After getting shipwrecked, a robot – ROZZUM 7134, or „Roz“ for short – is stranded on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh environment. This is easier said than done, as the island´s animal inhabitants are downright afraid of the blinking and noisy figure that only wants to help. But that changes when a series of mishaps brings Roz into contact with a newly hatched gosling, which promptly imprints itself onto her as a mother figure. From now on, it´s the robot’s job to prepare the little goose for the annual bird migration before winter descends on the island.

In their new movie DreamWorks use their 3D animation style with a brushstroke look not to depict a fantasy world, but to render untamed nature in all its beauty. The use of light is particularly impressive here, be it soft rays falling through the treetops or the expressive light patterns on Roz’s mechanical body. What I personally like most about this movie is how much it surprised me. Animated films tend to follow established patterns, but “Wild Robot” has several moments where it outright breaks those rules. This makes the film feel more mature than many of his contemporaries and provides a consistently interesting development of the main characters, as well as the opportunity for an incredibly touching story. (SaL)