The Wild Robot

The Wild Robot
Starring Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Catherine O'Hara
Directed by Chris Sanders

"Sometimes to survive we must become more than we're programmed to be." That line from the trailer perfectly encapsulates the movie, a film that's rich in visual storytelling, vibrant in its animation, and one that will pluck at your heartstrings like its being played by an expert cellist. It's a children's movie that is far more than just for kids, something that doesn't come off as a cheap cash grab, and one that will move you to tears on more than one occasion. A film like "Toy Story" that will have you getting one lesson as a child, and another one entirely when you're an adult. The layers are multiple and deep, spanning different themes without being cheesy or toned down. It's heavy for a kid's movie, but it's one you won't soon forget. You see it, you hear it, and - most importantly - you feel it.

On an abandoned island, an abandoned robot named ROZZUM Unit 7134 (Lupita Nyong'o) is awakened and seeks out her main programming: to find someone who needs her assistance. The only other living beings on the island are the wildlife, and after learning their language, learns that they consider her a monster and want nothing to do with her. Then she finds an egg and a wily fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal) who shows her the ropes of living on the island, and once the egg cracks she's gifted with a runt Canada goose she names Brightbill. Having been thrust into motherhood, ROZZUM (now called Roz) learns that the goose must eat, swim, and fly in order to survive the harsh winter approaching, and she sets out to accomplish this.

Now older, Brightbill (Kit Connor) struggles to find his place with the other geese who consider him an outsider for having been raised by the supposed monster. Having only each other - as well as Fink - Brightbill and Roz become a family against an ecosystem that doesn't accept them, but as he learns how to fly and Roz helps the other animals, they find community and a home within the wild. Then the company that created Roz comes back for her, leading the wildlife fending for their home, as well as Roz.

Director Chris Sanders said his approach to "The Wild Robot" was like a Monet painting in a Miyazaki forest, and he managed to achieve that to perfection. The movie is marvelous to behold, like a painting come to life. It's visually majestic, pulling you more into the story and appreciating the art you see on screen.

The story is told through talented voice actors including Pedro Pascal as the sly fox Fink, who at first wants to just eat the egg and look out for itself, but as he spends more time with Roz he realizes he has someone that actually cares about him, opening him up in surprising ways. Catherine O'Hara voices Pinktail, a maternal opossum with seven younglings who teaches Roz the ups and downs of motherhood, and her children are the best comedic relief of the movie, always nihilistic in their views of death which is surprising considering this is a kid's movie, but it pays off.

But the main stars of the film are Lupita Nyong'o and Kit Connor, who form an unlikely nuclear family but shows that parents aren't necessarily blood related. Nyong'o had a rough task in voicing Roz, as she doesn't show emotion, and it could've resulted in a wooden performance, but she found a way to express herself in meaningful ways without coming across as totally robotic. Kit Connor voices an older Brightbill and has to face issues with the other geese who don't see him as one of their own, and that mixed with his complicated feelings toward Roz gives the young actor something incredibly meaty to work with.

The story itself is multi-faceted, juggling numerous different themes without wasting any of them, and without sacrificing one for the other. The main theme of the film is motherhood, as Roz must learn to care and tend to Brightbill in order for him to survive, and it's the emotional core of the movie. Much like real life mothers, she puts her offspring before herself, and you sense the deep love and commitment she has for him, even though she doesn't know what emotions are. It also touches on the moment every mother both fears and longs for: when their baby finds the strength to leave the nest. To say I didn't tear up would be a lie.

Then there's the topic of fitting in, as Roz, Brightbill and Fink are seen as outcasts by the other animals, and even going as far as calling Roz a monster and Brightbill a runt, unable to survive on its own. Yet, despite being outcasts, they band together to help the other animals when needed, forsaking their negative viewpoints in favor of doing the greater good. It's powerful and thought-provoking, forcing us to look inside ourselves to see if we're people who look down at others, or if we're the ones downtrodden if we would sacrifice for people who treated us badly in the past.

There's so many other themes the movie gives, and everyone will get something different out of it. It's a rare treat for an American animated movie to illicit such emotional reactions, and goes to prove that there's real heart and desire in the project as opposed to making a quick cash grab to draw families in. The lessons in "The Wild Robot" are vast and powerful, and will linger with you long after the credits end.

The Score: A+