DreamWorks’ Swan Song “The Wild Robot” Is A Triumph

It takes a village to raise a child.

“The Wild Robot” is the 49th, and in many ways, the final movie to come from DreamWorks Animation, the studio behind such cultural behemoths as “Shrek,” “Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda.” With the recent announcement that the company will outsource most of its animation services to Sony Pictures Imageworks (“Hotel Transylvania,” “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”), this movie marks the last time a movie will be produced entirely in house at DreamWorks, marking the end of an era for the wider industry.

Touted as the most prolific rival of Disney and its partners, DreamWorks has always been prepared to push the boat out a little further than the more risk-averse Pixar; there’s no chance “the mouse” could have made something as transgressive as “Shrek,” for example. The DreamWorks team takes more risks, and while it may not always pay off, the result is always more interesting than the latest Disney princess outing.

It’s fitting, then, that its symbolic swan song is its one of its most innovative and electric productions yet, as well as one of its absolute best.

“The Wild Robot” is a triumph of animation and storytelling that practices what it preaches. It’s a story about raising children to be the best they can be despite all odds – a perfect kids movie with nothing particularly traumatizing, but no opposing intention to coddle or patronize either. Nature can be cruel, but it doesn’t need to be scary.

At the heart of the story is Roz, a lost, confused robot in the middle of a forest who only wants to help, and Bright Bill, a young gosling who, through pain and fortune, becomes Roz’s adoptive son. Bright Bill is an awkward kid whose outcast status isn’t helped by having a pragmatic, unsettling robot for a mother, and the driving force of the film is watching him grow and learn to get ready for winter and his first migration.

Equally, though, it’s a tale of motherhood, and having to constantly adapt as only a parent can when things go awry. Roz is a robot with a strict set of parameters and non-negotiable programming, and as every parent can confirm, that means very little when kids are involved.

It becomes clear early on that Roz, despite her best intentions, doesn’t have the tools to raise Bright Bill as a living being, let alone a goose. Her heart’s in the right place, but that’s about it. Something the movie captures beautifully is how, even in the most dire circumstances, everyone has that inbuilt need to cooperate and help. Despite being feared and reviled by all, Roz receives all sorts of help and support as soon as a child is involved. As Bright Bill learns to swim, or find something to eat, Roz learns a little more about what it means to be alive and to care for something.

It takes a village to raise a child.

“The Wild Robot” is excellent all around, and a huge part of that is in how it lifts from the last 20 or so years of animation. Roz is a little bit Baymax from “Big Hero 6,” a little bit “WALL-E” and a whole lot of “The Iron Giant,” but the blend is so smooth that she feels so unique despite her origins.

Its visuals also feel one of a kind – something of a trend for DreamWorks lately – offering up a gorgeous watercolor-inspired medley that makes Disney’s house style look positively outdated by comparison. The colors pop like nothing you’ve ever seen, taking a leaf from 2022’s “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” (also by DreamWorks) to deliver a wilderness that looks lush, inviting and alive.

Alone, it’s an absolute triumph that cannot be recommended enough, but as a capstone to DreamWorks’ in-studio productions, it’s similarly perfect. It’s easy to forget that “Shrek,” the film that put the company on the map, is 23 years old. Many of the kids who enjoyed it so much at release are now in their 30s, juggling careers, lives and, in many cases, children of their own. How many parents with young kids who grew up on “Madagascar” and “Shark Tale” will take their families to see “The Wild Robot,” one of the most profound films about parenthood of the last few years? It’s a beautiful, full-circle movement that will resonate with audiences of all ages. It’s bright and exciting for the kids, and just poignant enough to elicit tears from some of the older people in the room, myself included.

With so many of the annual top grossing movies consisting of sequels, remakes and franchises, it’s also great to see such a fresh, original film taking the stage. Flush with stellar performances from Lupita Nyong’o, Mark Hamill and Pedro Pascal (reprising his role in “The Mandalorian” as a stoic outsider responsible for an unusual young ward), it’s one of DreamWorks’ strongest films and easily one of the best of the year so far.