★★★★★
Every once in a very long while you watch a movie that’s so wonderful and beautiful that you have no idea how the heck you can write a review that does it justice.
The Wild Robot is one of those special movies.
Before saying anything else, I’m so serious, just drop whatever you are doing and go see it — it exceeded my already high expectations!
The Wild Robot blew me away. This is a wonderful, wonderful movie that will become a profoundly cozy comfort watch in years to follow. It’s an instant classic and already one of my favourite movies of the year. A perfect, gorgeous film that’s propulsive, funny, incredibly exciting, hugely epic, and even more emotional. There simply aren’t enough superlatives to describe it — it is simply outstanding. The Wild Robot is an astonishing film. It’s a showcase for DreamWorks and Chris Sanders at their absolute best and the result is one of the most powerful and moving animated films I have ever seen. The film is often funny and cute (with some great dark humour), but by brilliantly blending harsh realities of nature with the tenderness of parenthood, there’s a maturity to the story that we don’t see much in family films these days.
Chris Sanders' direction here is really what makes the whole thing work. He takes what could’ve been some forgettable straight to streaming movie and brings in so much emotional maturity and weight, making it into one of the year’s best films. A symphony of soul crescendos into the most poignant portrait of parenthood. Instinct vs improv, love and acceptance, this is a film about the heart and how it defines our connection to all things. It's why we're here. Gosh, this really is a breathtaking masterpiece.
Movies like this are why animation is so important. What a gorgeous, emotionally powerful piece of work enhanced by the animation on display.
This is some of the best computer animation that I’ve ever seen and I was in awe at the beauty on screen. Stunning animation across the board. Every single frame is vibrant and brimming with life. And the painterly animation style so well suits the story/source material. It looks like a brushstroke painting at times and the way they make this island feel so alive is brilliant. The texture of the animation is a heavy contributor to bringing you as close to Roz as possible and sparking the feeling that you’re discovering right alongside her. There are some dazzling, vibrant sequences in this film that made me feel as if I was elevating above my seat, in terms of both story and visuals, complemented perfectly by a soaring, emotional musical score.
There are some movie scores where when you hear it alone or in the scene, you feel that rise in your chest and your breath taken away. Moments like Theodan’s charge in Return of the King. Hiccup and Toothless’ test drive in How to Train Your Dragon. Seeing the dinosaurs for the first time in Jurassic Park. Or when Simba sees his father in the stars in The Lion King. The Wild Robot has a score like that. Kris Bowers’ sweeping and majestic score also brings so much emotional heft. The animation is stunning, but it’s the score from Kris Bowers that soars. You will absolutely feel it in your chest, as it elevates every moment in the film beautifully.
The voice cast is outstanding. Lupita Nyong’o brings so much humanity, complexity, and warmth to Roz and I love hearing her become more “alive” as the story continues. Pedro Pascal is great as Fink as well, being both funny and sweet. You also get strong supporting performances from the likes of Kit Connor, Matt Berry, Mark Hamill, Catherine O’Hara, and more.
The Wild Robot lives alongside Wall-E and The Iron Giant in the pantheon of robots that are too good for us in a striking animated story about belonging. One that’ll make us want to strive to be better than who we are. This represents the pinnacle of DreamWorks Animation. The Wild Robot is a wondrous tale of parenthood, survival, kindness, and coexistence in our natural living world. I also really appreciated the messaging about climate change and the environment, as well as humanity’s and nature's relationship with technology. With big-hearted storytelling, plenty of laughs, phenomenal voice acting, and a beautifully epic score that captures the grandeur of Chris Sanders’ vision, it’s a crowd-pleasing and emotionally stirring story that not only deserves to win Best Animated Feature but also to be nominated for Best Picture.
The Wild Robot is an absolute heart-warming gem. It boasts stunning visuals and unique animation as well as a memorable score that is chill-inducing. A beautiful tale brought to life with passionate performances and amazing technicals, it’s a touching tear-jerker. It's been a long time since a film’s final moments reduced me to a blubbering mess. An absolute feast for the eyes, heart, and imagination - The Wild Robot is the most stunning animated film of the year.
Film Info:
Comments