As a film enthusiast who’s spent countless hours poring over scripts and analyzing character arcs, I must say that Chris Sanders has truly outdone himself with “The Wild Robot.” Having read Peter Brown’s book series myself, I can appreciate the depth and emotional resonance he’s managed to infuse into the story.
Contains spoilers for “The Wild Robot”
The animation film ‘The Wild Robot’, inspired by Peter Brown’s beloved children’s book and brought to life by Chris Sanders, renowned animator, is set to release. Coinciding with DreamWorks Animation’s 30th anniversary, it marks a significant milestone in the studio’s history. However, it also signifies the end of an era, as this was their final fully self-produced film before major cuts. Nevertheless, the team behind its creation can be immensely proud, for they have created one of the most breathtaking pieces of computer animation ever made — a work that is poised to make the list of top animated films in 2024.
The climax of this heartwarming story about motherhood and transcending one’s predetermined roles largely follows predictable paths, yet includes unexpected twists to keep you engaged, and is beautifully crafted in a way that will make you want to bring tissues to the theater. After you’ve finished weeping and expressing your love to your mothers, here’s a more in-depth interpretation of the ending of “The Wild Robot” and its implications for each character, the possibility of sequels, and why it resonates so deeply. Insights are provided from director Chris Sanders and voice actress Lupita Nyong’o about the film’s artistic triumphs.
What you need to remember about the plot of The Wild Robot
In “The Wild Robot,” the ROZZUM Unit 7134 robot, often referred to as Roz (Lupita Nyong’o), is accidentally activated in a wild environment. She yearns for a task and aims to assist her new animal friends, yet fails to comprehend them, and they perceive her as a frightening entity. As she learns to mimic the animals’ behaviors and decipher their languages, Roz continues to feel rejected. Desiring to return home, she contacts her manufacturer, but things go awry, resulting in a mishap that kills a goose and damages all but one of its eggs. Moved by compassion, she decides to safeguard the remaining egg from the menacing fox Fink (Pedro Pascal). When the egg hatches, the gosling becomes unusually attached to her.
Roz is left taking care of a baby animal, which later damages her communication device, leaving her lost in the forest with it. A motherly opossum named Pinktail, who has seven young ones, helps Roz understand the responsibilities of motherhood by breaking it down into three tasks: ensuring the baby can eat, swim, and fly before autumn migration. Fink, another character, gives Roz tips on feeding the gosling while using her innocence to get multiple meals for himself. Meanwhile, Roz constructs a shelter, and Fink also advises her to give the baby a name. She decides to call it Brightbill.
Over time, as Brightbill (Kit Connor) matures, he faces challenges with swimming and has no faith in soaring. He’s small, often shunned by others, and endures bullying from the other geese. The revelation of his family’s demise puts a strain on Roz, but Longneck (Bill Nighy), the leader goose, assists them in resolving their differences. With further guidance from the falcon Thunderbolt (Ving Rhames), Brightbill eventually overcomes his fear and learns to fly.
What happened at the end of The Wild Robot?
After accomplishing her task, Roz recognizes that motherhood has rewired her programming. Despite retrieving a fresh communication system from a wrecked ROZZUM unit, she decides to be patient until Brightbill arrives in the spring. She gathers all the other creatures to her sanctuary, and before settling into winter’s dormancy mode, she manages to persuade them to declare a truce and abstain from eating one another during an upcoming storm, ensuring their collective survival.
During their journey, the geese have stumbled upon the exclusive neighborhood that was once home to Roz – the residents, who value perfection above all else, are unhappy about their presence. The flock is in danger and requires Brightbill, an expert on robots, for protection. Longneck bravely sacrifices himself to aid their escape plan. As the geese return, Roz wakes up again, only to have another Universal Dynamics robot, Vontra (played by Stephanie Hsu), show up to take Roz away for analysis. When Roz refuses to leave, Vontra summons more robots to attack the forest. In response, Roz and the animals defend themselves, but Vontra manages to make the attack-bots self-destruct and ignite a forest fire while kidnapping Roz.
In this story, various creatures extinguish a fire with the assistance of Paddler (Matt Berry), a beaver who aspired to cut down the biggest tree in the forest. Instead, his ambitions resulted in saving the day. Meanwhile, Brightbill guides the geese to attack Vontra and save Roz. Although it seems like Roz’s memories have been erased, Brightbill expressing his love to his mother stirs emotions within her heart. Fearing Universal Dynamics would continue pursuing her, Roz decides to surrender herself, reassuring Brightbill she won’t forget him. True to form, when the geese visit the human settlement during their next migration, Brightbill manages to rekindle Roz’s maternal feelings once more.
What the ending means for Roz
In the same vein as memorable robot films like “The Iron Giant” and “WALL-E,” the narrative journey of Roz in “The Wild Robot” explores the concept of redefining one’s programming. Unlike the Iron Giant, a weapon, or WALL-E, a single-use tool, Roz is a robot designed for friendliness and helping others. However, her purpose transcends mere compliance to instructions as she develops the ability to make independent decisions. This transformation leads her to challenge the very company that created her, all in the name of protecting those she has grown to care about.
In the world of animated androids, I, Roz, stand apart due to my unique journey as an adoptive mother. Initially, I felt the weight of this responsibility was too heavy to bear, but as I nurtured, educated, and shielded Brightbill, I discovered a resilience within myself that I never knew existed.
Initially, Roz feels care for Brightbill due to a blend of guilt and necessity, but as the story unfolds, genuine maternal affection takes over. This deep love protects her throughout the climax with such force that it persists even when her memory gets erased or injured. (Though on a lighter note, the location of her “heart” is more metaphorical than physical in this context.)
Brightbill’s story may mean more than you think
Over the span of “The Wild Robot,” Brightbill undergoes a remarkable transformation, from a vulnerable hatchling to the head of his flock. This journey is filled with significant milestones. Initially, he heavily depends on Roz for all needs as an infant. As he matures into adolescence, he begins to question Roz’s methods and motives behind raising him. However, in a climactic turn of events, he demonstrates his maturity by rescuing her with heartfelt expressions of gratitude and affection, acknowledging the crucial role she played in helping them both navigate an unfortunate predicament.
One key point of tension between Brightbill and Roz stems from the fact that Brightbill was raised by a robot, making him unique among the other geese. This uniqueness clashes with his struggle to fit in with the rest of the flock. Initially, not thinking like the other geese isolates him, but when they all encounter a human city, it is precisely this difference that saves him from the panic experienced by his peers. In essence, Brightbill’s journey mirrors the tale of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or Hiccup’s character development in the first How to Train Your Dragon movie; as an outsider, he ultimately finds leadership through the very qualities that initially made him an outcast.
One could view Brightbill’s tale as symbolic, reflecting the experiences of those with disabilities. In the story, he is a smaller goose, physically disabled, who wouldn’t have thrived without Roz’s nurturing care. This necessitates his exploration of unique methods to learn and eventually fly. The significant emphasis on his distinct thinking pattern can also be interpreted as an allegory for neurodiversity. It’s not uncommon for characters created by Chris Sanders, like Lilo from “Lilo & Stitch,” to be seen as representing those on the autism spectrum, with many viewers identifying with her.
What the ending means for the animals
As a literature enthusiast, I can’t help but appreciate the intricate complexity that stories embodying both predators and prey often present, particularly when they encourage us to empathize with both parties. The novel “The Wild Robot” fearlessly tackles such complex themes, even casually slipping in death-related jokes here and there, making it quite rare among PG-rated family films. Yet, despite its darker undertones, the book successfully conveys a profound message about unity during hardships, offering a nuanced perspective that’s truly captivating.
When Roz gathers all the creatures in her sanctuary to establish a ceasefire, she acknowledges that some instinctively want to prey on others. Yet, she requests they postpone such actions until after the storm has passed. If she can modify her own code, then perhaps others can defy their survival urges as well. This film doesn’t propose that everyone will always live harmoniously – Fink the fox and Thorn the bear (Mark Hamill) aren’t giving up meat anytime soon – but instead suggests that there are instances where self-restraint and improbable partnerships become essential for everyone’s safety.
In an interview with Concrete Playground, director Chris Sanders explained, “The animals on this island operate under a set of rules or programming, and Roz sees it that way… I found this perspective quite intriguing and one of the core concepts and themes in the movie is the idea that at some point, you might need to alter your pre-set rules or ways of thinking in order to survive.
Where do the humans fit into all this?
In the world of “The Wild Robot,” the existence of flying cities and advanced technology might lead one to believe that humans have colonized other planets. However, this assumption is incorrect; these technological marvels are actually on Earth, hidden within domed communities. The scarcity of humanity outside these controlled environments suggests a near-extinction level event for humankind. Although the movie doesn’t provide explicit details, a glimpse of the submerged Golden Gate Bridge as geese migrate hints at a catastrophic climate change that has occurred in the story’s timeline.
In this movie, no human characters are depicted, but given their society’s aggressive attitude towards wildlife and anything considered flawed, it seems likely they will serve as antagonists in future films. However, there’s a chance that Roz’s compassion could transform their society positively, much like she did for the animals in her care.
What Chris Sanders and Lupita Nyong’o say about Roz’s growth
From observing typical patterns in stories involving robots and mothers, it’s clear we can predict the overall course Roz’s story might follow, without having seen the movie itself. The ending of this film, in particular, has been a frequent topic of discussion between director Chris Sanders and voice actress Lupita Nyong’o in interviews before its release.
Sanders spoke with The Christian Post about how Roz’s struggle to exceed her programming is relatable to all parents: “You’ll face unexpected challenges, and sometimes you have to figure it out on the fly.” Roz’s success at raising her child inevitably leads to the difficulties of having to say goodbye, lending both an inevitability and an emotional intensity to what happens to Roz after she completes her mission. As the director put it, “Roz’s success as a parent means letting go, and it’s both beautiful and hard.” This theme of letting go made Nyong’o cry so much that she had to call her mom.
Discussing the evolution of Roz’s voice throughout the movie with Concrete Playground, Nyong’o explained the method as “rather technical.” She went on to say, “We had specific indicators, certain milestones that signaled where my voice was changing… So it gradually intensifies in a way that during the performance might seem subtle and unnoticeable – until you encounter robots similar to hers in the third act of the film.
Was there an alternate ending?
During a Q&A after the second public showing of “The Wild Robot” at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, Chris Sanders was questioned about whether Roz’s departure from the wilderness to return to the city for her animal companions’ protection was part of the original plan. Sanders explained that he felt it necessary for the movie to end in this bittersweet manner, doing justice to both the conclusion of the initial novel and remaining faithful to the characters and themes.
As a gamer, I sometimes brainstorm alternative scenarios while games are being developed, like envisioning Roz opting to remain in the forest instead. However, I made it clear to the developers that this wasn’t an idea I wanted to see come to life. I felt it was important to anticipate such suggestions and demonstrate why they wouldn’t work, as I believed the ending we eventually experienced was more compelling.
Will there be a sequel?
Peter Brown’s book series, titled “The Wild Robot Trilogy,” consists of three books: “The Wild Robot,” “The Wild Robot Escapes,” and “The Wild Robot Protects.” If the first movie adaptation of “The Wild Robot” performs well at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, director Chris Sanders has expressed interest in producing a film series based on the entire trilogy.
DreamWorks Animation often focuses on creating franchise movies; in fact, seven out of their last ten films before “The Wild Robot” were sequels (here’s a list ranking every DreamWorks movie from worst to best). Given this pattern, it’s logical that they’d be thinking about potential follow-ups when making “The Wild Robot.” Sanders, who made “How to Train Your Dragon” and “The Croods” for DreamWorks, started these successful franchises, although he didn’t direct the sequels for either.
If a follow-up to “The Wild Robot” resembles the plot structure of “The Wild Robot Escapes,” it’s likely that Roz will once again find herself leaving human civilization in search of her beloved habitat, facing numerous new adventures with various animal companions and adversaries during her journey.
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2024-09-27 03:30