'The Wild Robot' review: Endearing adaptation of Peter Brown's books, elevated by unusually appealing animation

There are two very different births in "The Wild Robot," the latest animated film from Universal Pictures. One is the birth of Rozzum 7134, a robot known as Roz (Lupita Nyong’o), who first boots up on an island. Unaware that she’s been shipwrecked, she greets the world the only way she can, by offering her skills as a builder, organizer and all-purpose assistant. Imagine her confusion when the local rabbits, beavers and bears respond with fear, disdain and violence, respectively.

The other birth is that of Brightbill (Kit Connor), a gosling who, emerging from his egg, regards the first thing he sees as his mother. That would be Roz, of course, who in short order finds herself struggling to function as a parent. "I do not have the programming for motherhood," she intones. But Roz turns out to be capable of all kinds of things, including love.

Adapted from Peter Brown’s book series, "The Wild Robot" feels familiar but brings enough freshness to its story to keep us hooked. (It’s written and directed by Chris Sanders, of "How to Train Your Dragon.") There’s a bit of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in Brightbill’s transformation from social outcast (initially, he whirs and pivots like his mom) to hero of his flock. You might detect "The Giving Tree" in Roz’s tireless attempts to raise her son even at the cost of her joints and paintjob. And there’s something of "The Jungle Book" in characters like Fink (Pedro Pascal), a cynical fox who finds his tender side.

One point in the movie’s favor is its unusual animation. Rather than adopting the standard CGI look – the simple, fluid style established by Pixar in "Toy Story" and mimicked by other studios ever since – "The Wild Robot" resembles an oil painting, with brushstrokes and daubs (if not quite full-on impasto). You can still tell it’s computerized, especially when complicated things like grass and leaves are involved. But on the whole, the effect is warmer and more evocative than what you’ll see in most animated productions.

"The Wild Robot" follows another animated adaptation, "Robot Dreams," released earlier this year. The similarities are striking: The latter, about a dog who mail orders a companion, also centers on the bond between an animal and a machine. In each movie, we can step into the shoes of both creatures: The one that lives, and the one that’s brought to life.

By Rafer Guzmán

rafer.guzman@newsday.com@raferguzman