Yesterday was Community Day at Cineplex. I decided to take my brother to see Free birds as a treat and it shocked me.Community day is a charity organized even by Free the Children. The selection of movies were free, and the select concession was lowered. All proceeds were donated to charity. So I was not holding back in getting my brother and I some snacks for our time.
When I was deciding on which film to take my brother, I immediately turned my attention to Free Birds, as it was animated, and child friendly. I had low expectations, as I had never heard of it before, and looked like basement produced.
To my surprise, the cast was award winning. Owen Wilson was the main voice of Reggie, with his turkey buddy Woody Harrelson as Jake. As the film went on, you are introduced to fellow stars such as Amy Poehler, George Takei, and Keith David.
Right from the beginning you are set in a strange world of eating turkey for Thanks Giving. I know right, weird. A strangely intelligent turkey (Owen) feels this is wrong, as well as that the world is not made of corn (it’s not?). Strange events turn the tides, and his intelegence is used for good as he is teemed up with Jake (woody) to save the future for all turkeys.
The film is filled, at just the right moments of charming humour, and touches of burst out laughing moments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HYTR_BMkFY
Of course there as has to be the bad guy, Myles Standish is the guy for the job. Immediately I thought of this guy, Percival C. McLeach from The Rescuers Down Under.
He is a hired killer for the townspeople on the newly settled land, they are in need of food, and he thinks the turkeys are the best bet.
The film also surprised me for having emotion. Having you feel for the characters in a children’s movie is rare, at least for me. You are introduced to Jenny, the daughter of the chief of the native turkeys. The relationship between her and her father is evident, and with actions thrown at you in the movie, may question your feelings towards turkeys.
As the film progresses, you tend to get the hints as how it will end, meaning it is fairly predictable. But that does not stand in the way of the humour, and the story that is presented anyway. The facial emotion shown by the human characters is hilarious, as they are exaggerated and intensified. Of course the out of nature attitude of the turkeys show how imaginative these unknown movies can be.
Please take the time to check out Free the children, as the charity has been doing some amazing work.
http://www.freethechildren.com/
Hilarious, predictable, but very rewatchable
Overall
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- 7/10
7/10
Summary
Right from the beginning you are thrown into comedy, and outragous circumstances by a turkey. The predictability killed a tiny bit for me, but beyond that this quickly became a top contender in my new list of comedy go-tos.