Dreamworks Animation reaches its apex with ‘The Wild Robot’

With its comedy-first approach, Dreamworks Animation rarely attempted the kind of sweeping storytelling found at rivals Disney and Pixar.

The studio behind the “Shrek” and “Kung Fu Panda” franchises always had an Eddie Murphy or a Jack Black to lean on for broad-appeal humor. Nothing wrong with that.

Aside from the occasional “How to Train Your Dragon,” the majority of the Dreamworks slate is filled with successful but mostly forgettable kids movies (albeit with A-level voice talent). There’s a reason why Pixar dominated the Animated Feature race at the Academy Awards for so many years after “Shrek” won the inaugural trophy (beating the better movie, Pixar’s “Monsters Inc.,” by the way).

Then comes “The Wild Robot.” A science-fiction adventure based on the popular Peter Brown book series, “The Wild Robot” is Dreamworks’ most visually stunning, pulse-pounding and touching film in its nearly 50-movie catalog. Writer/director Chris Sanders (“How to Train Your Dragon,” “Lilo and Stitch”) examines simple, universal themes using rich characters and a sincerity that hooks audiences of all ages.

The story follows ROZZUM 7134, or “Roz,” an advanced robot designed to learn from its environment and experiences to help humanity with tasks big and small. After a cargo ship carrying Roz crashes onto an uninhabited island, the robot observes and eventually learns all animal languages. When Roz accidentally crashes onto a goose nest, the robot reluctantly takes possession of the single surviving egg. Without a directed purpose (and a working honing beacon to contact her manufacturer), Roz becomes the surrogate mother to the runt once it hatches. With the help of a selfish-but-lonely fox (voice of Pedro Pascal), Roz rushes to teach the baby how to fly and swim before the island’s flock of geese migrate south.

Roz is voiced by Lupita Nyong’o, the Oscar-winning actress who continues to bring a richly tuned combination of vulnerability and strength to performances in genre fare (including this year’s “A Quiet Place: Day One” and her stunning double performance in Jordan Peele’s “Us”). Nyong’o, even while playing a friendly but “unfeeling” robot, takes Roz believably through the process of gaining sentience in the most anxiety inducing of ways: The terrors and obligations of parenthood.

There’s nothing particularly revolutionary about the thematic intentions of “The Wild Robot.” Yet the simplicity and precision of its storytelling gives the film a powerful emotional undercurrent. Animal instinct (or machine programming) often makes logical sense, but a more fulfilling purpose exists through connection and kindness.

“The Wild Robot” is brimming with beautiful images, a soaring musical score by Kris Bowers, an efficient and engaging screenplay and a fulfilling climax that leaves the promise of exciting new installments. It’s the “kid” cartoon of 2024 that demonstrates the universal accessibility of great animation.

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Tyler Wilson can be reached at twilson@cdapress.com

    This image released by Universal Pictures shows a scene from DreamWorks Animation's "Wild Robot."