The Wild Robot Analysis

The Wild Robot Analysis

By: Andrielly Almeida

Over the past year, there have been a lot of book-to-film adaptations; from The Bad Guys to The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. These incredible film's have made it a challenge for filmmakers to outdo their predecessors. The Wild Robot faced that challenge head-on, crushing it with a stunningly made movie. The love and devotion the creators had for The Wild Robot is reflected in the heartfelt messages it conveys. A very apparent theme most viewers noticed from the film is motherhood, the “crushing obligation" that has "delayed” and "damaged" her and "violated her protocols, potentially voiding her warranty," as Rozzum unit 7134—or as Brightbill knows her, Roz—states to the audience. However, that obligation grows into something endearing and worth protecting, that crushing obligation becomes something else—a purpose.

Roz is the perfect example of the complex range of emotions that a woman experiences after becoming a mother. And similar to a new mother, she has absolutely no clue what she’s doing. There is that heartbreaking realization that the ideal, self-sufficient life they had imagined for themselves has been totally destroyed. “In 2011, nearly half (45%, or 2.8 million) of the 6.1 million pregnancies in the United States were unintended” (guttmacher.org). A person gives up a part of themselves when they assume that parenting position, whether it’s their mental, physical, and financial stability… They have to give up one or all three in order to secure the growth and survival of their child. But despite the terminal conditions, it’s a trade they’re willing to make to feel that pride of having a purpose, the excitement when their child surpasses all expectations, and the sense of duty that comes with being assigned a "task," as Roz puts it. This is demonstrated by Roz's efforts throughout the movie, as she puts her own health and well-being at risk in order to ensure Brightbill's migration and survival. Nevertheless, she is rewarded for being able to see him exceed her and everyone else's expectations, which leads me to the movie's second theme, the theme of disability.

In the movie, Brightbill is shown to behave differently from other geese and animals, both mentally and physically, being viewed as a "freak." Due to being a runt (a weak gosling), it's said he wouldn't have survived this far if it weren’t for Roz’s protection. Most parents of children with disability have to consider different factors in their child's development, taking more responsibility upon themselves to ensure their child becomes the person they wish to be, despite their setbacks. This is the conflict Roz has to face, that her task is going to be a lot more difficult than she thought, reflecting the lives of multiple new mothers. The film conveys a message of perseverance, not just to Roz for going above and beyond her duties. But to Brightbill himself, for the endurance he displays to reach his full potential. It’s a cliché—“you can do anything if you work hard enough”---message, but it's done effectively enough to acknowledge that Brightbill's disability still forces him to work harder than his peers to achieve the same level. It’s a story that tells the audience to persevere, even when the odd’s are against you. Because when you do, you'll be able to look back at your achievement and say you did that, despite the obstacles the world threw at you.

As any writer will tell you, the finishing line to a sentence, paragraph, or book, is always the most important, since it will be what sticks with the audience the most. This is taken into account by the writers of this film, placing an important scene in the beginning, a scene where Brightbill is still a small gosling attempting to pronounce Roz’s full name, Rozzum unit 7134.  Seeing him struggle, Roz says, “but you can call me Roz.” At the film's conclusion, this sentence is repeated, recalling that first act of genuine love and endearance after all their hardships and struggles. It’s a flawless ending line that wraps up a beautiful movie, with messages of motherhood, perseverance, and unconditional kindness. It’s a film I’d recommend to anyone, perhaps one that can be seen for next year’s mother day.