Migration Review: A Whirlwind Family Romp That Isn’t All That New

Movies that don’t try anything new, aren’t always the worst. If a predictable movie is well-executed, it can easily be rotated in with some of the classics of its respective genre. Thankfully, Illumination’s latest animated film Migration is great enough that it may well be considered a classic in the years to come. The film follows a family of ducks called the Mallards, who decide to migrate south for the winter. Proving the father Mack Mallard right, the family faces some dangerous situations along the way. 

Mack is voiced by Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals), while the mother of the family, Pam, is voiced by Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games). Their children Dax and Gwen are voiced by Caspar Jennings (Sing) and Tresi Gazal, respectively. Their lame duck Uncle Dan is voiced by Danny DeVito (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians) and Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele) voice two side characters in the film, with Awkwafina playing the pigeon leader Chump, and Key playing Delroy, who wants to get back to his home Jamaica. 

Migration’s Familiar But Heartwarming Story

If you’re a fan of animation, you’ve definitely seen the story of Migration before. Once their beautiful pond is visited by a group of migrating ducks, the Mallard family desperately wants to join them on their way to Jamaica. But, stick-in-the-mud Mack, is convinced that a predator will eat them if they leave their pond, so he dismisses the idea. After a brief conversation with Uncle Dan, the family soon embarks on their adventure. While Mack is proven right, he overcomes his fears to protect his family. 

There are elements of this film that are reminiscent of Ice Age, Madagascar, Rio, and probably many more animated films. On its own, the story isn’t groundbreaking or all that revelatory, but it’s still a heartwarming tale that might impart some lessons for children. Pam is a strong female character, and Mack can clearly be a toxic parent, which is something he overcomes by the end of the movie. There’s also the obvious lesson of letting your kids leave the nest (or pond), and all of these elements are done well. 

Migration doesn’t favor characters, either. All of the main four members of the Mallard family felt distinct with what felt like an equal amount of screen time and individual moments. So, there’s something for everyone. The writing is also genuinely funny, without resorting to crass humor. Gwen’s random lines to the duck her brother likes made me laugh, while some of the bigger comedic set pieces weren’t one-note, moving between hilarious and downright terrifying once you thought more about them. Some of the jokes feel predictable too, but again, the jokes are well executed.

Performance, Animation, Hilarity

The reasons why the movie soars as high as it does come down to the performances and the animation. Nanjiani isn’t perfect as Mack, he’s expressive when Mack has anxiety or when he’s afraid, but at times the performance feels monotone. However, he plays the leading role well and lands the emotional beats. There are two standout performances, the first being Banks as Pam, who manages to go between furious and caring mother fairly effortlessly. DeVito is also perfect as Uncle Dan, and it makes you wonder why he doesn’t do voice acting more than he already does. His deadpan exasperated delivery isn’t at all different from how he sounds naturally, but he nails the performance and lands every joke. 

It’s also worth noting that both Jennings and Gazal embody the youthfulness of the two ducklings. It’s rare that a voice sounds like a child’s but also manages to nail the delivery of their jokes. The animation is – as is the case with most Illumination films – of a high standard. The animators weren’t afraid to make the ducks look goofy, inflating them with exaggerated faces. All of the superb animation only adds to the pic’s comedy.

Every element of Migration does seem to favor the comedic beats, rather than the story, which might be why it feels so cookie-cutter. Even the licensed music is used for laughs. There’s a cover of “Survivor” in the film, and the scene that accompanies it is a highlight. The ducks are being chased by the villain, a chef, in the middle of a salsa dance. The cover brings a vibrancy to the scene, giving the comedy a beat, and that’s why it works. Otherwise, the music isn’t too noticeable. John Powell’s score isn’t bad at all, just a little forgettable. 

Flying High

Watching the credits roll at the end of the film was an experience. Not because I had seen something that had transported me to another world, or because I laughed during the entirety of the 93-minute runtime, or because I wept at the story I had witnessed. None of that happened. No, I couldn’t stop thinking about how the – on paper – mediocre, cookie-cutter movie was pure fun for the entire runtime. Every moment was engaging, and for the majority of the movie, there was a smile on my face. 

Migration is a great family film, that might make you laugh. If you have kids, it would be a great choice to go see this at the theaters this holiday season. If you don’t and briefly want to feel like a kid again, it’s also a good choice. You can catch Migration when it soars into theaters on December 22, 2023.