In this entry of my intermittent series Pages2Screen, I ponder if The Wild Robot book or film is superior. For those unfamiliar with the story, it follows Roz, a robot who washes ashore on a remote island populated with all kinds of wild things. Roz has no memories or purpose, but she will create memories and find her purpose on the island.
I must admit, this is one of the first times. I watched the movie before reading the book. It's not a movie I expected to enjoy. Typically, I'm not a huge fan of animated fare for the younger set. My wife usually has the duty of watching animated movies with our younger son. However, I agreed to watch this one with them because he had read The Wild Robot from front to back in record time to earn himself a ticket to the film. When he asked me to attend, how could I refuse?
Let me be upfront. The film is wonderful—mind-blowing. I don't recall the last time I enjoyed watching a movie so much. Yes, it is a cartoon that includes cutesy talking animals, but Roz is such a fantastic character, and her story is so affecting that all my biases were stripped away.
When Roz responds to a query about her relationship with the gosling she has adopted after accidentally killing the parents with the line "crushing obligation," I was 100% hooked. This film has something for all ages. My son, the wife, and I all left the cineplex feeling satisfied. I think I enjoyed the movie the most, honestly. Bottom line, watch this film wether you have children or not!
But what about the book? Does it live up to the film? Yes. In some ways, the book is better than the film, and vice versa. Watching the movie first did not impact my enjoyment of the novel. Just as the film opened my eyes to how effective an animation made for children can be, the book showed me how spectacular a middle-grade yarn can be for readers of all ages.
On top of that, the book will get reluctant readers flipping pages. Both of my sons are not the most enthusiastic readers, but they enjoyed the heck out of The Wild Robot and plan to read the entire series.
Do yourself a favor. Read the book. Watch the film. Both are fantastic.
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