By John Mulderig / OSV News
NEW YORK – An endearing piece of entertainment awaits audiences in the animated adventure “Migration” (Universal). Free of objectionable content and weightier, below its cheerful surface, than it might at first appear, the film is a holiday season treat suitable for all but the youngest moviegoers – who might find some scenes in it too scary.
Meet a close-knit family of ducks called, aptly enough, the Mallards. Although protective dad Mack (voice of Kumail Nanjiani) is content to keep his clan safe by remaining on the New England pond they have always called home, the visit of a flock of migrating birds stirs the imaginations – and arouses the curiosity – of those around him.
That includes not only sunny, open-to-experience mom Pam (voice of Elizabeth Banks) but self-confident adolescent son Dax (voice of Caspar Jennings) and sweet-natured young daughter Gwen (voice of Tresi Gazal). Predictably, it’s not long before they’ve won Mack over and, with initially reluctant grump Uncle Dan (voice of Danny DeVito) in tow, set off for points south.
On the travels that follow, the Mallards encounter a potentially predatory heron called Erin (voice of Carol Kane), Chump (voice of Awkwafina), a tough, street-smart New York City pigeon, and Delroy (voice of Keegan-Michael Key), a Jamaican-bred parrot. Delroy is being kept in a cage by an evil chef who specializes in serving duck but the Mallards will risk all to set him free.
Such possibly alarming situations aside, director Benjamin Renner’s fun tale is appropriate for the whole family. Beneath the upbeat comedy, moreover, mature viewers will discern a number of substantive themes.
Thus screenwriter Mike White’s script explores the proper balance between caution and courage, the need to overcome prejudice, the importance of helping others and even the complementarity that makes for a good marriage. All this, needless to say, is served up with more than a spoonful of sugar and so goes down quite easily.
The film contains characters in peril and brief vaguely scatological material. The OSV News classification is A-I – general patronage. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG – parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
John Mulderig is media reviewer for OSV News. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @JohnMulderig1.
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