“I can imagine no heroism greater than motherhood.” - Lance Conrad
There are exceptions to everything in this world. So I realize, for those of us that have or had a mother who embodied the very idea of what it means to be a mom, we are extraordinarily lucky. Whether through death early in life or to be misfortunate enough to be born from a loveless woman, some of us have never known the strength and love that a mother can give and never ask for anything in return but the happiness of her family. To those that have been deprived of such a gift for a variety of reasons, from the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry.
The Wild Robot is a fantastical look into the complexities of being a mother. It exaggerates scenarios as animated stories often do but the symbolism of how chaotically rewarding and unforgiving motherhood can be (I imagine) is never lost beneath the literal qualities of robots, animals and nature itself. In fact it’s at the forefront of every choice made by the main protagonist dictating her path for which she states repeatedly and very clearly that she has no idea what she’s doing. A sentiment I think many parents, especially new mothers, will certainly relate to. As the journey of the main protagonist, named Roz, carries on she becomes a new form of herself, once cold and unfeeling as simply a robot assistant, to a wild robot, feral but filled with sudden unexpected purpose. It is an allegory for life before and after birth, a new life requiring so much of its mother, prepared or not.
It explores themes of love, loss, finding purpose, losing perspective, self-discovery, pitfalls and triumphs of what it means to sacrifice for those we love most. I may not be a parent, I’ll never be a mother, but if I’ve learned anything from my amazing parents, particularly my mother, it’s that sacrifice and parenthood are synonymous with one another. My mom would say that in many ways those sacrifices were her greatest gifts in life. I would say that’s a bit crazy but I think that goes under the synonyms of being a parent as well.
The Wild Robot, as great stories often do, begins simply and mysteriously. A seemingly lifeless robot has washed ashore far from its intended destination. It comes online and must immediately fight for survival in an unexpectedly hostile, alien environment. Every way it turns trying to find its purpose is met with the utmost aggression and not understanding any of it. But the wild robot is smart and simply needs time to learn, and so she does. In the midst of her self-discovery and ultimate survival she accidentally but irreparably causes damage leaving a lonely, unborn gosling to fend for itself. Before long though the gosling is hatched and the first thing he sees is Roz, his new mother. Whether she wants to be or not.
Roz and her new burden must find the means to survive in a strange place wholly unfamiliar to both of them. In their naivety they find that having a friend is better than being abandoned and so, despite his instincts and her programming, an unlikely kinship begins between a newborn goose and a robot assistant. As time moves on their relationship grows stronger and more complex but unquestionably more loving. Together, along with their newfound friend, a fox named Fink, they endure and thrive and pursue their purposes in life not as strangers but as family, as unique and nonsensical as they may be. And that’s the beauty of what they become, a family all the same, despite what traditional constructs might dictate.
Lupita Nyong’o as Roz is given a remarkable character arc, stemming from cold robot to loving mother and all the obstacles along the way influencing who she will ultimately become creating a wonderful, fully realized character who in many ways is having her own kind of hero origin story. She overrides her programming, a symbolic representation of ignoring what is said to be the best path for her and finding her own way with her own people (wild animals). And of course, the reason for her continued perseverance, lovingly named Brightbill, a once abandoned gosling, still small but growing in confidence and ability, all because of his mother, a robot named Roz.
Its greatest shortcoming occurs with the third act. The first two thirds of the story are phenomenal. It is a contained, perfectly executed story of family and friendship. And then, out of misplaced thinking, the third act introduces unnecessary drama into an already established storyline in no need of any outside influence. It still manages to be engaging enough and certainly entertaining, but the final 40 minutes at times feel hollow compared to the perfectly structured two acts. Luckily, whatever happens in the climax of the film, it never becomes anything less than a stellar animated feature. Perhaps it just could have been simplified and been something even greater.
With so much focus on motherhood, it’s surprising to see the story naturally explore themes of friendship as well. Roz and Brightbill bringing Fink into their home, as he proclaims that everyone hates him, is a selfless, beautiful truth that you can never have too many to love. Being embraced allows Fink to open his mind and heart to healing and acceptance of those he once despised.
To bring to life such beautiful themes of motherhood, love, family and friendship the creators chose a sort of brush stroke animation style creating a warmth normally found in storybooks filled with gorgeous imagery to match its ever-growing heart. It is a visually stunning journey and the creativity absolutely bursts from the screen in staggering form.
With all this talk of love and motherhood it might sound overly sappy but it avoids this by never patronizing the complexities of being a parent or more simply put, the difficulties of being alive. It adores the themes it explores without ever pretending life is just a fairytale. It demonstrates through its realistic depiction of nature that life is anything but easy, or safe for that matter. There are perils in all aspects of life and The Wild Robot explores these concepts with a wild eyed kind of optimism without forgoing the truths of what it means to be a living creature on planet Earth. Even if that planet is ravaged, it shows signs of healing much like the characters we grow to love, Roz, Brightbill, Fink and so many other hilariously human-like animals.
The Wild Robot is one of Dreamworks best films in a long time. It is powerfully human despite no real human characters. It explores relatable themes with a profound kind of fascination and respect and an amazing earnestness to not just entertain but to enlighten and inspire. The characters are fully realized, effortlessly lovable and to root for them is to hope for a truly happy conclusion to their lovely story. And the animation style brings all of this together for a film that the whole family, adults included, will absolutely revere and celebrate. Animated or not, a slightly weaker third act aside, this is one of the year’s best films.
Rated PG For: action/peril and thematic elements
Runtime: 101 minutes
After Credits Scene: Yes
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi
Starring (voice): Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy
Directed By: Chris Sanders
Out of 10
Story: 9/ Acting: 9/ Directing: 9/ Visuals: 10
OVERALL: 9/10
Buy to Own: Yes
Check out the trailer below: