'The Wild Robot' Wows

Soren Kim • January 15, 2025

Each year, hundreds of movies are released ranging from terrible to breathtaking. 2024 had a handful of major disappointments, such as director Todd Phillips’ “Joker: Folie a Deux” and director Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis,” both of which lacked a well-written story and didn’t meet viewers’ enormous expectations. Amid that cinematic muck, however, one movie rises above: DreamWorks’ “The Wild Robot” – a movie that should be recommended to everyone for its heartwarming plot and captivating visuals. Based on a New York Times bestselling children's book series written by Peter Brown, “The Wild Robot” was adapted into a full-length animated smash hit for all ages by director Chris Sanders in September. Both the books and film follow the story of a stranded robot named Ros, voiced by Lupita Nyong'o, who finds herself alone on a remote island with only wild animals for her to interact with. Ros is designed to complete any task asked of her, but after crash landing on the island she grows confused and tries to find her way home. However, Ros finds a new task that keeps her on the island: motherhood. With the help of a cheeky fox named Fink, Ros raises a found goose egg into an adult named Brightbill as they have to get him flying by winter.

One notable aspect of “The Wild Robot” is its star-studded cast, with voice performances by Mark Hamill and Pedro Pascal. Usually, other animated movies with celebrity casts have uninspired performances, with actors putting minimal effort in and not considering the differences in medium. However, the “The Wild Robot” is undeniably different, having a uniqueness that is enjoyable and enthralling to watch. Nyong'o was a brilliant casting for Ros, starting with a robotic, stale voice reflecting Ros’s rigid state of mind. As she gains a “heart” from taking care of Brightbill, her voice becomes more natural and fluid with different inflections. Viewers hear Ros’ grow as a character as she becomes almost human-like, losing all of the robotic qualities in her delivery. Actor and Peninsula alumna Stephanie Hsu also plays the role of the antagonist, Vontra, to perfection. Vontra is the recall robot sent to retrieve Ros and is programmed to bring “malfunctioning” robots back to the facility. The Oscar nominee, though holding little screen time, delivers on all levels, playing characters with a cheery and simultaneously eerie delivery. Vontra fits this archetype flawlessly, and Hsu’s performance is so harrowing it is one many would expect to see in a horror movie. Another standout in the cast was Pedro Pascal as Fink. Many fans doubted Pascal’s potential leading up to the movie, as he never voiced characters prior to the production, but surprisingly, he defied expectations: many viewers didn’t even realize it was his voice behind the tricky yet caring fox.

Though the story and cast help bring the film to life, both are not nearly as impactful as the beautiful soundtrack. Composed by Kris Bowers, the soundtrack is a masterful showcase of what musical production for a film should be, featuring a mix of traditional orchestral arrangements and pop songs.” For the pop songs, artist Maren Morris created two songs for the movie. “Kiss the Sky” is used in the montage of Brightbill training to be ready for migration, and the song’s inspiring melodies and lyrics make the viewer feel the same hope and determination that Ros and Brightbill feel as they work together. Similarly, her second song “Even When I’m Not,” which is used as the credit theme, evokes similar emotions, but this time viewers feel the nostalgia that comes from reminiscing on a heartfelt story. While these songs are exceptional, Bowers’ instrumentals and use of repetition truly make the soundtrack shine. First appearing in the song “The Accident,” a collection of musical notes at a slow tempo is originally played as Ros destroys a nest but finds Brightbill’s egg. This melody, a repeating motif in the music of the soundtrack, makes the viewers feel the sadness and regret of the situation, but also underscore the curiosity Ros has for the egg. Later, a much more dramatic, orchestral version of the theme is played when Brightbill finally leaves the island in the song “I Could Use a Boost.” The strings and drums start to intensify as Brightbill takes flight and the audience feels all the emotions that the characters are feeling. In the emotional climax, an epic symphony occurs to end the movie, bringing back every single heavy emotion that Bowers invoked before in one fell swoop with the final use of the musical motif. One would think that a musical theme could never capture every single feeling a human being could feel, and yet Kris Bowers achieves it to perfection bringing the entire story full circle.

From its phenomenal voice acting to its stellar soundtrack, “The Wild Robot” is a spectacle to be seen by all. Each detail that went into this film clearly required immense effort, which is reflected in the quality of the movie. Starting as a children's book to becoming one of the most successful animated movies in the last twenty years is a rare achievement, and one that “The Wild Robot” wholly deserves.