Review #11 | Free Birds

Free Birds, 2013

Now, way back when this movie was called Turkeys, I had some high expectations. I am the person who gets really excited when a rookie studio challenges displaying their debut animated film. Perhaps I was expecting something like Toy Story.

I remember how creative I thought the film will be after reading the premise of the story. But when days turned into months and the release date changed and of course, the change of the title to Free Birds made it so unoriginal. Their decision of changing the title is forgivable but shows their lack of confidence in their success of the movie.

 Free Birds is a story about Reggie the Turkey (Owen Wilson) who warns his fellow farm based turkeys of what people do with turkeys on Thanksgiving Day. Although the turkeys find it absurd, one day it turns out to be true and they decide to give Reggie to the people as a tribute.

In a surprise coincidence, Reggie is named the 'Pardoned Turkey' by the President of the United States and is taken to Camp David. Reggie soon relaxed and finds himself at ease, eating pizza and enjoys watching TV.

About three days before Thanksgiving, Reggie is kidnapped by Jake (Woody Harrelson) and is forced to go with him to save turkeys from getting eaten by people. They soon find the time machine and blast off to 1621. Jake keeps assuring Reggie that it was the 'Great Turkey' that told him what to do, and he told him to take Reggie with him.

When they get there, they are attacked by colonial hunters lead by Myles Standish, but they get rescued by native turkeys lead by Chief Broadbeak and his two children Ranger and Jenny. Soon after some minor events Reggie and Jake have a plan and they succeed in destroying the weapons of their enemy before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately Jake leaves gun powder trail back to the tree where the turkeys are hiding.

Standish and his men manage to capture turkeys and kill Broadbeak and Jenny is made the new chief and orders to get ready to fight against the settlers. In the meantime, Reggie goes back to the present and is confronted with the future versions of himself and finds out that Jake was telling the truth about the 'Great Turkey' and that the 'Great Turkey' was himself.

Willing to go back and save turkeys, Reggie goes back to the past and stops the fight between the settlers and the turkeys and brings Pizza Delivery Man and convinces the people that Pizza is a better menu for thanksgiving.

Reggie decides to stay with Jenny after thanksgiving while Jake goes on for adventure.

Final Thoughts: Free Birds is comedic as to make the kids laugh and enjoy Reggie and Jake's adventure. Unfortunately the story about changing the menu once and for all seems a bit absurd. The story does not have the core elements to get the mature kids engaged. The animation is clean and simple but not groundbreaking or beautiful.

Inside Outside Rating: 57%