Migration (2023)
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Migration Movie Review
Migration is a 2023 animated adventure comedy film directed by Benjamin Renner and produced by Illumination. It’s one of the company’s better flicks.
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“I’m free as a bird! I am a bird!“
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A family of ducks decides to leave the safety of a New England pond for an adventurous trip to Jamaica. I actually ended up really enjoying this movie despite finding it derivative and uninspired in the storytelling department. This is yet another movie about an overprotective father and a family who is tired of his ways and want to be more adventurous in their lifestyles. Think ‘The Croods’ but with ducks.
The movie also has a tacked on third act where humans are suddenly involved. This is where the birds have to escape their confinement and imminent death by working together. The inspiration here was obvious as the fun mayhem that ensues is very reminiscent of the first ‘Chicken Run’ movie. Although familiar, these scenes were so well executed that I had an absolute blast watching them. The dancing was especially fun, but the human villain was forgettable and underdeveloped.
The rest of the film sees the ducks fly away from their home, starting a trip to Jamaica that even includes an overly brief, but very entertaining detour to NYC. The idea of anthropomorphic animals on a trip/quest experiencing adventures reminded me pleasantly of the Disney films from the seventies and eighties. This is refreshingly the least Illumination-like movie from the studio so far.
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A celebrity voice cast was a tired choice that we’ve seen many times before in modern CGI movies, but at least most of them did a stellar job. I found Awkwafina’s role too familiar to her previous characters, but at least that pigeon was funny. Danny DeVito was amusingly himself as the crazy and funny Uncle Dan. Dax is a typically proactive youth while Gwen is the funnier part of the sibling duo. Some of her lines were utterly charming.
Pam is not all that memorable as the mother character, but serviceable nonetheless. Kumail Nanjiani has a voice that is very fitting for a duck, so he was great, though the overbearing father archetype has become tiresome by now. Keegan-Michael Key was unexpectedly strong and funny as this Jamaican parrot with a heavy accent. All of his scenes were an utter delight. I also loved that excursion with the herons that was hilariously creepy at first. It is these smaller moments of wholesome adventure and humor that felt endearingly Disneyesque.
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Migration features gorgeous animation that is obviously overly familiar in character designs, but quite stunning in its natural landscapes with the highlights being the breathtaking flying scenes where the birds soared. The finale set in Jamaica was particularly beautiful. The movie is so pretty to look at and it also has a score that was quite upbeat and fun, but the movie utilized dancing way too often. The humor ranges from only serviceable to unexpectedly amusing. It’s the type of family-friendly flick that even adults can enjoy. I just wished for a more inspired storyline, more sophisticated themes and better characterization overall.
Although its story is obviously uninspired and predictable, I actually ended up enjoying Migration quite a bit. It is one of the better Illumination movies as it’s enjoyable for the whole family due to solid humor, fun characters and a strong adventurous tone employed throughout. The overall story is reminiscent of Disney movies from the 70s and 80s while the third act was clearly inspired by Chicken Run. In spite of those obvious influences and a clear lack of original ideas or themes, the movie worked thanks to its gorgeous animation and a solid cast of well voiced, charming personalities.
My Rating – 3.5
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#1. Which of these Illumination movies got a franchise?
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