FREE BIRDS

US, 2013, 91 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler, George Takei, Colm Meaney, Keith David, Dan Vogler,
Directed by Jimmy Hayward.

Once upon a time - actually in 1995 - children around the world were entranced by Farmer Hoggart’s sheep-pig, Babe. And many made resolutions that they would not eat any pork!

Unfortunately, Free Birds has not had the popularity of Babe. Which may be a pity, because this is the equivalent story of turkeys, of turkey liberation. How the film was made in the United States, with its annual menu of Turkey and cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, is something of a mystery – the film is a plea for the safety and lives of turkeys.

This is an animation film which may not appeal so much to the littlies, except, perhaps, in its visuals. It is a film that young boys might enjoy. And, if this reviewer is someone to go by, it is a film that might appeal more to adults watching it in a relaxed vein.

A blue Turkey, Reggie, is the hero of this film. He is the outsider, always has been since he was young, the other turkeys ganging up against him. He tries to tell them that they are being fattened in order to be killed for Thanksgiving dinners – but they have a flock-like mentality and eat up whatever the farmers give them. But then Reggie encounters an odd Turkey, Jake, who says he has a mission from The Great Turkey but does not know what it is – but has a belief that he has to travel in a time capsule. The capsule appears and Jake and Reggie find themselves in the 17th century, with the Settlers and the Indians, and many turkeys, of course, preparing for the first Thanksgiving.

Reggie and Jake are turkeys on a mission and are persuasive with the 17th century turkeys, the chief, and the plucky (that’s not quite the right word) daughter, Jenny. The settlers seem a tough lot, especially their defender, Miles Standish.

This leads to quite a lot of comedy, but also a sense of dread in the turkeys, and battlelines being drawn up as the turkeys face the Indians and the settlers. Part of the action involves flashbacks to Jake’s unhappy background and his vision of The Great Turkey. Part of the action also involves Reggie going backwards and forwards in the time capsule, inviting Jenny to come with him to the 21st century, and in another flashback, discovering who The Great Turkey actually is.

Looking back at that paragraph, it might seem that the film is a whole lot of nonsense. However, the screenplay is well written, has many witty lines, and is perhaps a bit daring for an American audience to suggest that the turkeys are really a symbolic equivalent of the Native Americans and that the settlers seem to be rather ruthless aggressors. The points are made, but this is an animation film for the family, and so there is some kind of happy ending, symbolised by the Indians and settlers sitting down to the Thanksgiving dinner.

The voices are particularly good with Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson bringing their vocal style of comedy to Reggie and Jake. And Amy Poehler is a strong-minded Jenny.

1. An entertaining animation film? American themes? American history?

2. The film not so popular at the box office? The theme of turkeys? For Thanksgiving dinners? The revolt of the turkeys – and, perhaps, an analogy with the clash of the Settlers with the Native Americans?

3. The animation style, the backgrounds, contemporary and historical, the design of the characters, the birds, the settlers, the Native Americans? Colourful? Action sequences? The musical score?

4. The voice talent and bringing the characters to life, humour, drama?

5. The plausibility of the plot, the time travel, the Great Turkey?

6. Reggie, blue, his place in the flock of turkeys? On the outer? The other turkeys and their treatment, their being part of the flock and single-minded, Reggie’s warnings and their disdain?

7. Jake, the eccentric Turkey, his kidnapping Reggie? Explanation of the situation? The need to go back into the past? The Time Machine? Revelation of the Great Turkey?

8. The return to 1621, the aim of saving the turkeys?

9. The wild turkey flock, Reggie and his meeting Jenny, her being a strong-minded Turkey, his falling in love?

10. The settlers, their way of life, building the Fort, protecting themselves?

11. Jake and his attack on the Fort, the failure? The human hunters coming to the fort? Jenny’s father and his being killed? Her decision to attack the Fort, rescue the other birds?

12. Reggie, coming back to the present, discovering that there were other Reggie’s from other times? Their urging him to go back?

13. The irony of Reggie providing pizza for the Thanksgiving meal, humans and turkeys both sharing the meal?

14. The identity of the Great Turkey, Jake and the introduction, Reggie and the discovery?

15. Reggie and Jenny staying in the past, happy union? Jake and his decision to continue with the time travel and his battles for justice?