The Wild Robot
Year: 2024
Rating: PG
Length: 102 minutes / 1.70 hours
Having grown up with both Pixar and DreamWorks movies, the level of quality has usually been on the side of Pixar. Whether in their visuals or their storytelling, Pixar had a special magic that seemed to outdo whatever DreamWorks was putting out. In recent years, this has flipped. There’s been less heart in Pixar films, but DreamWorks has knocked it out of the park with original and heartfelt ideas. That DreamWorks has also leaned into their more “stylized” animation styles has made it stand above and apart.
The Wild Robot (2024) is probably the best recent example of how DreamWorks has created a timeless story that resonates on several levels. The juxtaposition of natural and mechanical is front and center, but deeper down the themes delve into parenthood and the ability for machines to feel human emotions. As a parent, this movie hit hard with its ability to show how nurturing also needs some amount of nature—in the form of positive role models—for a child to thrive. We always want to parent by the book, but need to be flexible for our kids to truly thrive.
I love seeing animation evolving before our eyes. That CGI can create movies like this that feel more hand-drawn and organic is a testament to the full circle that the medium has traversed. And while most of the animals have a sort of DreamWorks “in-house” style, their personalities shine through in ways that only those animals can convey. Sure, I might not remember any of their names or truly memorable quotes, but the warm and heartfelt feelings that remain in my soul should recommend this movie to anyone who wants to give it a try.
Proof of DreamWorks’ growing domination in the animation space, I give The Wild Robot 4.5 stars out of 5.
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