So recently I went to see Inside Out 2 in theaters. Though I'm not the biggest Pixar fan, it turned out to be a great movie, even better that it didn't take any cues from shit like Turning Red. It was through the previews that I got to see a trailer for an upcoming DreamWorks movie, and what did I think? It's so bad it compelled me to write this.
When it comes to DreamWorks, their animated movies slapped back in the day, and there were some genuinely good modern DreamWorks flicks as well don't get it twisted, but those were a bit more far and in between. It really feels like the company is trying to play it safe nowadays, going for what can attract ticket goers and trying to be as appealing as possible, either that or it goes down to poor decision making, Doom Syndicate anyone?
But don't get it twisted, I'm a bit more open minded when it comes to lesser DreamWorks movies, I like Antz for its shortcomings, even though now I get the hangup people had with Shrek the Third I still enjoyed it the few times I've seen it, I enjoyed Shark Tale and that didn't change with my most recent watch of it, and I'm among the few that actually enjoyed Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken, whether it be because it took aesthetics present in Turning Red and Luca and made it, well, easier on the eyes. That aside, though it has a generic plot it managed to make it work. At best it's a nice little time killer that won't get on your nerves, though I'd go as far as to claim that in spite of its generic framework, what made it work for me was that it didn't take itself as seriously, or imply as much, hint hint.
Now look, I get it, not everything has to be 100% original, all unique ideas are composites of existing ones, altered according to the visionary behind it, if that makes sense. I can forgive this if the thing isn't trying to act like it's more than it is, that's why I can approach animated sitcoms and not fly off the handle. But if you take yourself seriously, and you have an audience that has your back no matter what, some level of scrutiny needs to be held to determine if the standard is met.
The Movie Itself
So, based on the trailer alone, The Wild Robot is essentially WALL_E meets the Planet of the Apes reboot series. On the latter it's a science fiction series that does away with the human race, whether as a whole or the majority, sorta like a majority of cautionary sci-fi tales out there, and one that takes itself very seriously. As for the former, while using Robots as a point of comparison seems more apt, WALL-E also predominately focuses on a world rendered uninhabitable per, heh, cautionary tale no matter how in the background it is. Also nature vs technology, the evils of the latter.
If there was any genre that fell victim to cliches and repetition, science-fiction is among the worst offenders. At least comedy is subjective, whereas most sci-fi productions, the more serious ones mind you, are about as varied as the average Kyle Carrozza production, that is, little if at all. The Wild Robot looks like it's falling into a similar trap, whether the trailer revealed the key things or gave a certain impression. But it's not just tropes associated with a genre, even the main characters seem familiar, from an optimistic lead (the robot), and even a snarky supporting character (the fox). Either I got the gist of them, or the trailer did a terrible job providing enough details to who they are and why I should care.
That aside, what gets me is the whiplash between tones. It first begins with a robot trying to raise a baby bird, duck, the exact species escapes me at the moment), making it seem like a comedy with some potential drama. Then it snaps into the robot becoming feral and turning against her own kind. See the difference? In this case, pick one or the other.
If I were to suggest how to do the latter, have the robot be abandoned in... wherever the hell this takes place and grow picking up feral traits. And have another robot try and bring them back to civilization while learning about the root behind their travel, for mal intent which they would soon turn against. Fight generic with generic.
The problem with this, along with DreamWorks playing it safe with a lot of its movies these days, is that chances are you can figure out how the movie's gonna play out, not just based on the trailer showing too much, but applying what you saw in other films like it before, and if you can do that and it turns out to work, it would show just how weak the story really is. And it's been the thing with most DreamWorks movies as well, like Monsters Vs. Aliens. Hell, even Shrek, which put DreamWorks on the map.
Will the robot stick with the animals and live happily ever after? Will she and nature triumph over technology for the millionth time? Will the jokes be on the nose and easy to predict? Will Ruby Gillman get better with time? I think the only way this movie could win me over is if the message is delivered on the flip side, where nature is revealed to be the true bad guy all along, we grew attached, only to be hit with a twist that we'd never see coming. But given how straight most DreamWorks movies are played these days I have a feeling that mantra is gonna apply to this movie.
Even then the entire premise seems stupid. It's a typical feral human story, but there's a robot in it. Real original. At least krakens are not as commonly used. What could this movie bring new to the table? Why would they put in the most familiar tropes at the forefront when promoting their movie? Was this a bottom drawer script that they wanted to get through so it would be out of their hair? Do people still care about How to Train Your Dragon, a selling point on the trailer?
I know I'm being hyperbolic, but either this movie has little to say for itself, takes itself too seriously where it isn't necessary, or DreamWorks were not putting their best foot forward when it came to enticing viewers. I don't even want to watch this movie on general principle, I'm not gonna hate watch, and since I'm not interested in seeing the movie, you're more than welcome to spoil it, just so I can see if my predictions hold true or not.
It's funny how I came into this movie while going to see a screening of a Pixar film.
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