Do you like crying? How about sobbing? Is weeping uncontrollably something you enjoy? If that’s the case, get ready for your new favorite movie of all time, “The Wild Robot”.
Based on the book, “The Wild Robot” tells the story of a high-tech helper robot named Roz, who is programmed for task completion and utter efficiency. Without giving too much away, Roz goes on an incredible journey through the treacherous and troublesome wilds of a secluded and untamed island. Roz the robot’s transformation is as heartwarming as it is insightful.
I had no expectations going into this movie, literally none at all. The only reason I saw it was because my friend had free AMC passes and I’m too much of a scaredy cat to watch anything else that has been released in October as I’m not a horror fan. Let me assure you that this movie will knock your socks clean off regardless of whatever expectations you may be harboring. If you have eyes in your skull, a heart in your chest, and a soul wherever it is we keep souls, you will leave this movie with a deeper, more profound understanding of our shared humanity. You can thank an animated hunk of metal for this.
Beyond the genuine humor and incredibly heartfelt moments, there’s also something deeply touching about the way “The Wild Robot” explores the innate clash between technology and nature. Instead of presenting the usual robot-in-the-wild trope as a simplistic comedy of errors (though there is no shortage of both comedy and error), the story contains within itself a multitude of meanings beyond the obvious messages meant for its intended audience of children. It’s more than a film adaptation of an excellent book. It’s a profound meditation on coexistence.
Just when you think the movie is done surprising you and you have it all figured out, “The Wild Robot” throws in even more moments of genuine emotional punch.
In no universe did I expect to love this movie as much as I ended up loving it. In fact, I’d dare say it’s my favorite I’ve seen all year. Love might not even be the proper accolade. I’m grateful for this movie. It moved me and reminded me of the gentle tenderness of connection, the good nature of consciousness, and the inherent beauty of the only guarantee life has to offer, change. It’s heartfelt, visually stunning, and it’s pointedly hilarious in a way I’ve never seen in a kids’ movie in my entire life.
I probably cried for a good twenty minutes out of the approximate hour-and-a-half run time. I promise that by the end of this masterpiece, you will undoubtedly be turning your head at an angle to try and hide the fact that you’re tearing up from whoever came to the theater with you.
“The Wild Robot” isn’t just a movie. It’s life, it’s art, it’s poetry, and it’s everything you could wish for in a movie and more. Somehow, I still feel like I’m underselling it. There isn’t a single element of this movie I would change. There’s no imperfect frame, a clumsy joke, or a boring moment to gripe about. It is, for lack of a more endearing term, perfection.
“The Wild Robot” is the kind of film that makes you laugh, think, and wonder if maybe, just maybe, the future is more hopeful than it is grim. It’s a perfect blend of humor, heart, and adventure, with a heroine you’ll never forget. Roz might be made of metal, but her story will leave your heart feeling a little warmer and wilder by the end.
Gabi Merchen is a fourth-year communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
