The
Wild
Robot
is
delightful
children’s
fare
and
a
meaningful
watch
for
grown-ups,
discovers
Mayur
Sanap.
It
has
been
a
good
year
for
animated
movies.
Amid
the
franchise
films
Inside
Out
2,
Despicable
Me
4,
Kung
Fu
Panda
4
and
Transformers
One,
we
now
have
cute
The
Wild
Robot
to
add
a
tinge
of
originality
to
the
list.
Based
on
Peter
Brown’s
2016
novel
with
Director
Chris
Sanders
at
its
helm,
The
Wild
Robot
is
delightful
children’s
fare
and
a
meaningful
watch
for
grown-ups.
It’s
a
formula
that
Hollywood’s
animation
industry
has
cracked
successfully.
Worker
robot
Rozzum
7134/Roz
(voiced
by
Lupita
Nyong’o)
is
marooned
on
a
forest
island
after
the
shipwreck.
Roz,
a
smart
machine
from
the
distant
future
built
to
serve
humankind,
finds
itself
in
the
wilderness
with
no
human
in
sight.
Roz
uses
smart
programming
to
adapt
to
its
new
surroundings
even
though
the
animal
on
the
island
believe
the
machine
is
a
monster
that
will
harm
them.
As
Roz
navigates
its
path
through
the
hostile
terrain,
it
comes
across
an
orphaned
baby
goose
(voiced
by
Kit
Connor)
and
reluctantly
becomes
his
‘mother’.
Along
the
way,
Roz
befriends
a
sly
but
affectionate
fox
named
Fink
(voiced
by
Pedro
Pascal)
and
the
three
become
an
unlikely
family.
Like
most
animated
flicks,
The
Wild
Robot
is
a
pleasant
film
to
experience,
both
from
the
visual
and
story
viewpoint.
I
am
not
familiar
with
the
original
story,
but
Chris
Sanders’
screenplay
is
big
on
mawkish
sentimentality
that
works
well
with
the
plot
that
packs
surprising
emotional
depth
with
its
messaging
about
empowerment
and
compassion.
What
makes
this
film
work
is
its
characters
and
the
way
they
interact
with
one
another.
Roz
isn’t
entirely
original.
The
character
is
your
typical
genius
protagonist,
much
like
Baymax
from
Big
Hero
6
that
finds
itself
in
a
Rango-like
situation.
However,
Roz’s
personality
is
fairly
well
rounded
enough
to
root
for
and
be
a
charming
central
character.
It
is
also
the
freshness
of
the
voices
that
make
these
characters
feel
fully
formed.
Lupita
Nyong’o
has
the
most
gentle
and
compassionate
tone
that
immediately
makes
Roz
an
engaging
character.
Pedro
Pascal
brings
out
Fink’s
guileful
and
mischievous
nature
in
his
voice
performance,
while
not
compromising
on
the
character’s
inherent
innocence.
The
relationship
between
these
two
characters
feels
genuine
much
like
Judy
and
Nick
from
Zootopia
and
together,
they
make
for
some
funny
moments.
Its
impressive
animation
and
lively
voice
cast
aside,
The
Wild
Robot
lags
in
its
narrative
especially
towards
the
end.
Despite
its
many
pleasures,
once
the
overarching
themes
and
messaging
are
conveyed,
the
film
takes
a
predictable
route
that
feels
rushed
and
abrupt.
I
believe
the
makers
are
aiming
for
a
sequel
to
keep
it
going.
In
the
current
landscape
of
franchise
building,
that’s
only
fair.
The
Wild
Robot
Review
Rediff
Rating:
