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THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE
With voices by Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Kate McKinnon, Danny McBride, Sean Penn, Maya Rudolphe, Peter Dinklage
Written by Jon Vitti (based on the video game)
Directed by Clay Kaytis, Fergal Reilly
This animated action comedy is based on the ridiculously successful gaming app (of flightless birds shot at obstacles to clear their pig enemies and move onto the next level). Ridiculously simple, but highly addictive and growing into an industry unto itself, and here inevitably, getting its own movie (although it feels as if it may be a bit too late after the initial hype).
With not much storyline in the game, here a tale is wound around the main characters of various birds (and pigs) driving towards the crux of the game in a catapulting finale (the preceding hour consisting of character building and loads of goofy laughs - These movies almost always have a prerequisite fart joke or two, but here you get an extended pee one).
Our unlikely hero is the antisocial loner Red (with huge eyebrows), who is ordered to attend anger management classes. Here he meets other doofuses who will become instrumental in their courageous fight to defeat the pigs - heading out to find a mythical hero and legend they look up to at Lake of Wisdom, the only flying bird, Mighty Eagle (reminiscent of Surf's Up).
The jolly, carefree society on Bird Island get conned by the pigs on their unannounced arrival, dazzling them with material stuff, parties and fireworks. Their fiendish plan to steal the island's eggs has to be thwarted by a saviour... Yep, Red and his pals.
Amid the silliness (as is usually the case with these CGI kids movies), adult-slanted elements and in-jokes abound. Lines like "Cluck my life", "We need angry flocking birds", "Something's not Kosher with these pigs" etc. are just a few. The cast include a range of comedians, SNL alumni, Oscar winners and Game Of Thrones stars.
Songs cross the spectrum include older pop tunes the parents watching this movie will remember (more or less) fondly, like Rick Astley, a reworking of I Will Survive, Scorpions ("Rock You Like A Hurricane"), Tone Loc ("Wild Thing") and even Limp Bizkit get thrown in and Daft Punk makes an interesting turn! Commercial country panderer As has become commonplace with movie music, Blake Shelton's theme song feels very much market driven (due to his prominence on The Voice) as opposed to the creation of a real iconic movie song.
A fun and silly movie new generation CGI kids will love.
Extra features (with a big music focus): additional scene; extended music inserts from the composer, running through instruments and approaches to various music cues and themes; Shelton's music video; and option to watch the movie with only its music soundtrack - implying the dialog could be irrelevant?)
3 / B
- Paul Blom
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