‘The Wild Robot’ is an emotionally devastating masterpiece
I love this film. PLUS: All the movie trailers! ‘Thunderbolts*’! ‘Sinners’! ‘The Last of Us’! ‘Ballerina’! ‘Gladiator II’! ‘Red One’!
Welcome to the Friday edition of Popculturology. There’s a ton to talk about this week — including how we now live a world where Moneyball’s Oakland Athletics no longer exist — but first we’re jumping into The Wild Robot ...
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Prepare to be devastated by The Wild Robot
The Wild Robot is DreamWorks Animation’s masterpiece.
I saw the animated film on Thursday night, and I can confirm the rumors: It is emotionally devastating. It’s a stunningly beautiful film. But it will likely destroy you if you’re a parent — especially if you’re a mother.
I’ve been hard on DreamWorks Animation for a long time. To me, the studio was pretty much always in the shadow of Pixar and Walt Disney. But I’ve seen glimmers of hope from DreamWorks over the years. The How to Train Your Dragon films are special. And the recent Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was a breakthrough, both in storytelling and visual choices.
I’m going to say it again. The Wild Robot is DreamWorks Animation’s masterpiece.
I would put this film up against anything we’ve ever gotten from Pixar and Disney. The animation is unique and gorgeous. The score is fantastic. And the story is heartfelt. It’s funny. Genuinely funny. And most importantly, The Wild Robot is timeless.
Too often these animated movies are made to suck kids and their parents’ money in. They capitalize on celebrity voices. They burst into theaters and are then played on loop for eternity at home just to occupy kids.
The Wild Robot is not that movie.
The voice performances in The Wild Robot are true performances. This is not a “Zendaya is Meechee” situation. Lupita Nyong’o should be in the discussion for Best Actress. Thanks to her, Roz is imbued with humanity and heart. Pedro Pascal is vulnerable as Fink, the fox who helps Roz raise Brightbill.
I wrote about the early buzz surrounding The Wild Robot back in March. The idea that this film could force Academy voters to acknowledge that an animated film is just as deserving of Best Picture recognition as any live-action film was a hopeful concept back then. With The Wild Robot now in theaters — and garnering almost universal praise — that hope is real.
