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WILD ROBOT, THE

The Wild Robot delivers family-friendly entertainment through a robot stranded on an island that makes us experience the journey of connection, acceptance, and belonging. This animated film is heartwarming and laugh-out-loud fun.

When a shipping container is lost at sea during a typhoon, Roz the Robot (Lupita Nyong'o), emerges as the sole survivor on an island with nothing but wildlife. Programmed to complete a task, she has to learn to understand and interact with the animals there and she struggles with connecting and acceptance. Her journey takes a turn when she assists an orphaned goose, Brightbill, (Kit Connor) and gets help from a fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal). Every new and confusing experience shifts Roz's programming as she experiences things she was never programmed to imagine and finds a new way to live.

I enjoyed the humor of this film from DreamWorks Animation. The writing is great. The absurd, yet accurately dark humor, parental comments from Pinktail, a mother opossum, (Catherine O'Hara) are so relatable. Her shocking statements make her character so enjoyable. The animators illustrate the emotional reactions of island animals to perfection. Roz's help initially causes more chaos than assistance. When Roz sees a beaver building a damn, rather than help build it, her programming tells her it's an obstacle and she destroys it. The beaver's response is priceless. The confusion and disbelief when Roz provides a sticker communicating that the task is complete is hysterical. These moments contribute to the humor and build on the character development of The Wild Robot as we watch her struggle to connect with the animals on the island. Her adventures with Fink and Brightbill create bonding moments and we see how belonging, acceptance and connection can be influenced by kindness.

The Wild Robot provides an uplifting message of how belonging and acceptance come from one's heart. It successfully shows how kindness and caring are valued by all. Parents and viewers should be aware there are flashing and strobe lighting effects, loud noises and dark humor, which may be unsuitable for some viewers.

I give The Wild Robot 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. The Wild Robot releases in theatres on September 27,, 2024.

Emma O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

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After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island's animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose.