The Wild Robot – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
Universal Studios | 2024
PG | 1hr 42 mins | Animation | Fantasy | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Drama
HD | 1080P | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Upscaled 4K | 2160P | Dolby Vision | HDR10 | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Staring: Pedro Pascal | Stephanie Hsu | Lupita Nyong’o | Mark Hamill | Catherine O’Hara | Bill Nighy
Directed by: Chris Sanders
Ratings & Reviews
Please see here for my comments on reviewing movies.
My ratings are simple being marked out of a maximum of 5+. My reviews are biased towards the technical production aspects of the film with brief comments about the story line. Extras, sorry, that’s just not my ‘bag’.
So what did the 4K HDR10 video look like? Reference, and the 7.1 soundtrack? Also reference.
Entertainment: 5
Video: 5*
Audio: 5*
* This rating is given more for the production value rather than the technical performance.
Video – Upscaled 4K HDR10
The Wild Robot was produced by cinematographer Chris Stover and created using DreamWorks’ in-house Premo 3D modeling and animation platform, which utilizes the LibEE engine and includes various tools, like Doodle and Grasshopper, that allows the animators to work with and modify “fully realized and skinned characters” in real time. It was rendered using MoonRay software in the DCI-P3 color space at a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Those master files were then graded for HDR in both Dolby Vision and HDR 10 and used to create an upscaled 4K version for this 4K UHD release. This triple-layer BD100 disc has been well authored and shows no use of noise reduction or edge sharpening and no obvious compression artifacts or significant noise. The package also contains an HD Blu-ray and redeemable digital code.
This upconverted 4K movie is very beautiful at every turn. Having excellent overall image clarity with a good display of “crisp and sharp detail”, with moderate texturing throughout. The image is deliberately not consistently verging on being photo-realistic, or even close. For this movie, Chris Sanders the animator, created a finished image that looked and felt more organic and handcrafted, similar to the feelings generated by drawings, sketches and paintings. Never the less, exacting levels of fine detail are still present when called for, such as the increasing wear, tear, and damage that Roz undergoes, environmental items such as the pebbled beach, and the technologically advanced center where Roz’s distress call is received. The final result is a beautiful looking image with sufficient detail with moderate texturing, vibrant and luminous colors, deep shadows, bold highlights, and impressive dimensionality at all times.
Contrast balance was excellent throughout, from the brilliant uncompressed whites of the daylight exterior shots and the various specular highlights to the deep and noise free inky blacks that showed excellent low level and shadow detail. From the starkness of the artificial lighting in the technological center, the glistening snow and light that plays off the water and landscape to the nighttime and internal wooden igloo shots, all creating a very good dynamic contrast range and enhancing visibility of objects in both exterior and interior shots, creating an good depth of image.
The color palette presents with a solid array of vibrant colors. Color fidelity is excellent throughout with vivid and well saturated primaries and secondary’s, all having good color depth and density, hues are bold and vibrant. From the rich greens and browns of the island’s flora, the various bold organic colors from elements like the light emanating from Roz and the swarm of butterflies she disturbs, to the blues, greens, teals and purples of the technology center and the yellows and oranges of the igloo cabin fire.
This video is excellent on all fronts, providing a reference HDR10 image.
Audio – Dolby TrueHD 7.1
The Wild Robot marches into home theaters with a reference, Dolby Atmos mix that defaults to Dolby TrueHD 7.1 in my system. The soundtrack was engaging whether during an emotional drama or an action scene having solid bass, clarity, openness and dynamics.
The overall sound presentation is dynamic, with good sub involvement and plenty of surround action. The soundstage is very wide, and surrounds are constantly active with ambience, directional cues and movement, delivering an environment that drops the listener both into calm, and the almost silent forests, to the more intensive sonic environments alike. Effects placement are accurate and natural, with plenty of movement in both the rear and side surrounds, together with the general environmental effects consistently pulling you into the many locals and environments. From those quieter, dialogue-only sequences steeped in surrounding activity, the ambient environmental sounds such as insects and birdsong, the more robust moment when surrounded by the flocks of birds, to the quiet rustle of leaves, creatures scurrying around, Roz’s robotic movements and flapping bird wings. All fill the surrounds pulling you into the scene and keeping you “in the moment”.
Sub action is solid throughout, fully supporting the crashing waves, storms, crashes, falling trees, weapons fire and alike. Imaging continuously feels broad and expansive following the characters as they move on and off-screen. Dialogue is always crystal clear and well detailed with an excellent mid-range and solid front-center imaging and prioritization, providing excellent clarity and detail no matter the environment or level of action.
Flushing out the soundscape and supporting the movie throughout its entire length, the films score, composed by Kris Bowers offers an excellent supportive mix, being seamlessly immersive, perfectly clear, and presented with good bass. It hits a very good balance between the dialogue and effects with a light spill into the surrounds and an excellent integration within the soundstage.
A very good audio track that makes its way to reference levels.
Story Overview
The Wild Robot follows the epic journey of a robot, ROZZUM unit 7134, “Roz” for short. Roz is a “female” futuristic robot that exists for the sole purpose of servings humans, and who, after a hurricane, gets shipwrecked and ends up being washed up on a remote island. Finding that there are no humans on the island she initially terrorizes the islands animal inhabitants but gradually builds relationships with them becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned Canadian goose hatchling, Brightbill, that’s imprinted on her. With the aid of a fox named Fink, Roz sets out to teach Brightbill how to survive, swim, and fly like others of his kind so that he can join his species annual migration south for the winter. When the island geese reject the newcomer, Roz, has to evolve and learn to overcome the various obstacles that are stacked against this unlikely trio, and repeatedly overwrites her programming, discovering her own soul in the process. With winter approaching and as time starts to run out, the line between reality and technology starts to blur. Does The Wild Robot eventually learn what it is to be human and is kindness one of the best survival skills?
My 2 cents
The Wild Robot may not look like the photo-realistic CGI which we have grown up with, and now become accustomed to, but it is still very impressive. This movie shows how a cold mechanical character can grow into a loveable and sensitive figure, realizing the best of human parental emotions, through a journey that is both emotionally gripping and narratively compelling, as we watch Roz help Bightbill grow up and set off on his first migration. A beautiful movie, supported by an amazing production and reference class video and audio. Emotional viewers may want to bring a hanky to the showing!
Highly Recommended.
