'The Wild Robot' Film Differs From The Novel — And Its Message Is As Bold And Timely As Ever

Parenthood is an act often taken for granted. I know this personally as the mom of a 6-year-old daughter and a 4-year-old son. I also understand it as a daughter; my mom died before I had the perspective to thank her for everything she had given to me.

Apparently, the unappreciated steadfastness demanded in parenting will also apply to robots — or at least one named Rozzum 7143 (Lupita Nyong’o) — in the far distant future, as seen in the new animated children’s film “The Wild Robot,” which is based off author Peter Brown’s book of the same name published back in 2016.

When I entered the theater Friday afternoon with two other moms and a gaggle of seven children (not all ours), I was barely holding it together. My husband was traveling for work, and I was trying to balance the needs of my ill son, who had been sick all week, with those of my daughter, while also trying to work multiple jobs. When my husband cut his work trip short to fly home early Friday afternoon, I wanted to cry in gratitude, but I didn’t have the time.

He landed as school was letting out, which meant that I could take my daughter to see “The Wild Robot” with her friends after promising my son that I would take him as soon as he was better. Again, like everything in parenting, nothing was perfect. But I was trying to do my best.

Once we made it to the theater and the seven kids were settled with their popcorn trays and candy (myself and the other parents were seated in the row behind them), the lights began to dim, and I felt my body finally exhale the way it always does when a film begins. Like the novel, the movie opens with a storm that leaves a robot stranded on an island inhabited by animals. Rozzum 7143, or Roz for short, is accidentally