From an iconic sculpture to a wild robot. Peter Brown’s literary sensation comes to life in one of the most talked about films of the year. The Wild Robot is already a front runner for Best Animated Feature as its moving story is touching the hearts of all audiences.

The film follows an intelligent robot called Roz, who’s voiced by Academy Award winner, Lupita Nyong’o. After a shipwreck, Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island where to survive the harsh environment, she bonds with the island’s animals. After accidentally crushing a goose nest, a single egg survives and hatches to reveal a little baby goose. Roz decides her purpose on this island is to now raise the goose, now named Brightbill, as her own and help get him ready for the upcoming winter migration. She gains the help of a scheming Fox, voiced by Pedro Pascal and the three of them naturally become family. Roz is goal is to complete this mission before finding her way back home.

While the animation is stunning, the beauty of this movie is the simplicity. Director Chris Sanders has taken Peter Brown’s story and effectively touched on the current state of humanity, the impacts of global warming, and most importantly, the significance of compassion and motherhood. It may sound like a basic or familiar plot, but through its characters, visuals, and subtly it’s a surprisingly refreshing tale. Lupita Nyong’o and Kit Connor’s mother-son relationship is breath-taking and will likely make you want to immediately hug your own mother or parental figure in your life. It also reminds us; you don’t have to give birth to a child to give them life.

And though the film may have you reaching for tissues, The Wild Robot is also filled with plenty of laughs and thrills. It’s a wonderfully immersive family adventure featuring a superb cast with an unforgettable message audiences of all ages can relate to.

“The Wild Robot” is currently playing in theaters.

Rating: A