Chris Sanders, a largely looked-over voice in animation, has always specialized in stories that wear their heart on their sleeve. From the found-family suburban sci-fi of Lilo & Stitch to the unlikely friendship between Hiccup and Toothless in How To Train Your Dragon (both collaborations with co-director Dean BuBlois), the director’s intrepid spirit has always been fortified by an undercurrent of unbridled sentiment that has made for some of animation’s most memorable moments. Who could forget Nani’s quiet rendition of “Aloha O’e” under the Hawaiian night sky, or Toothless’ first flight set to John Powell’s sweeping score? These moments of stark emotional catharsis are the work of a storyteller whose sense of pathos is always at the forefront.
After a brief excursion in live-action, Sanders has returned to his wheelhouse with The Wild Robot, his debut animated work as a solo director and, perhaps as a result of that, his most emotionally culminating work to date. An adaptation of Peter Brown’s bestselling novel, Sanders’ latest work quietly sneaks up on you as another deeply heartfelt found-family story with sci-fi elements, one whose emotional ambitions soar far beyond most of DreamWorks Animation’s output over the last decade. The sheer element of surprise may be enough to win some over, but those already familiar with Sanders’ earnestness may find The Wild Robot to be so emotionally unfiltered that its quest to hit all the high notes makes for an overstuffed narrative.
Set in a vaguely distant future, The Wild Robot begins with ROZZUM Unit 7134 (Lupita Nyong’o), a human-assistance robot, awakening in the brisk wilderness. She has crash-landed there under mysterious circumstances, however, she’s initially none the wiser, asserting her subservient programming on an animal population who view her as a potential threat. There’s a suggestion that the film will take a more limited approach to its dialogue and focus on visual storytelling to convey the comedic disconnect, seen by the likes of other animated robot films like WALL-E and Robot Dreams (a niche canon, to be sure, but a welcome one). However, Roz eventually processes all of animal language, and all bets are off; the dialogue flows freely, like any other conventional animated film, to the point that things begin to feel overwritten in contrast.

Eventually, the robot’s struggle to acclimate to her furry friends causes her to accidentally destroy the home and family of a young gosling, whom the robot names Brightbill. With nowhere to go, she is forced to mother Brightbill herself with assistance from a sly but insecure Fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal). Together, they help to raise the runt goose so that he is prepared to migrate in the winter, defying either’s expectations of not only each other, but for themselves. It is here that the film begins to settle into a comfortable rhythm, balancing snappily-written comedy with a heartfelt coming-of-age story at its center. Bolstered by vivid animation and beautifully fluid character models, the film’s aims are conventional but clear.
Then, suddenly, the migration is upon us. Brightbill grows up surprisingly quickly in a time jump between acts 1 and 2 (and is now voiced by Heartstopper’s Kit Connor) and, though still struggling, he eventually joins his fellow geese in their cross-country flight. New characters are introduced that have had no prior meaning to the plot in a way that feels episodic rather than epic, and the film’s main dramatic question is answered quickly without ever putting the characters in enough genuine danger to create significant stakes. Though this critic will keep story specifics scant, this kind of hasty writing occurs multiple times throughout The Wild Robot; the film has too many arcs and multiple endings, always trying to one-up its previous climax until it becomes exasperating.

As a result, its thematic focus is too broad. It’s a film about our eponymous robot – later nicknamed “Roz” – “defying her programming” and finding her own individuality, then it’s about the animal kingdom finding common ground in their dog-eat-dog world. It’s a mother-son story, then it’s a community story, then it’s a friendship story. All of these ideas feel semi-connected as a part of the film’s humanist journey, but there isn’t enough connective tissue to convey the full-on character study Sanders’ screenplay suggests. All of these themes are admirable – the film especially excels as a metatextual takedown of the cultural and corporate rise in artificial intelligence – but less is almost always more.
All of that said, these issues don’t entirely hamper The Wild Robot from being an entertaining and, at times, stunning animated experience. As previously mentioned, the film’s animation is stellar, conveying a scale far larger than most animated films released this year. This especially works when the film’s thrilling action setpieces are set to Kris Bowers’ astonishing score, a work of musical grandeur that far exceeds the movie it serves. Channeling the cathartic, lush swells of composers like Henry Powell and Howard Shore, Bowers’ iconic work is a far leap ahead of anything he has previously done in terms of both scope and quality (and this man won an Oscar); it’s the kind of moment that palpably feels like a leveling up.

The film’s voice cast is also strong. Nyong’o inflects Roz’s robotic vocal work with its own arc that, though too subtle to have genuine weight, is a nice touch to complement her character’s gradual growth into her own self. Pascal is borderline unrecognizable as Fink, however, it might just be Bill Nighy who gives the most surprisingly necessary turn in the second act, voicing the leader of a gosling clan that takes Brightbill under his wing (pun intended). Though they are servicing a screenplay that treats its themes like a hammer to the head, no matter how earnest, a talented group of voice talents can go a long way.
It’s difficult to dislike a film like The Wild Robot, whose heart is so firmly in the right place that you couldn’t do a thing to dislodge it. Its messaging is valuable for children and adults alike, especially in a world that is deeply polarized. And yet, one can’t help but wonder if Sanders’ aims would’ve soared even higher with more restraint. Would a story less concerned with throwing everything at the wall wind up smashing the wall anyway thanks to a more laser-pointed focus? Possibly. Then again, messy sentimentality is still sentimentality. If every director worked as open-heartedly as Sanders does, even on an off-day, then the world would probably be a better place.
The Wild Robot held its World Premiere as part of the Gala Presentations section at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The film will be released in theaters worldwide on September 27, courtesy of Universal Pictures.
Director: Chris Sanders
Writer: Chris Sanders
Rated: PG
Runtime: 102m

The Wild Robot wears its heartfelt themes proudly on its sleeve, but perhaps too proudly; its overstuffed, uneven structure keeps the film from reaching the emotional heights promised by its premise.
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GVN Rating 7
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Larry Fried is a filmmaker, writer, and podcaster based in New Jersey. He is the host and creator of the podcast “My Favorite Movie is…,” a podcast dedicated to helping filmmakers make somebody’s next favorite movie. He is also the Visual Content Manager for Special Olympics New Jersey, an organization dedicated to competition and training opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities across the Garden State.