Migration Review

Ah yes, the duck movie. Nobody else at work thought this was gonna be good. I'm not sure why, because in my opinion, Illumination is a pretty decent animation studio. Yeah, they're not Pixar, but I really liked the first two Despicable Me movies (haven't seen the third yet), the Mario Movie was a perfectly good kids movie, and the first Sing is about as good as the concept allows it to be. Just stop letting them make Dr. Suess movies.

What's The Movie About?

A family of ducks lead by a social anxious father migrate south for the winter to Jamaica. It's basically a family road trip comedy, but with birds. 

What I Like.

There's a Despicable Me short before the movie, and it's probably the most I've enjoyed the Minions. I really like all the characters in the movie. The family of ducks has a really good dynamic with each other, and all the other birds they meet were funny and likable. Gwen was a particular stand-out for me, she was adorable. The entire movie is pretty funny, both for kids and for adults. I got a particularly dark chuckle when the family finds a free range farm that is basically a resort that houses a duck cult, and the leader is voiced by David Mitchell. ("We have a character that would be perfect for Russell Brand to voice." "What? No! We can't work with him after Hop!" "Okay, what if we got the someone who's been on the same quiz show as Russell Brand for the last 15 years?") And speaking of cast, Keegan-Michael Key is finally in a good movie! The animation as well is freaking gorgeous. There are some many brilliant shots of landscapes and natures, it's breathtaking. The anthropomorphizing of the ducks is also brilliant, particular touches I liked was the human city being basically a death trap obstacle course for birds, and all the humans growling and grunting instead of talking. Also, this movie has one of my weaknesses, actions scenes set in time to music. Particularly if the characters are dancing. 

What I Didn't Like.

The trailer was way worse that it first appears. It spoils like half of the best jokes in the movie, and if you've seen it as much as I have, the jokes are all exhausted of their humor. Also, there's two jokes in the movie that just miss the mark, and of course they are the two longest jokes.

Final Summation.

Migration is great. It might be my new favorite Illumination movie, I'd have to rewatch Despicable Me. I think Illumination is really good at writing a family dynamic into their movies, and so a premise like this is right up their alley. I hope the sequel they tease in the credits is just as good.