The Angry Birds Movie – movie review

In December 2009, people around the world downloaded a game to their phones and started something of a modern phenomenon. Little green piggies had invaded, intent on stealing the eggs of some flightless birds and these birds were … ANGRY! Well, how would you feel if someone came to your home and took away your kids? Apparently, the most downloaded mobile game of all time Angry Birds and its various editions have now been downloaded more than three billion times. And this movie is their back-story. We learn how the Angry Birds got their name, with the game as a starting point. In other words, it is their origin story.

It takes place on Bird Island, populated almost entirely by happy, flightless birds, most of whom go about their daily business … well, happily. Foremost among those that aren’t entirely in the right frame of mind is Red (voiced by Jason Sudeikis), who has just been sentenced to anger management for his less than sunny disposition. Put simply, he doesn’t fit in. We are introduced to Red when he turns up late as a clown to a child’s birthday party and then proceeds to berate the parents. Fine form, indeed! But doing time in rehab isn’t his thing either, joined as he is by some wild and wacky cohorts, none of whom are as angry as Red.

Suddenly the stakes are ratcheted up when the island is invaded by purportedly well meaning green piggies, led by the proud, egomaniacal and vain Leonard (Bill Hader). While most of the locals are taken in, Red isn’t and before long these interlopers are busying themselves stealing eggs from under the noses of the flightless birds using slingshots. Now it is a question of how to fight back and rescue their soon to be offspring before the piggies make a meal of them.

The film also features Chuck, a speedy bird with a lead foot problem (the voice of Josh Gad), and the self-exploding, larger than life character known by the moniker Bomb (as voiced by Danny McBride). Leading the anger management classes is Zen (Maya Rudolph), who, as the name suggests exudes a peaceful exterior. She was once an angry bird herself and we learn during the course of proceedings that she still harbours an inner rage. Then there’s the mythical hero of the island who hasn’t been seen for years, The Mighty Eagle (Peter Dinklage), who isn’t in the best shape and is tracked down for supposed inspiration by Red, Chuck and Bomb.

While Sudeikis brings sarcasm to his role, in Gad’s case he displays distinct signs of Attention Deficit Disorder, talking at the rate of knots and substituting ideas mid thought. Red changes complexion, if you pardon the pun, during the course of the picture. At first he appears the villain, but part of his villainy is born out of sheer frustration that the rest of the flock see life through rose-coloured glasses. That is why they can’t see trouble brewing when it clearly is.

In fact, the plot is quite straightforward, perhaps lacking the sophistication and subtleties of other, more celebrated animated features that would have given it greater adult appeal. Nevertheless, the littlies that made up the bulk of the audience I saw it with appeared enthralled.

The Angry Bird’s Movie’s mild crude humour and animated violence has seen it garner a PG rating, but I see it as quite innocuous.  The film has nothing on the likes of books by Roald Dahl, for instance and he is a real kids’ favourite, as well he should be. The Angry Bird’s Movie features a host of colourful characters and, like so many of these “cartoons” is a marketer’s dream. Rated PG, it scores a 6 to 6½ out of 10.

Director: Clay Kaytis, Fergal Reilly
Cast: (Voices of) Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Peter Dinklage, Jason Sudeikis
Release Date: 12 May 2016
Rating: PG

Alex First