Ahead of its US theatrical release, The Wild Robot is sporting an impressive 98% Rotten Tomatoes score, and there are several reasons behind why it's achieved such an incredible feat. Starring Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Catherine O'Hara, and many more, The Wild Robot brings Peter Brown's heartfelt story about a stranded robot-turned-caretaker, Rozzum 7134 (or "Roz" for short), to life. The book trilogy's success alone set the stage for just how impressively this movie would perform, but as it turns out, this animated adaptation truly jumps to life in a way that has earned it some immense praise.

Initially debuting with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 100%, The Wild Robot has only dropped two percentages, leaving it at a solid 98% heading into its US release weekend. In a world where theatrical movies are just starting to get back off the ground again, this is an absolutely remarkable accomplishment, especially as something that is certainly becoming more and more rare. Why, then, is it The Wild Robot that stands apart as a movie worthy of such a ranking, and what's behind that missing 2%?

The Wild Robot's Reviews Praise The Animation, Emotional Story & Themes

Beloved Tropes Are Surrounded By An Incredible Visual Experience

The Wild Robot was always set up to boast an incredible visual experience with both the original illustrations of the books to go off of and the creative team behind it, and this is something these positive reviews are noticing and rightfully praising. As DreamWorks' last animated movie to be fully animated in-house, with the studio set to branch out to other studios for animation post-2024, The Wild Robot's highly-praised animation is a testament to how beloved this studio's style and craft truly is. The animation, however, is just one part of these immensely positive reviews.

The story and its themes are, of course, a key aspect of this movie's success in the eyes of critics. Roz's journey of adapting to her titular "wild" environment and taking the adorable Brightbill in as her own follows the found family theme that audiences can't get enough of - in addition to the classic lone wolf and cub trope. Another notable theme is that of adapting to change, with Roz learning how to adjust to a new environment and rediscover herself within her new circumstances, which ties together with other story threads to become one beautifully emotional story.

What Critics Don't Like About The Wild Robot

Its Criticisms Mostly Surround Its Story Choices

In a sea of positivity, there are still pieces of for The Wild Robot that have been offered - including that missing 2% from its Rotten Tomatoes score. Its most critical review has to do with the peak of its story, insisting that its highly emotional climactic moment arrives in the interest of making the audience cry rather than actually being earned throughout the course of the story. Other pieces of also have mainly to do with the plot, in of it attempting to tackle more than it can between both its exposition and its biggest moments.

Based on its total score, however, these problems are generally minuscule. For what The Wild Robot may lack, it seems to make up for in many other areas, between its stunning visual experience to the emotional delivery of The Wild Robot's star-studded voice cast. This from critics solely proves the point that The Wild Robot, while not perfect, is likely as close to perfection as any modern animated movie can reach.

How The Wild Robot's Rotten Tomatoes Score Compares To Other DreamWorks Animated Movies

Only One Other Stands Above It

The Wild Robot stands tall above its fellow How to Train Your Dragon trilogy resides within the top 10, it's even more impressive that The Wild Robot is currently standing just below the first movie - and well above the other two. Only movies that are just under The Wild Robot's standing include 2000's Chicken Run, which is just 1% away, and 2022's Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, with 3% standing between them.

Still, despite being second to another, The Wild Robot being in the top 10 of DreamWorks' 26-year-long run of animated movies is nothing short of immensely impressive. As the last animated movie to be produced fully in-house at DreamWorks, this makes it an even more meaningful accomplishment. The Wild Robot will be closing out this era of DreamWorks with a resounding impact that will forever impact the studio's legacy - and that of greater animation in general.