Tag: based on a children's book

THE WILD ROBOT – Review

Summer may be over, but 2024 isn’t finished with feature animation by a long shot. The “mouse house” has a big one lined up for Thanksgiving weekend in fact. Plus its sister company, Pixar, had a most surprising blockbuster a couple of months ago with INSIDE OUT 2. Now, one of the other big cartoon studios, Dreamworks, is releasing a real rarity: an original animated feature. Yes, it’s based on a beloved children’s book series, but it’s not been brought to “big screen life” before, as with this year’s new installments of franchise faves like Despicable Me, the Transformers, and Garfield. And its subject matter is also unique as it combines cute and cuddly critters with a futuristic mechanical being. But there are no humans to get it, hence its interaction with wildlife inspires its moniker, THE WILD ROBOT.

That title character is a service device from a big high-tech company named Universal (like its studio distributor) Dynamics. The product’s formal designation is ROZZUM unit 7184, or “Roz” for short (voice of Lupita Nyong’o). In the opening moments of the story we see Roz climbing out of its packaging crate, which has washed ashore after the cargo ship has run aground on an island full of animals. After trying to connect with a pack of frisky curious otters (“What is the task I can complete?”), Roz is seemingly under attack from all the different species of the nearby forest. Finally, Roz shuts down so that its computer system can take in all the different squeaks and growls and translate the many “languages”. When Roz reboots, the onslaught resumes until it must deal with the biggest aggressor, a surly brown bear named Thorn (Mark Hamill). The big chase ends as Roz crashes into a nest, leaving only one survivor, an unhatched egg…which is promptly scooped up by a hungry fox called Fink (Pedro Pascal). After Roz retrieves the egg, it cracks open revealing a wide-eyed baby goose. Fink explains that it has “imprinted” on Roz since it was the first thing the gosling saw when it opened its eyes. He thinks Roz is his “mommy”. The fox also shares that to survive, the mini-mallard will need to learn to feed itself, swim, and fly. Roz has a task at last, though time is running out. With Winter on the way “Brightbill” (Kit Connor) must join the flock on the southbound migration to survive. Can Fink and Roz get him “up to speed”? And what will happen when Roz’s “creators” track it down to the island?

Happily, the filmmakers have opted to recruit several excellent character actors rather than the usual “stunt” vocal casting of hot stand-ups and pop stars. Nyong’o imbues Roz with a plucky, overly pleasant accommodating tone (“Are you pleased with ny completion of the task?”), often giving the readings a “sing-songy” tone of artificial friendliness. Pascal brings a sly (natch’) rascal spirit to Fink the fox, making him endearing but never totally trustworthy. Connor makes Brightbill a teen straining to be a grown-up while still yearning for a connection to his mechanical mom. Speaking of moms, the movie’s biggest ‘scene-stealer” may be the snarky possum matriarch Pinktail given a sweet but surly spin by comedy icon Catherine O’Hara, bouncing right back from the Beetlejuice smash sequel. She scores big laughs and has us wanting much more, just like a great party guest who has to dash away early. The other major ‘bot role, Vontra, is acted by recent Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu, who issues the sweetest syrupy threats. Bill Nighy flies in for the role of elder mallard Longneck, the mentor who literally takes Brightbill under his wing. Another comic kingpin is the always entertaining Matt Berry, so great on the TV version of “What We Do in the Shadows”, as the haughty, determined Beaver Paddler who will not be deterred from his mission, though he’s got time for some great caustic insults. Oh, there is one true vocal vet in Hamill (the superb animated Joker on several shows and games), who gives Thorn an intimidating but often warm guttural growl.

The driving force behind this film is animation wizard Chris Sanders, the man who gave us LILO & STITCH, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, and many other gems (he even did a recent live-action, with CGI, take on CALL OF THE WILD) Adapting the book series by Peter Brown, he utilizes all of his impressive art and storytelling skills to deliver a compelling modern fable full of insight into parenting while extolling kindness. And the world certainly needs a lot more of that. Sanders has guided an army of skilled craftspeople to give the film a bright, bouncy look, turning this island forest into a magical wonderland that often explodes with color (butterflies rest on the side of a tree before filling the screen in flight). The grass, the tree, and the caves all enhance the action and never detract from the terrific character design of the critters (who give entrancing physical performances). The most imaginative design may be that of Roz whose look invokes THE IRON GIANT (can it really be 25 years old), BB-88 of the last Star Wars trilogy, and Baymax from BIG HERO 6, while sporting some nifty new bits of wondrous gadgets. Its hands can detach are retrieve, while its arms and legs are extended elastic coils. It’s astounding how much emotion they can get from Roz’s volleyball-like noggin. Yes, we get a glimpse of a futuristic city along with some silent humans running from their computer screens, but the heart of the story is with Roz and her new pals, though the slapstick-filled chaos of the opening act may make it feel like any recent action-packed blockbuster. But then the pace slows a tad and begins to draw us in with its emotion and pathos. Now, here’s a film that is unabashedly made for the entire family, so be sure to travel via your local multiplex to the island home of Brightbill, Fink, Pinktail, and their guardian, THE WILD ROBOT. “Task completed”.

3.5 Out of 4

THE WILD ROBOT is now playing in theatres everywhere.

THE BAD GUYS (2022) – Review

THE BAD GUYS

As Spring slowly arrives (really, April snow), the multiplex makes way for a new family-friendly animated feature film (and contrary to what the Academy said, that medium can tackle the more mature subject matter, like FLEE). Now, this one’s got an interesting twist, a “spin” on a firmly established trope of the “cartoon conflict’. Well, it’s not a “skewed’ satiric fairy tale or fable but rather goes further back, before the features, to those “much-missed” theatrical shorts. Very often they dealt with a chase, usually a pursuit with a predator animal trying to capture its (not so defenseless) prey. In the world of Looney Tunes, Sylvester is after Tweety while the Coyote was always several steps behind that Roadrunner. But what about shifting the focus from the “heroes” to the “villains”, to a team of “nogoodniks” who somehow want to change? Or do they? Can they really “flip” their “nature” or must they remain THE BAD GUYS?


This “cartoon caper” begins with a casual diner conversation between the gang’s leader, Wolf (voice of Sam Rockwell), and his “second in command” and BFF Snake (Marc Maron). After exiting the “greasy spoon”, the duo begins a “bank heist’ with the help of the rest of the “crew”: computer-hacking whiz Tarantula (Awkwafina), master of disguise Shark (Craig Robinson), and the tiny but powerful Piranha (Anthony Ramos). After barely escaping capture by their arch-nemesis, Police Chief Luggins (Alex Borstein), the gang return to their secret lair and begin to plan their next “job”. A TV news report informs them that the valuable Golden Dolphin award for Samaritan of the Year will be presented to Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade) at a “fancy-schmancy” museum event. For Wolf, the “icing on the cake” is that the award will be given by newly elected Governor Foxington (Zazie Beetz). The gang complains that many criminals have failed to nab the Dolphin, but Wolf insists that this will be their greatest “score”. Of course, the plan doesn’t quite go smoothly, as Wolf helps a much-older matron who nearly trips down a staircase. He has an odd sensation, a twinge of euphoria inside sparked by doing good and causing his tail to wag. This helps lead to the gang’s capture, but security footage of Wolf’s selfless act inspires the Prof to plead for the gang, insisting that he can change their ways and do a better job of reforming them than any prison. Can the “bad guys” go good or is this just part of a bigger scheme? And what about that spark between Wolf and the Guv?

Dreamworks Animation theatrical features have been “hit and miss” of late, often releasing uninspired sequels (the last SPIRIT horse-flick was true horse…y’know) and tepid original ideas, but put this effort in the plus category. This may be due to the source material, a popular series of children’s books by Aaron Blabey, adapted with playful glee by screenwriters Etan Cohen and Yonni Brenner who have included several nods to the old “let’s steal something in the most intricate way possible” movies. The familiar setting of the first scene gives us a “head’s up’ as they recreate the eatery from the “bookends” of PULP FICTION. The other plus is the inspired direction of first-time feature director Pierre Perifel who balances the engaging character interchanges with action sequences that take a welcome satiric swing at the excesses of many blockbusters (consider this a “palette cleanser” to the insufferable AMBULANCE). Cameras swoop above and around the speeding vehicles before slowing down for us to appreciate a subtle visual “nugget”, then “revving up’ for some bit of F&F gravity-defying nonsense. Happily the flick also employs some really inspired, funny character designs, “filling-out” Blabey’s comic-strip imagery, while not going overboard on the “too busy” detailing of many CGI renderings, though I did enjoy the darkened lines about the eyes and lips which bring out the expressions. Now, this is a bit of a human/animal mix, unlike say ZOOTOPIA or the KUNG FU PANDA series, humans interact with the critters on the same level, much like Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny, so there’s the “fur-less folk” who are every bit as exaggerated but seem to owe much to the “anime” wide-eyed and “open-mouth” tropes we’re seeing more frequently, from LUCA to TURNING RED. Perhaps this is done to make the animals “stand out” a bit more, though I wish the Police Chief and her crew looked as appealing. What does work is the use of this terrific vocal cast led by Rockwell who is pure laid-back “Clooney cool” as Wolf while Maron conveys a different side to his wiseguy stand-up comic (and podcaster) persona as the irritable, curmudgeonly Snake (thinking his “bucket hat” is a nod to Carl Reiner in the OCEANS trilogy) . Oh,, and extra kudos to the artisans who have recreated the sun-drenched LA streets that are a backdrop to the frenetic mayhem. With so much to offer in the way of animated entertainment, audiences of any age should have fun spending a good 100 minutes with THE BAD GUYS.

3 out of 4

THE BAD GUYS opens in theaters everywhere on April 22, 2022