The Wild Robot: The Iron Giant’s Long-Lost Cousin

With universal acclaim, this animated film seems to make everyone’s wildest dreams come true. Will it do the same for Hundred Tomatoes? I voted for Pedro Sanchez, so hopefully, the answer is “yes”.

*Legally purchasing “The Wild Robot”*

*Analyzing Academy Award potential*

*Assigning score out of one hundred tomatoes*

*Cross referencing with random, irrelevant website*

*Publishing review in 3… 2….1…*

From the creator of legendary animated features such as Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch”, along with Dreamwork’s “How to Train Your Dragon”, Director Chris Sanders once again teams up with the latter studio to create his newest work, “The Wild Robot”, which derives from a book series written by Peter Brown. The adventure follows the journey of, you guessed it, a robot (congrats on deducing that, you’re all geniuses)—named ROZZUM unit 7134 "Roz" for short -- that is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.

In the same way a ROZZUM always completes its task, we at Hundred Tomatoes try to follow suit with the same clinical efficiency, analyzing all the elements that make up a successful film. Acclaims wise, this movie received four nominations at the Golden Globes, including “Best Animated Feature”, “Best Original Score”, “Best Original Song”, and “Cinematic and Box Office Achievement”.

Sometimes, nominees at these award shows resonate with artistic communities, but do not reflect that success through their pocketbooks. In this instance however, “The Wild Robot” now stands as one of the highest grossing animated films of all time. To go a step further, amongst non-sequels or remakes, it finished 2^nd in box office success in 2024, behind “It Ends With Us”. Crazy to think that out of the twenty most profitable films of the past year, only three of them could be considered “original”, but I digress….

Does “The Wild Robot” complete its task of entertaining all moviegoers, or malfunction while attempting to do so? Before answering this question, let’s look at the thoughts of those ruthless robocops over at the absolute brainrot we call “Rotten Tomatoes”:

Critic Score: 97% Certified Fresh

Critic Synopsis: A simple tale told with great sophistication; The Wild Robot is wondrous entertainment that dazzles the eye while filling your heart to the brim.

Audience Score: 98% Certified Fresh

Audience Synopsis: Adapted from the bestselling novel, DreamWorks’ “The Wild Robot” will steal hearts both young and old.

Given the massive, overwhelming approval of “The Wild Robot” from everyone, it begs the question: does Hundred Tomatoes concur with this wildly positive consensus? As mentioned earlier, I voted for Pedro Sanchez (not to be mistaken with the current Prime Minister of Spain), because he promised in the modern classic, “Napoleon Dynamite” that by casting a ballot for him, he would make all my wildest dreams come true. So, let’s find out if this film helps him deliver on that bold statement.

*Commencing Full Review Now*

Several years ago, a good friend of mine once remarked that animated films possess a distinct advantage when it comes to bringing an artistic vision to life. To illustrate this point: if a director making something that involves real people wants to film a massive flamethrower battle in the mountains, they would likely need to spend inordinate amounts of time scouting for a proper location, consulting weapons specialists, setting up the film crew, going through multiple takes, editing all of that to ensure it looks smooth, and so much more. This inevitably adds up financially, making it potentially difficult to greenlight such an idea.

On the other hand, for animated films, to bring your wildest imagination to life, you just need to make sure artists involved sketch everything out properly, then animate it accordingly. As a result, the creative limit doesn’t exist. Hence why year after year, we see top tier quality from studios such as Pixar, Dreamworks, and Studio Ghibli. People like to complain that Hollywood is out of ideas, but between movies like “Klaus”, “Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse”, “The Boy and the Heron”, “Soul”, “Encanto”, and countless others, it appears that the memo regarding the dearth of creativity never reached the desk of animators around the world over the past twenty plus years.

Additionally, these types of movies typically target their content to children. Critiquing something clearly designed for six-year-olds, as opposed to grown adults, can elicit a bit of an awkward tension. Whenever I write something negative about animated features, I feel like I’m telling kids around the world that Santa doesn’t exist, and that none of their wildest dreams will come true. It’s tough stuff, but someone needs to address those elephants in the room eventually. The real question though, boils down to whether negativity is needed for this no-nonsense review.

With that precedent in mind, “The Wild Robot” possesses an abundance of originality. For starters, the animation absolutely electrifies. Not only does it contain extravagant, detailed scenery, but also possesses its own artistic flair to it that gives it a unique feeling not seen in other films. It creates an immersive environment spanning across a wide range of wildlife. It’s uncertain whether Chris Sanders’ Colorado upbringing helped give the team strong avenues to envision such gorgeous landscapes, but I doubt it hurt. The one of a kind style takes my breath away.

I cannot think of a direct comparison to describe the animation, but it seems to blend the comic book style of some of the “Spiderverse” movies with the intense, real-life resembling detail seen in many of today’s Pixar films. I hope more movies innovate on this front, because it creates a memorable universe.

Along with the animation, the music brings so much emotion to the hour and forty-two-minute runtime. Score wise, they utilize a ton of different instruments that help it create a sound that not only enables empathy for the characters but also makes the payoff of big accomplishments come across as larger than life. This easily qualifies as one of the most powerful scores of the year, taking viewers on a rollercoaster that leaves them wanting more.

The instrumentals enthrall, but I also love the lyrical songs they incorporate to spice up certain scenes. Without a doubt, the montage where the adopted gosling, Brightbill, goes through the training stages of learning to fly with his de facto mother, Ros, inspires on a deep level. What truly takes it over the edge stems from the usage of the original song, “Kiss the Sky” by Maren Morris. The vocals, dynamics, meaningful words and uplifting nature all help take this moment to the next level.

Speaking of voices, Lupita Nyong’o stands out nicely in her portrayal of Ros. The way she progressively changes her voice to sound more realistic as the film goes along to establish the gradual humanizing of the robot is a compelling, yet subtle touch that adds layers to the character. Pedro Pascale as Fink, an opportunistic fox who learns to love others around him, nicely brings the animal to life. Last but not least, Kit Connor as Brightbill, the adopted gosling, comes across as a believable angsty teenager attempting to find a way to fit in with others.

Aesthetically, this film delivers in a big way. But what about the story itself? While certain minor flaws exist (which I will get to later), overall, “The Wild Robot” creates some intriguing character arcs. On top of that, it covers several different themes in a unique way.

For starters, I like how it showcases the complications of parenthood. Every parent I know deep down admits that they do not possess all the answers when it comes to raising kids, but that the eternal love for their children drives them to do the best they can to ensure that they get everything they need in life to succeed. This familial bond becomes apparent as “The Wild Robot” goes along. The way Ros relies upon her vast knowledge, while also leaning on the members of her community to assist where certain gaps exist, nicely highlights the importance of parents actively seeking out answers in those moments of inevitable uncertainty. They carry this through to the end masterfully. It serves as such a great commentary on the intricacies of raising a family.

Due to this core theme exploration, the development between Brightbill and Ros cannot help but warm the heart. While the two quarrel from time to time (as any family does), they find a genuine bond between each other that transcends life itself. Through thick and thin, they want to be there for each other, despite the lack of biological connection between the two. Family ties can come in various forms. In this case, it also includes Fink the fox, who learns to love others due to the loving, caring nature of both Ros and Brightbill. The three become an unlikely, but compelling trio with fun banter.

Additionally, “The Wild Robot” makes an important observation regarding the need for the intangibles of humanity to advance society. As Ros starts to grow a caring heart, she finds ways to bring everyone together in ways machines, or baseline animalistic instincts cannot. It calls on us to rethink the way we look at the necessary traits for survival. The exploration on the need for selfless outreach creates some powerful moments that bring everyone together wholesomely. Something about animated films and kindness go together like peanut butter and jelly. It never gets old.

I hate to go all “Santa isn’t real” on everyone, but certain nit-picky issues emerge that need addressing. For a while, they make it abundantly clear that Brightbill does not fit in with the other geese, both from an upbringing, and genetic perspective (his wingspan is smaller than normal). However, due to his nature, he needs to learn to fly, so he can migrate with the flock come wintertime. The question becomes, “when does he start to fit in with the others?”

Then, out of nowhere, along comes the head of the flock, Longneck, who sticks his neck out (no pun intended) for Brightbill, advocating literally everything on the viewers minds. Maybe I missed the subtle hints that show him watching them periodically, but the whole development feels like a Deus Ex Machina, since they add little to no context on this individual. He enters well into what feels like the fifty minute mark of the film, and this arc feels a bit, dare I say it….. like a cop out. Although I ultimately like Longneck as a character, his abrupt entrance makes it difficult to build any emotional investment into his actions.

The only other gripe stems from the sheer straightforwardness of the second half of the film. Of course, most feel good movies possess some level of predictability, but in this case, you could telegraph everything easily. A few twists and turns could make the overarching themes even more powerful. Luckily, they execute the latter half extremely well, allowing them to showcase some powerful moments in doing so.

Minor character development flaws and predictability aside, if you’re looking for wholesome, feel-good family fun, “The Wild Robot” makes all your wildest dreams come true. Between the cutting-edge animation that creates an immersive environment, the uplifting music, and the moving story that places a strong emphasis on family ties, a lot of lovable elements to this movie exist that make it worth watching.

TL;DR Synopsis: A heartwarming story with stunning visuals, triumphant music, some intriguing theme explorations, and a few minor hiccups in the character arcs along the way.

HT Score: 83/100 Tomatoes

Oscar Watch:

Occasionally, an animated film can make it into the “Best Picture” category at the Oscars. The list includes Disney’s 1991 rendition of “Beauty and the Beast”, Pixar’s “Up”, an objectively phenomenal film that could make Oscar the Grouch cry, and “Toy Story 3”, another absolute tearjerker that tugs at the heartstrings.

In the entire history of this award show’s existence, those are all the animated “Best Picture” nominees. Three films over ninety-six renditions of the Academy Awards received this coveted recognition. While I enjoy “The Wild Robot” a lot, the odds of it getting a nomination, let alone winning the award, are on par with winning the lottery. I’m not saying it can’t happen, but I would try my luck at the slot machines before betting any money on this getting “Best Picture” traction.

On the bright side, I do envision several potential nominations for “The Wild Robot”. These include:

Best Animated Feature: Given the creativity and heart, I would be surprised if “The Wild Robot” lost in this category. The only potential competitor is “Inside Out 2”, which from what I hear, also possesses tons of redeeming qualities. The Golden Globes should serve as a solid barometer as to where this film stands.

Best Original Song: “Kiss the Sky” by Maren Morris possesses a ton of heart, nice dynamics, solid vocals, and powerful meaning. I could see it taking home the hardware in this category. If it does not, at least the singer can take solace in knowing that it’s number one in Hundred Tomatoes’, and in turn, countless Internet-less grandmothers hearts.

Best Score: I love the triumphant orchestral nature of this film. It creates an immersive environment that makes the heartwarming moments even more meaningful. My hat goes off to lead composer Kris Bowers.