REVIEW: 'Free Birds' a fun Thanksgiving movie
"Free Birds" is a lighthearted family comedy that makes its way into theaters just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Good for all ages, "Free Birds" succeeds in giving audiences a Thanksgiving-themed movie, something that has been sorely lacking in recent years.
Offering a fun look at the food-filled holiday from the turkey’s perspective, this film is creatively original and easy to watch.
Owen Wilson ("Wedding Crashers," "Cars") voices the lead turkey, Reggie, whose creative thinking and individuality isolates him from his dim-witted flock.
Opposite Wilson is Woody Harrelson, who plays the seemingly crazy turkey Jake; the president and evidently only member of the Turkeys Liberation Front.
"Free Birds" also delivers a strong supporting cast including Amy Poehler ("Parks & Recreation"), original "Star Trek" star George Takei, Dan Fogler ("Kung Fu Panda"), and Keith David ("Cloud Atlas").
The movie follows Reggie and Jake as they stumble into a classified time machine named S.T.E.V.E. and travel all the way back to the first Thanksgiving with one directive in mind: Take turkey off the menu.
Once they reach Plymouth, they soon find themselves in a battle between the resident flock of turkeys and hungry pilgrims and things become increasingly complicated.
Although the movie deals with time travel, the story is not too complex for kids to follow. The movie also offers up some jokes to keep the adults entertained.
The story is fun, albeit lacking in character development. However, since this is mainly a kids flick, parents and adults should simply take the story at face value.
"Free Birds," while not matching Pixar or Dreamworks animated films, is well produced. While it might not win many awards, it does give audiences, mainly children, a firm piece of Thanksgiving entertainment.
With not a lot of Thanksgiving-themed movies being released in recent years, this one is certainly eager for attention. It is surprisingly underrated – especially considering the holiday season – as this film so far has received underwhelmed responses at the box office.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
