In the near-ish future, ROZZUM 7134 is the only surviving unit out of a cargo of server-robots washed up on an island wilderness. Crab-crawling up the cliff-face - using the first of many skills she’ll mimic from the island’s wildlife - humanoid ‘Roz’ (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o) makes a home in the woodland.
The most striking thing about The Wild Robot is how it continues mainstream animation’s ongoing visually inventive streak (the Spider-Verse movies, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish). This CG-animated film has a sumptuous, painterly quality that magics brushstrokes out of pixels. It’s delightful to gawp at, and makes the ideal canvas for the tech-meets-nature story.
Along the way, Roz bonds with Fink the fox (a spry Pedro Pascal) and Paddler the beaver (Matt Berry); the believable breathing, snarling life imbued into these creatures recalls writer/director Chris Sanders’ previous successes (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon). But Roz’s most special – and heartwarming – connection is with gosling Brightbill (Kit Connor), a runt she adopts after a tragic accident. Their early moments together, as Roz teaches him to fly, are where the film really takes off emotionally, thanks in no small part to Nyong’o’s excellent, cliche-swerving voicework.
There’s a touching theme about becoming more than you’re programmed to be, so it’s a slight shame The Wild Robot can’t completely resist formula, leaning into high-tech action in its third act. This, like some of the too-modern gags elsewhere, feels at odds with the general vibe of lovingly rendered originality. But compared to the average family-friendly animation, this is very much an upgrade.
The Wild Robot is released in US theaters on September 27 and in UK cinemas on October 18.
For more upcoming movies, check out our guide to 2024 movie release dates.
