Terrilyn Myers went to an advance screening of the latest animated adventure. Check out what she had to say about the family flick.
Free Birds, the latest 3D animated movie to hit theatres, brings Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson and Amy Poehler together in a turkey-filled adventure the whole family can enjoy.
The premise:
Reggie (Wilson) is a misunderstood turkey and an outsider from his own flock. When he's chosen by the president’s daughter to move into Camp David he encounters Jake (Harrelson), a fellow bird sent to kidnap Reggie in order to complete an important mission that will get turkeys off the Thanksgiving menu forever. Reggie and Jake take a journey in a time machine named S.T.E.V.E. (voiced by George Takei) to the first American Thanksgiving. Here we meet Jenny (Poehler), and Reggie and Jake join her flock to help protect the turkeys at Plymouth Rock in the year 1621. Their mission isn’t to just save 10 turkeys, but all of them.
What we loved:
It’s great to hear Wilson, Harrelson and Poehler bring these heartfelt characters to life. The little round baby turkeys are sure to capture your heart, too. The president’s daughter, with her innocent view of the world and bizarre sleeping habits, will also make her a family favourite.
There are also lots of funny scenes that will appeal to audiences of all ages.
Parental advisory (potential spoilers):
There is a shared villain for all the turkeys, Myles Standish, who is the leader of the pilgrims that are trying to capture the turkeys for the upcoming feast. He starts a fire that ignites the home of the turkeys, and one of the turkeys dies. This may be scary for little ones. The movie could also raise questions about eating turkey at your next holiday meal.
Canadian rating:
PG — For some action sequences and rude humour
Final verdict:
Free Birds is sure to entertain your family. This movie is filled with love, laughter and lots of pizza. Considering the scenes with the war between the turkeys and the pilgrims, I would recommend this movie for children 6+, but use your judgement based on your child’s comfort level with an animated battle sequence. With a running time of 90 minutes, these turkeys should be able to hold the attention of your family.
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