Love Comes Naturally: The Wild Robot Spoiler-Free Review

Illustration by Nicholas Latham

When was the last time you walked through the woods, and were able to see nature in action? To really look around and observe the complexities of the circle of life firsthand?

I know it has been a while for me. At least, until I sat down to watch Dreamworks’ “The Wild Robot”. From the start, this film launches you into the natural world, with gorgeous visuals, character designs, and action sequences that make you forget you’re sitting in an AMC. And not to mention, the heart wrenching themes of love, parenthood, belonging, and more.

To begin with the visuals, the wild robot does an impeccable job of incorporating a painterly style into each and every aspect. This style greatly compliments the mood and feel of the film, allowing the cozy scenes to feel like a landscape painting from a storybook, and the dramatic scenes to feel even more complex, even life-threatening. Accompanied by the large variety of adorable and well executed character designs, the painterly style somehow feels even more natural than typically realistic styles. Overall, it was refreshing to see more exploration in film styles, especially done so with such care.

The other part of the film that truly made this feel like a hike through nature was the action. Alongside the peaceful moments, “The Wild Robot” did not shy away from showing nature’s more aggressive side. Several sequences throughout the film portrayed impressively choreographed animation, all in order to depict the natural world in action. The movement was mesmerizing at times, especially in the beginning sequences, which introduced the audience to the film’s themes of life and death (without being too gorey or dark). In combination with the style, this film’s visuals are almost enough to bring you to the theater on their own.

Despite the accomplishments of the visuals, the story is in no way overshadowed. Personally, “The Wild Robot” left me crying so much that I had a headache the next morning from dehydration. With heavy themes such as parenthood, learning to love, obligation, belonging, life and death, it has something almost anyone can relate to. While the topics of discussion are not necessarily unique or groundbreaking, it does not mean that seeing their exploration throughout the film dulls the impact of their meaning. In fact, I find the commonality and vastness of the themes to be what makes this film so relatable. It perfectly represents both perspectives of parent and child. While Roz the robot struggled with obligations, took on tasks she felt unprepared to handle, and balanced her and her child’s well-being, the young gosling struggled to fit in, made efforts to work towards his goals, and discovered himself. Overall, there is something for everyone to shed a tear over in this movie, as it explores the beauty of love and life through the perspective of a robot designed for neither.

One last point regarding this film: if you are to see it, I recommend seeing it in theaters. Nowadays, I think everyone understands the appeal of sitting at home and watching a film once it releases on streaming, but sometimes it’s important to step out of your living room and really sit down to focus on a film on the big screen. “The Wild Robot” is the perfect movie for this. Allow yourself the time to be immersed in the film, and truly take in the visuals and story in front of you. While your couch may be cozy, it’s hard to mimic the feeling of walking out of a theater after being completely engaged for the past few hours.

In all, The “Wild Robot” is a gorgeous, inspiring, and eye opening film all around, with stunning themes communicated not just through its touching story, but through its art as well. While other films may transport you to another world, “The Wild Robot” makes you feel more in tune with the one you’re living in right now.