Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this Friday from writer/director Chris Sanders, DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures is the story of THE WILD ROBOT.

It is the future and on a pristine island, a robotic unit has found herself on its shores. Waking up is Rozzum 7134 (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o), a robot that seems aimed to please and is looking for an assignment. Surrounded by wildlife that are a little more than freaked out, the takes some time to learn each of their languages. When no connection happens with them, the robot decides to send a message to the company that made her, Universal Dynamics.

When that goes haywire, Rozzum “Roz” finds a goose egg and also a fox that would like to take it from her. Red fox Fink (Pedro Pascal) decides in his own way to help Roz when the baby goose hatches. Giving advice on what to do with the newly named Brightbill (Kit Connor), now Roz has a program that she can work to fulfill. Watching all of this are the surrounding animals along with Pinktail (Catherine O’Hara) the mama possum, Thorn (Mark Hamill) the grouchy grizzly, falcon Thunderbolt (Ving Rhames) and busy beaver Paddler (Matt Berry).

Brightbill discovers other geese and realizes he is the smallest of them all. A goose that has taken notice is Longneck (Bill Nighy), the elder goose who believes in Roz and urges the caring robot to continue with Brightbill. As winter approaches, it is time for all the geese to fly south. In the meantime, a storm has called on Roz and Fink to be a part of the island community in ways they could have never seen.

As time passes, Roz sees a ship coming and out of it pops Vontra (Stephanie Hsu) who is sent to retrieve the robot. The problem is, Roz and the island wildlife have other plans!

Lupita Nyong’o gives Roz a distinctive personality with innocence and a hunger for learning about her surroundings. Eventually she understands that fitting in isn’t something she is capable of doing when everything is afraid of her. Finding the baby goose gives her something to accomplish and even with her many mistakes, the charm is undeniable.

Pascal as Fink is a larger-than-life fox who can be a bit sarcastic, self-centered only thinking of what makes him happy. That being said, he sees the connection between Roz and gosling Brightbill and it warms him. Even when he seems to not want to do the right thing, he does it and becomes more and more loveable wanting the best for his friends. Conor as Brightbill is a small duck who doesn’t see how he can possibly fit in with his own kind. Yet Roz doesn’t stop helping him become the best duck he can be enlisting help from other animals to make him strong. On his own, he realizes the sacrifices Roz has made for him, now its his turn to show his worth.

O’Hara as Pinktail is the motherly comic relief that is always there for her children but also there for those who just need that motherly shoulder. She is brilliant giving voice to Pinktail. Hamil as Thorn gives us the grouchy element of the animal world but he is who he is. Rhames as Thunderbolt is the best at the sky and Brightbill is lucky to have him around. Berry as Paddler has a mission as well and will not be laughed out of its finish! Hsu as Vontra is polite in a way that you know her intentions aren’t good!

Shout out to Nighy and its basically because I have adored his work over the years and I’d know that voice anywhere. Taking on the voice of the elder goose, he is wonderful. Also, to Boone Storm as the young Brightbill who had us all ‘awwwww’ing’ the moment he began to speak.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

DreamWorks Animation brings amazing, animated entertainment to films, television specials and series for the young and young at heart audiences around the world. For more of what they have to offer please visit http://www.dreamworksanimation.com.

THE WILD ROBOT is an amazing film based on the work of author Peter Brown. The artistry is vibrant, stunning and lends itself to the story in the loveliest of ways. Roz, a robot, is the being that stands out as ‘what doesn’t belong here’ at the beginning. Surrounded by wildlife and wide-open spaces, a lush forest and clean water, Roz realizes in order to find her assignment, she must adapt. All of this is a comedy of errors that can be understood by anyone watching the film.

There is humor, love, connection, craziness, understanding, beauty, trial by learning, emotion and did I mention love? The animals learn from each other and there is a lesson in this film that is undeniable. The film will take everyone’s emotions on a roller coaster ride and all I can say is strap in because it is going to play on it all. I’d recommend a big box of tissue for all the laughing tears and the emotional ones as well.

My family intends to see THE WILD ROBOT again because we had such a great time together and this is definetly a film to be seen for the entire family. The film is pure perfection and pure joy in ever sense of the word. DreamWorks and Universal did the book justice from start to finish. This is one of the best animated films I have seen this year.

In the end – you must become more than you were programmed to be!

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