'The Wild Robot': Life lessons from a 10-ton-steel machine

The DreamWorks law is in effect: after a mediocre (or outright terrible) movie, they release a masterpiece that everyone can’t stop talking about.

Following the lackluster Kung Fu Panda 4, which fell short despite its fan service and heartfelt message, they’ve now premiered the film that - you read it here first - will be the animated favorite of the year at awards ceremonies. With Chris Sanders at the helm, Wild Robot has arrived, and as always, DreamWorks never fails to deliver delightful surprises.

This isn’t the first time Hollywood has brought us the story of a robot that ends up building emotional bonds and developing a personality of its own. However, these stories are always a welcome sight when executed well, especially when they dare to go a little deeper, dig further, and explore new themes through familiar cinematic forms.

Simple, straightforward, and extremely effective

The movie is very simple, yep. But how is this intentional and how it contributes to the movie?

Within the first ten minutes, you already know exactly where the plot is heading. Yet this doesn’t prevent it from becoming a hit. The obvious question is why, and the answer is quite clear.

From the very first moment, not only the protagonist and the characters around her, but the entire world they inhabit, have a captivating charm and essence that keeps you wanting to know more. As time goes by, the film steadily works its magic to win your heart.

Before you realize it, you’re in love with Roz, Brightbill, and Fink. Little by little, you’re deeply moved by what happens to them and the twists their adventure takes.

But the real heart of the movie isn’t just this - it’s the ability to tell a powerful story that delves into complex reflections on deep themes, especially one I didn’t expect at all from a movie about, well, a robot lost in the woods…

Motherhood, environmentalism, and much more

Who is a mother? The one who raises or the one who gives birth?

This age-old moral debate is explored through various shades in the film, with a rather intriguing figure at its center: a robot. How can a metal creation weighing several tons serve as a maternal figure?

This is the film’s initial dilemma, and from it spring explorations of even deeper issues, such as the very contemporary debate over robotics and artificial intelligence, existentialism, and humanity's relationship with nature.

What truly stands out is the way these questions are woven into a moving story that avoids comfortable or superficial positions, instead opting to show the nuances of each theme, the potentially devastating consequences, and how every point of view has much to reveal.

Environmentalism here isn’t reduced to a “humans bad - nature good” trope. Instead, it shows the possibility of living in harmony with our world and acknowledges humanity’s potential to contribute as much as it consumes. And as for motherhood - the backbone of the film - it illustrates why this debate has persisted for decades and remains without a single clear or definitive answer.

Being an adoptive mother isn’t easy, but neither is being an adoptive child. The film makes this abundantly clear, showing why this debate is so compelling. The richness that these explorations bring to the narrative elevates it to a complex, well-crafted work suitable for analysis from many perspectives.

And the inevitable Hollywood touch

The only real issue with the movie is that it comes from Hollywood.

Don’t get me wrong - there’s absolutely nothing wrong with having an enormous budget, which in this case actually enables exquisite animation that showcases the studio's maturity. But belonging to such a mainstream industry does mean that the film, unfortunately, falls back on a few elements that detract from its strengths.

It’s not only the predictability of the story but also that it feels like a very traditional narrative, one that could have come from practically any animated movie made twenty years ago. Additionally, in its attempt to explore themes of motherhood and family bonds, it occasionally comes off as somewhat childish and overly simplistic in its storytelling.

This is, however, kept under control enough to avoid overshadowing the film's overall achievement. But the flaws are there, and it’s worth pointing them out because DreamWorks has been around long enough and proven that it can break the mold instead of playing it safe.

Oh, and of course, there’s the pop musical number with a catchy song they’ll definitely push to all the radio stations to make it the winter hit. Is it a good musical number? Let’s just say it’s endearing enough and serves its purpose.

If I had a coin…

…for every time an animated robot has made me cry, I’d have two coins. Not much, but it’s funny that it’s happened twice.

Wild Robot has its flaws, but they’re so minor and few that they fade into the background, hidden behind a series of smart production choices that have crafted the animated hit of the year thanks to DreamWorks.

This is a heartwarming and brilliant film, one easy to liken to animated stories that bring tears to the eyes and are now considered classics. Don’t be surprised if a decade from now people are talking about Wild Robot as one of those, because it has everything it takes to reach that level and become one of the year’s biggest critical and box-office successes.

That said, if you haven’t seen it yet, what are you waiting for? All I can say is…bring enough tissues.