Migrate to Your Local Theater?

words by Shelley Weinberg

I highly recommend Migration as a family movie, especially if there are birders in the family, but I don’t think there is enough about birds in this film to suggest adult birders without kids should run out to see it.  

Migration is about a family of Mallards living happily on Moosewood Pond who are challenged to leave their comfort zone and migrate to Jamaica. Along the way they encounter predators of the animal and human variety and brave the dangers of New York City.  The main villain is an evil chef who has encaged a Macaw from Jamaica and likes to turn ducks into Duck a L’orange. I don’t think it gives away too much to say the Macaw is freed and comes along on the adventure. In fact, the plot is predictable, but still entertaining and offers plenty of funny moments. And the animation is beautiful.

The main Mallard characters are voiced by Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, and Danny DeVito, with Keegan-Michael Key as the Macaw, and they all do a great job of infusing the anthropomorphized birds with personality. Some of the bird characterizations in the movie will appeal to adult birders. There is a tough pigeon gang, a misunderstood Great Blue Heron couple, and a gaggle of pampered Pekins who are amusing. So, take the kids to see it, and if you are an adult that usually loves kids’ movies, go see it. Otherwise, the interesting bird characterizations will be there when the film is streamed.