Motherboard vs. Mother Nature

What happens when nuts and bolts clash with feathers and fur?  You get a surprising mix of heart, humor, and life lessons.   Based on Peter Brown’s 2016 book trilogy of the same name, The Wild Robot film tells the story of Roz, a crash-landed bot who suddenly finds herself on an island full of curious animals, all while figuring out what it means to belong and, unexpectedly, to be a mom.

Let’s start with the animation. It’s nothing short of stunning. The lighting throughout the scenes seem to evolve along with Roz’s journey. Early on when she’s still learning to survive, the colors are colder, more muted. But as she becomes more connected to the animals, the world around her gets warmer and more vibrant, almost like the island is accepting her as one of its own. Using light imagery, the DreamWorks animators have cleverly mirrored Roz’s emotional growth.

Furthermore, the aesthetic contrast between Roz’s cold, metallic, mechanical design and the lush, colorful island teeming with life is enhanced by the creative medley of animation styles. Each scene feels like it’s buzzing with energy, as if the animals might leap off the screen and start giving you survival tips. Every one of the animals is a lesson in artistry drawn with personality, from the snarky squirrels to the grumpy moose who just can’t get with the program (pun intended).

Speaking of programs, Roz may be built on code, but when she ends up taking care of a baby goose, she discovers that being a mom isn’t exactly something in her database. The way the story dives into motherhood, especially with Roz trying to balance her mechanical logic with the messy, emotional world of parenting is relatively profound material for an animated family film. It shows that even if you’re not “wired” for a particular role or purpose, you can always learn, adapt, and succeed. Roz is pre-programmed to assist her users and resolve issues, and she came with an adaptive “learning mode.”  As such, her adaptive learning and pre-programming is not unlike instincts in her living counterparts.  Roz shows us that with experience and learning, both coding and instincts can be honed.  Who knew a robot could teach us a thing or two about being human?

Sophisticated subtext and philosophy aside, the film’s main message is more readily accessible to children—it is one about kindness and teamwork. Instincts require these animals to compete each other and perhaps even consume each other!  However, as the story unfolds, we see further evidence of the inherent ability of an individual to overcome their baser instincts as they reason and demonstrate compassion to work together.  Be it among men, beasts, or ‘bots,’ teamwork is sometimes a necessary precursor to survival.  It’s a subtle but effective message about kindness and community, and how those values can thrive even in the wildest situations. Whether you’ve got fur, feathers, or metal skin, everyone has something to offer.

Of course, it’s not all emotional. There are plenty of funny moments, especially when Roz tries to use her cold, hard logic to handle the unpredictable antics of her animal neighbors. Watching her try to apply programming rules to things that clearly operate on instinct is like watching someone try to fix a computer by yelling at it.

Overall, “The Wild Robot” brings a fresh spin on the old “fish out of water” trope, combining animation, adventure, heart and humor through a novel approach.  By the end, you’ll not only be rooting for Roz, but also rethinking what it means to belong—whether you’re built from circuits or something a little more… uh… squishy.  When it comes to juxtaposing mother nature with a motherboard to deliver themes of motherhood, teamwork, and kindness in an entertaining and heartfelt manner, this film hits the mother lode.