The Wild Robot
Animation movies do not captivate me the way they used to. I am not sure why that is. However, sometimes memories of my childhood resurface. During those moments, I feel an urge to watch an animated movie again. One such moment led me to decide on watching a new animated movie. I did not want to take the risk of selecting a movie by a new director. So, I searched to see if any known directors had a recent release. That is when I saw the name Chris Sanders. Do you know him? You might remember the movie "How to Train Your Dragon." He was the director behind that popular animated hit. Seeing his name made me hopeful, and I decided to watch the trailer for his new movie "The Wild Robot." I liked the trailer a lot and decided I would watch it. Before starting the movie, I researched it a bit more. I found that the main character, a robot, was voiced by the actress Lupita Nyong'o. I recognized her from the movie "Twelve Years a Slave," which was released in 2013. That movie was undoubtedly remarkable that year. Lupita even won an Oscar for her supporting role. Anyway, enough about that. Let us talk about "The Wild Robot."
A Shipwreck and a Strange Journey
A large cargo ship gets wrecked in a storm while traveling through a forest. All five robot units inside the cargo are destroyed. The only robot that survives is ROZZUM Unit 7134. She is simply called ROZ. After the wreck, insects and other small animals in the forest come to inspect the broken parts. Eventually, a curious ostrich accidentally activates ROZ. This is when the strange and funny events begin. The robot thinks all the wild animals are her customers. She has been programmed to complete tasks assigned by customers. Getting tasks is her purpose in life. Every time she sees a wild animal, she approaches it and says, “Give me a task, I can do it for you.”
If this had happened in a human settlement, people might have been intrigued by her behavior. But in the jungle, her actions frighten the animals. They start calling her a “monster.” By the way, the wild animals in this movie can talk. But for ROZ to understand their language, she has to go through a hilarious learning experience.
ROZ's Struggles and New Responsibilities
The environment is completely unfamiliar to ROZ. She was never prepared for this kind of place. While wandering and stumbling around, ROZ eventually gets chased by a bear. This chase almost destroys her. In desperation, she jumps off a cliff. Her heavy body falls onto a duck's nest. The mother duck and all the eggs are destroyed, except one. This incident brings a new twist to the story. From that one surviving egg, a baby duck hatches. His name is Brightbill. The young duck's voice is provided by a seven-year-old boy named Boone Storm.
The movie shows ROZ taking care of this orphaned duckling. She promises to nurture him until he becomes an adult. ROZ is a robot, but living close to nature teaches her empathy. This is what makes this movie different from other animated films. However, under Sanders' direction, the movie never feels like a documentary. There is also a fox that adds excitement to the story. The fox's voice is performed by Pedro Pascal.
Stunning Visuals and a Heartfelt Message
The visuals are stunning, and the background score is beautiful. The movie keeps the audience thrilled from start to finish. The wild animals also have funny behaviors that are hard to explain. The colors in the movie are so vibrant that the visuals feel alive. Each voiceover artist delivers lines with such melody that every word is easy on the ears. Overall, it is an outstanding one-and-a-half-hour movie.
The core message of the movie is that technology and nature do not have to be adversaries. They can coexist. Through a character like ROZ, we learn that once we connect with nature, both humans and machines can help each other. The emotions of a robot, the affection of nature, and the care for a small creature—these elements make this movie unique. No matter how advanced technology becomes, our true strength lies in love, compassion, and understanding each other. After watching the movie, I realized that forming connections in solitude is nature’s greatest gift.