Free Birds

And after all kinds of animals have been utilized and probably even done to death, it had to be the turn of the humble Turkey (the bird) to be part of an animation.  And with Thanksgiving somewhere in the near future (28^th November 2013 in the US) and in the not so distant past (14^th October 2013 in Canada), it was an opportune time to release a Turkey animation movie.

But what could be more out of place than a story of a couple of Turkeys who decide to take matters into their hands and change the tradition of chopping up Turkeys for Thanksgiving with the help of a contraption created by the US Government that allows you to travel in time and is piloted by something called Space Time Exploration Vehicle Envoy (S.T.E.V.E) (George Takei) – and that was a very loooooong sentence ;).

Anyways, Jake (Woody Harrelson) is a well fed, well-built Turkey who is proud of his pecs and glutes like most body builders would be.  He is sent on a mission to find Reggie (Owen Wilson), a not so well built Turkey.  He is instructed by none other than The Great Turkey himself to do so.  He has to take Reggie to secret place and find a time machine and go back to 1621 where it all began to stop Turkeys from becoming dinner.

Free Birds is a kiddie movie.  I am quite certain that Jimmy Hayward (Jonah Hex / Dr. Horton Hears a Hoo) envisaged with it being an entertainer for kids, only kids and no one else but kids.  There is almost nothing adult about Free Birds.  Whether it is the story, or the dialogues or the voice overs or the animation in itself, it is just that – a movie made for kids.  So ensure that you take ‘em with you.

The story is quite predictable and you have the usual elements of masala with an obvious love story with a Turkey in 1621 – Jenny (Amy Poehler).  And the lover boy is Reggie – not Jake just in case you were confused about it.  Jake on the other hand tries his best to become a leader of the Turkeys – not so successfully at that.  In fact he all but ensures mission failure.

In short, if you have an undiluted love for Turkeys and the cause of not having Turkey for Thanksgiving then this is definitely the movie for you.  Otherwise you have to be someone less than 10 years of age or with the equivalent IQ to really enjoy Free Birds.  So if your kids are pestering you to go out for a movie because it is Diwali vacation time – Free Birds gives you the right solution.  5 on 10.

Watch the trailer on http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi414230553/?ref_=tt_ov_vi