damages a goose nest, leaving just one egg intact and in desperate need of care.
Aiming to protect the egg, ROZZUM 7134 keeps it safe from a predator until it hatches. However, once the egg is hatched and a gosling emerges, ROZZUM 7134 (later named Roz) finds itself becoming an unexpected mother.
Featuring gorgeous animation, a storyline guaranteed to tug at the heartstrings, and a voice cast which includes Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Catherine O’Hara, and Mark Hamill, The Wild Robot has a lot to offer, and then some! It is a delightful movie which is fun, colourful, and action-packed, and kids, adults, and anyone with a heart is going to love it.
In fact, I would say if The Wild Robot doesn’t win you over, you’re either dead inside or just plain dead. And if you are dead, you really have no business taking up a seat at the cinema or even reading this review (no offence).
Anyway, I presume I’m talking to the living, and if this is you (and I really hope it is), The Wild Robot is a truly delightful film and a must-see picture. To put it simply: It’s fab!
The whole thrust of the movie is Ros’ desire to complete its task, which in this case is to protect the gosling until it is able to fend for itself. In order to achieve this, the gosling (named Brightbill) needs to know how to eat, swim, and fly by Fall, and Roz believes if it can achieve these goals then both bot and bird can go their separate ways.
But of course, everyone knows the more time you spend with someone or something the more difficult it becomes to say goodbye. And if you’re a parent, it becomes impossible.
The whole movie is about the bond between Roz and Brightbill, the love they share, and the ever-present feeling that at some point they will part. The film covers many topics associated with parenthood, including unconditional love, adoption, friendship, compassion, and much more.
But The Wild Robot is also more than just this, the film is also about how Roz becomes less robotic and more human. During the course of the film Roz has to deal with growth and development as well as unexpected feelings towards a son.
Last week saw the UK release of animated children’s movie, Transformers One, and if you have kids who are Transformers fans then that film is perfectly fine to watch and you may be off to see it. But if you only have time and money for one movie, I urge you to see The Wild Robot.
I can’t express enough just how beautiful, heartfelt, and gosh darn special this picture is. The Wild Robot is an excellent film and I guarantee it will captivate you from start to finish.
It will cause you to shed a tear or two (I’m welling up as I type out this review), but boy, the tears are worth it. From the art, to the voice cast, the sound design and everything in between, this is just excellent.
Easily one of the best animated films of 2024, and arguably one of the best films of the year, The Wild Robot is fantastic. It is an all-ages film, with a story that can entertain children whilst delivering something a little more meaningful and impactful for adults.
Go see it. Just go see it.
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Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
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