Review: The Wild Robot preview at OIAF24

Audiences were treated to a preview screening of Wild Robot, directed by Chris Sanders, on opening night at the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) on September 25th.  Considered a legend in the world of animation, Sanders’ credits include Lilo and Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon, The Croods, and Mulan.

Lupita Nyong’o leads a stellar cast as the voice of Roz, a robot who is stranded on an uninhabited island after a shipwreck.  The robot is programmed to complete assigned tasks. That is its sole purpose.  Roz bonds with the island’s animals (voiced by Kit Connor, Pedro Pascal, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, and Catherine O’Hara among others) and ends up caring for orphaned baby goose.  This gives Roz a purpose and she learns what it’s like to be a parent through this experience.  

I found the movie joyful and uplifting.  It is a “coming of age” story that I would recommend to everyone.  Roz’ journey is full of life lessons.  The film underscores the fact that you will often be in situations where life doesn’t hand things over to you.  You often have to forge your own path.  There are lessons on mature topics like death, which the film treats with care, emotion, a little humour, and a lot of love.

The film’s score by Chris Bowers is exquisite and the visuals are spectacular (it’s a DreamWorks picture, after all).

“Sometimes, to survive, we must become more than we were programmed to be.”

The Wild Robot is a film about family–both the family you are born into and the family you sometimes find yourself stumbling into after a shipwreck.  The film hits theatres across North America on September 27th.

The Canadian Film Institute’s Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) was founded in 1976 and recognized as the largest and oldest animation festival in North America. OIAF regularly attracts upwards of 25,000 attendees and continues at various venues in downtown Ottawa until September 29th.  The festival catalogue and schedule can be found on the festival website.

More info & links:

• Director: Chris Sanders
• Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Kit Connor, Pedro Pascal, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, and Catherine O’Hara
• The Wild Robot on IMDB
• The Wild Robot Official Website
• The Wild Robot opens in theatres on September 27, 2024

Jith Paul

Web Designer, Editor, Film Reviewer

Jith Paul is an independent filmmaker based in Ottawa. While pursuing a career as a software engineer, he decided to take a detour to follow his passion for film and filmmaking, establishing Treepot Media in 2010.

He is a co-founder of the Ottawa Canadian Film Festival, and editor of the film613 blog.

When he is not busy fighting crime, he coordinates the efforts of an international team of software developers and service providers as the Team Lead for Digital Development at CPAC, the Cable Public Affairs Channel.

jithpaul.com