Dog’s Movie House: “The Wild Robot” An Instant Animated Classic!

“The Wild Robot” features Lupita Nyong’o as an advanced Rummage service tobot who crash lands on an island inhabited by only wild animals. In an attempt to fulfill its programming, the Rummage ends up becoming the foster mother to a smaller than average gosling who has lost his family. As she continues to adapt and learn, the Rummage becomes known as Roz and her relationship with the now young goose, known now as Brightbill grows into a real emotional relationship. Roz is aided by a solitary, scrappy fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal) and a host of other animals as they all form a type of community not normally found in the animal kingdom. Roz’s task to help Brightbill migrate despite his smaller-than average stature begins a tranformation from advanced robot into something more. Of course, that’s the time when her parent company arrives, putting not only Roz, but all of the inhabitants of the island in danger.

Man, “The Wild Robot” is a hell of a movie! Written and directed by Chris Sanders (“How To Train Your Dragon”), “The Wild Robot” has as much heart as any movie I’ve ever seen. It addresses a bunch of different issues, including sentience, love, and the instincts of the animal kingdom, and wraps them all together in a heartwarming story that will leave you laughing and crying in equal measure. There is no way this movie should work as well as it does: it mashes together anachronistic dialogue (the possum kids are funny as hell), artificial intelligence gaining emotions (without really describing how), and predators and prey forming a community and living together in (relative) harmony. You should be able to nitpick this film to death, but the script so deftly handles the characters and story that you buy every single second of it.

Nyong’o is wonderful as Roz and her arc is both emotional and believable. Her transformation from an efficient, literal-minded robot to a feeling emotional being is one that will tug at your heartstrings. She is added by Pascal as Fink, a fox used to being hated and alone now dealing with the responsiblities of friendship and, gasp, leadership. Also good is Kit Connor as Brightbill, a young goose with no quit in him despite the devestating loss of his entire family. His relationship with Roz is the core of the film and he carries it off well. “The Wild Robot” also gets sterling performances from such talented actors as Bill Nighy,Stephanie Hsu, Ving Rhame, Catherine O’Hara, and Mark Hamill (as a grumpy grizzly bear, no less).

The animation is bright and colorful and the story doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of such subjects as survivial during harsh weather conditions and sacrafice without becoming grim or preachy. Bring the hankies for this one folks: there are at least five or six scenes in “The Wild Robot” that will have you wiping your eyes. An all time classic that reaches the heights of the best of Pixar or Disney and definitely Dreamwork’s best animated film to date! 5 Out Of 5 on Kendog’s Barkometer! So Sayeth The Kendog!

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