Why 'The Wild Robot' Should Be a Shoo-In For a Best Animated Feature Oscar Nomination!

Who here likes animated movies about robots that make you cry? Whether it be The Iron Giant or Big Hero 6, the idea of having an animated film about a young kid becoming best robots with a naïve but loving robot is, well… it works! However, this case breaks the trend by having the robot be the leading character as she forms a motherly relationship that makes her more alive. In this case, we are referring to the latest entry from Dreamworks Animation in the form of The Wild Robot, which currently has a 98% Rotten Tomatoes score, lauded by critics as visually dazzling, heart-warming and brilliant— “a simple tale told with great sophistication.”

Based on the book series by Peter Brown, The Wild Robot already captivated the hearts of audiences with its initial trailer earlier this year. Borrowing a painted-on style similar to Dreamworks’ last mega-hit Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, there was a brewing excitement for this film that Dreamworks has not seen in quite a while. Once the film made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, all those hopes became true and then some! Critics fell in love with the movie, claiming it be one of Dreamworks’ best works — recent or otherwise — and many of them seemed to be in need of a tissue following the screening.

And now, having now gotten the chance to see the film ourselves, oh yeah, bring your Kleenex! The Wild Robot is a remarkable achievement of cinema in so many regards that we had to bring light to. In hindsight, the success of this film shouldn’t be too big of a surprise, as the director Chris Sanders has quite the track record, having directed animated classics such as Lilo & Stitch (he’s also the voice of Stitch, fun fact!), How to Train Your Dragon, and The Croods, all of which were nominated for Best Animated Feature Film of The Year at the Oscars. It seems his work on The Wild Robot might add a fourth nomination to his resume!

The cast consists of nothing but pure talent, with Lupita Nyong’o playing the titular role. Known for her performances in Us, Black Panther, and A Quiet Place: Day One, as well as her Oscar-winning performance in 12 Years a Slave, it's safe to say Nyong’o has little practice in the realm of feel-good family films. However, this allows her to perfectly embody the AI robot discovering the nature of the world and her own emotions. Interestingly enough, the cheerful, high-pitched voice she uses for her character ended up straining her throat. She had to go on vocal rest for months to recover. If that’s not commitment, we don’t know what is! 

Meanwhile, Pedro Pascal, known for his starring roles in "The Mandalorian" and "The Last of Us", plays the robot’s fox pal. Stephanie Hsu, who received critical acclaim and was nominated for an Oscar for her dual role as Joy Wang and Jobu Tupaki in Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, takes on another villainous role in The Wild Robot. Mark Hamill, who you know best as Luke Skywalker from Star Wars, acts as a grizzly bear in this film. Along with Matt Berry, Catherine O’Hara, Kit Connor, and more, safe to say, this movie was in plenty good hands, hence why it’s even more impressive how much this story takes you off-guard.

Along with the stacked cast, part of what makes The Wild Robot so exciting is its unique narrative. In a time when many animated features are sequels or remakes, The Wild Robot offers characters and plot that feel novel. The fresh material will grip audience members of all ages with an amazing storyline buttressed by equally amazing visuals. It will pull you in with its beautiful storyline and striking appearance, working in tandem. 

For those in need of a quick plot summary, the story follows a helper robot named Roz ("Serial Mumber Rozzum Unit 7134" doesn’t quite roll off the tongue) activating after a crash left it on an abandoned island. In trying to figure out a reason for being active, Roz tries to acclimate to the island and its many animal inhabitants to varying degrees of success… Okay, they hate her. It isn’t all bad, though. Once Roz discovers an orphaned egg that hatches a gosling, who subsequently imprints on Roz as its mother, she sets out to take care of her new birdy baby and goes along a journey of transformation she never thought possible.

As we mentioned up top, it is unique to have the robot helper character be the center of attention, let alone a motherly figure. It is this storyline that helps to make The Wild Robot universal. Roz starts out in the story just like anyone moving into a new area — clueless and helpless. And instead of her neighbors welcoming her in with her open arms, all they see her as is a scary, destructive, and pretty annoying robot. The best she can do is try to understand them and their way of life. That idea could be applied to most college students in their freshman year, figuring out their way on a campus that already has its day-to-day figured and, oh yeah, you’re an adult now! In Roz’s case, its learning how to become a mother when no one has the guide to do so. Teaching herself and those around her how to be caring is the definition of nurture. Usually, when the themes of nature and nurture are brought up, it always become a battle of Nature VERSUS Nurture (just watch Trading Places). What Chris Sanders had the bravery to ask in this movie is, why can’t you have both? Embracing who you are, while also pushing past the boundaries to see what you can be is something tha,t in today’s day and age, we all could use a healthy reminder of. If The Wild Robot can offer us that, wrapped in a beautiful package of sights and sounds, then that sounds like an easy excuse to get off that cozy chair and go to the movies. Roz might not be a proper adult (or human), but she is just as bright-eyed as anyone trying to find a community. So, boom! Relatable. 

Lupita Nyong'o’s voicework really helps ring in this effect, as even when she’s in full “Hi, I’m a robot” mode, the joyful energy she brings is about as wholesome as it gets. She really does a lot to make Roz fully realized, just as much as the whole cast does to this zoo’s worth of animals. Whether it be Catherine O’Hara as yet another mother looking out for her little ones, Pedro Pascal as a rambunctious fox who’s really in need of a friend, or the wise words of Bill Nighy as Longneck, everyone does their part to help this community feel like a home.

With a home that is an island so luscious with things to see and explore, you’d think its an open world video game. The trees are tall, the water is plentiful, and every single second of it is so… dang… BEAUTIFUL! Holy Shrek, this movie’s animation never ceases to give you those *chef’s kiss* moments with gorgeous vistas that are only made better by the fluid movements to the way every character is animated. All of that is to say, nature is integral to The Wild Robot. The very essence of who we are and the basics of the world around us define every single critter and every single tree in this movie. This programming of life is something that the film respects as it explores the many places where you can break out of your nature.