海角大神

The new movie 鈥淭he Wild Robot鈥� may draw comparisons to 鈥淭he Iron Giant,鈥� which also featured an automated protagonist. Yet my experience with the film, which is rightfully generating Oscar buzz, took me back to another cult classic starring an android 鈥� 鈥淏icentennial Man.鈥�

Like the late Robin Williams鈥� interpretation of artificial intelligence, this wild robot, named ROZZUM unit 7134 and voiced dynamically by Lupita Nyong鈥檕, was also designed to serve. Much like in Williams鈥� more physical performance, the magical moments happen when both the plot and the actor introduce humanity into a sci-fi film.

It鈥檚 a perfect movie for this technological age 鈥� fast-paced and full of skepticism. An automated delivery gone awry forces our friendly robot from the heavens to earth, into a wilderness devoid of humans. At first, the fable鈥檚 message appears to be about the ills of technology and how it can corrupt a (seemingly) peaceful animal populace. But what eventually happens is that technology becomes a mirror 鈥� devices show us our own vices and values.

Ultimately, 鈥淭he Wild Robot,鈥� which is directed by Chris Sanders and adapted from a trilogy by Peter Brown, is about life itself. It鈥檚 about our human attempts to make things better. And it鈥檚 much like the seasons, nature鈥檚 cyclical attempts to refine and refresh our mistakes. And yet love covers a multitude of sins, evidenced in the unorthodox parenthood expressed among the robot, a hungry fox (voiced by Pedro Pascal), and a gosling (Kit Connor). When the gosling, Brightbill, attempts to pronounce the robot鈥檚 given name, our machine offers a nickname: 鈥淩oz.鈥�

As the movie shows early and often, Roz鈥檚 best ability is adaptability. She imitates various animals and species, not just to survive, but also to be social. Her efforts don鈥檛 always go to plan, but that doesn鈥檛 deter our protagonist, and it鈥檚 part of the movie鈥檚 charm. That sense of optimism not only turns a predatory fox into an unsuspecting father, but also turns the food chain from a pecking order to an organized community.

This fable鈥檚 attention to detail is breathtaking, from its crisp animated visuals to its investment in individual stories aligning together with the main plot, like birds in formation. Even Roz鈥檚 eternal optimism has a foil, in the cybernetic Vontra, whose chippy demeanor doesn鈥檛 belie her villainy, but synthesizes it. In some ways, it reminded me of Nyong鈥檕鈥檚 role as both protagonist and antagonist in 鈥淯s.鈥� Here, though, Vontra is voiced by Stephanie Hsu. Cheeriness can be programmed, but not humanity, nor shared experiences.

For those who are understandably skeptical of technology, especially of AI and its various incarnations, 鈥淭he Wild Robot鈥� might be a tougher sell. By movie鈥檚 end, a foreign machine and programming source has successfully integrated its way into a community. But that summation would be shortsighted. 鈥淭he Wild Robot鈥� goes to great effort to distinguish software from malware and friend from foe. When the corporation who built Roz makes its appearance, it displays the duality between altruism and overreach.

And yet all of those themes seem to pale in comparison with the relationship between parent and child, an enduring circle of life that never grows old. Certainly, an alien robot taking a gosling under its wing sounds awkward, but how many times have we been out of tune with our own children? Yet we persevere, declaring the other is doing the best they can.

鈥淭he Wild Robot,鈥� above all else, isn鈥檛 just a life story. It鈥檚 a love story about community and intimacy, about what can be imitated, but never duplicated. It is the quintessential fable. Like any great parent, it offers lessons while remaining fun. The wilderness might be harsh, but we don鈥檛 have to be.

鈥淭he Wild Robot鈥� is rated PG聽for action/peril and thematic elements.聽