Migration

Let's not waste any time with Migration. It's not a bad film, but the New Year is hours away and this film is just 83 minutes long. Let's see how Illumination did with its 14th film.

We find a family of Mallards somewhere in New England. Dad Mack Mallard (Kumail Nanjiani) is a worry-wort who refuses to leave the comfort of his forest. That doesn't sit well with mom Pam (Elizabeth Banks), and kids Dax (Caspar Jennings) and Gwen (Tresi Gazal), who want to see the world. One day, they meet another flock of ducks on layover for their migration to Jamaica. The prospect sounds fun for Pam and the kids, but Mack only agrees to migrate after a talk with cranky Uncle Dan (Danny DeVito). They accidentally migrate to Manhattan, where they have misadventures with a flock of pigeons and a vicious chef. They'll have to toughen up to get in the right direction. 

That's basically it.

Since the film's been trailered, often, since April, quite a few of the gags aren't that fresh. A few of them are amusing, such as pigeon boss Chump's (Awkwafina) difficulty crossing the street, but you'll have persistent deja-vu as you watch it. That doesn't mean there are surprises. Its darkly-funny opening has Mack tell the kids a morbid bedtime story, while Pam tries to overrule the downer ending. The creepy Erin the Heron (Carol Kane) ends up being more eccentric than dangerous. The Mallards' approach to Manhattan includes a pretty fun cloud fight. Salsa figures into the plot in an amusing fashion. My biggest surprise is realizing that its director, Benjamin Renner, is the same man who directed the Oscar-nominated Ernest and Celestine. Anyone more familiar with the film will see his influence in the water-colored bedtime story.

The Mallards are pretty basic archetypes but are still likable. Mack's cynical personality is amusing to listen to thanks to Nanjiani's animated voice work. Pam's a good voice of reason, while Uncle Dan's motivating speech for Mack is a brutal and unironic bait-and-switch. The Kids are fine, but it's decently compelling to see them mount the climactic rescue of their parents. The Chef only vocalizes with growls to the point there's no actor listed for him in the credits. It doesn't take long to know who he is when he violently tosses a quivering cook's duck a l'orange on the floor. Its most compelling character is Delroy (Keegan Michael-Key), the Chef's homesick parrot who jumps at the chance to guide the mallards. 

Its avian cast is aided by a strong visual team. You'll remember the vivid color palette as much as you'll remember its cast's eclectic designs. The Mallards' home forest is simply stunning in fall, while the layover flock's blue feathers are striking. Its version of Manhattan is grittier than that in The Secret Life of Pets, but it's still appealing in its own way. Its most appealing locale is, ironically, the creepiest. It's a duck "paradise" whose actual purpose is beyond obvious. The flying scenes look good, but John Powell's score makes them as majestic as those in the How to Train Your Dragon films. You gotta see the cloud fight scene.

Migration will make for a quick and easy family matinee. It's clearly made for kids, but I think adults will find some fun with it. They'll find even more fun with the opening short, Mooned, in which Despicable Me's Vector (remember him?) tries to escape the moon where he ended up in that film, only for the oblivious Minions to get in his way. His wacky gadgets are hilarious, and he's almost pitiable in his failures. It's a great opening for a harmless animated film. That's it for this year.