There are few pieces in media and entertainment that stay with you once you've finished consuming them. Think of the countless movies you've seen in theatres, the mindless hours watching sitcom after sitcom, or the hundreds of songs you might have scattered across various playlists - you hardly seem to remember any of them. As such, when you do come across one that stays in your mind till the next morning, you know it was something special.
The Wild Robot, which feels like DreamWorks' magnum opus, is their latest movie to hit theatres. As per reports, this will be their last work to be produced entirely in-house, and that somehow makes it even more special. As someone that was a huge fan of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, it is clear DreamWorks took a formula that had already exceeded expectations and perfected it.
Let me get the one "complaint" out of the way. Yes, it is a feel-good film targeted primarily towards kids, as are most mainstream animated films, but if there's one thing we know about DreamWorks, it's that their work is usually enjoyed by kids and adults alike, and The Wild Robot is no different. There were a couple of scenes towards the end where they took their artistic license with regards to logic, but it's a very minor nitpick, and it's not something that takes away from the movie at all.
Coming to the praise, let's talk about the animation. DreamWorks has perfected the hand-painted look that the Spider-Verse films popularized, and have become masters of combining 2D and 3D animation since working on it in the Puss in Boots sequel. The lighting is masterfully done, the camera work is exciting, and the island the story takes place on comes to life from the beautiful color palette. The frame drops, the hand painted strokes of explosions, and the compositing of it all comes together to make the entire movie from start to finish a visual treat. It is, without exaggeration, the best-looking animated movie I've ever seen.
The story itself was a tad bit fast paced, but it tells you everything you need to know. The world of the humans is not lingered on for too long, and you're given just enough exposition to know what's happening in the larger world. The characters are fun, the writing is refreshing and witty, and both the visual and verbal humor appeal to audiences of all ages. And the soundtrack - what do I even say? Kris Bowers rose to the occasion and gave us something that can only be described as magical. In the places where dialogue takes a backseat and the score is allowed to shine, it absolutely comes through. You feel every note, it tugs on your heartstrings, and it is beautiful.
If I had to describe the experience with a word, it would be that it is breathtaking - and that's not something you can say about too many works in media and entertainment.
DreamWorks' The Wild Robot is nothing short of a masterpiece, and if you still haven't watched it, do yourself a favor and catch it in the theatres while it's still running!