Making a movie that is geared to children but still appeases the parents and the adults who are curious about the film is always a dangerous balance to achieve with the high risk of becoming too adult that it’s no longer suitable for children or becoming too childish for adults. Through its inception, Illumination has seemed to perfectly strike the correct balance with nearly all of their features leaving everyone pleasantly surprised with their product. All of this is to say that their newest outing, which has arrived at home for the viewing pleasure of everyone, Migration, is perfectly suitable for everyone from children to adults, and has enough messaging and adult jokes (including one fantastic geographical joke) to keep everyone, at any age, thoroughly entertained. However, it is not just a genuinely entertaining and fun movie, it is packed to the brim with special features and three mini movies featuring some of everyone’s favorite yellow helpers, the Minions!
L-R: Pam voiced by Elizabeth Banks, Gwen voiced by Tresi Gazal, Mack voiced by Kumail Nanjiani, Dax voiced by Caspar Jennings, and Delroy voiced by Keegan-Michael Key in Illumination’s MIGRATION, directed by Benjamin Renner. © 2023 Illumination Entertainment and Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
The movie focuses on a family of ducks, Mack (Kumail Nanjiani) and his wife Pam (Elizabeth Banks), with their children Dax (Caspar Jennings) and Gwen (Tresi Gazal). Pam and the children try to convince Mack to go on a vacation of a lifetime. Despite his deep hesitation of leaving his home and venturing out of his comfort zone, he finally comes around and decides to go on the vacation his family successfully pushed on him, and they’re on their way to Jamaica. Along for the ride is their Uncle Dan (Danny DeVito), as well. However, things take a turn when they end up in New York (hence the earlier joke I alluded to). Upon landing in New York, they run into Chump (Awkwafina) who delivers arguably her best comedic performance to date. When in New York, trying to get to Jamaica, they run into some trouble with a villainous chef, aptly named Chef and who does not have a singular line of dialogue, who wants to serve the birds for dinner, something the birds desperately do not want to happen. In essence, the story written by Mike White (School of Rock) and Benjamin Renner (The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales), with White solely penning the script, feels like a combination of Chicken Run (2000) meets Madagascar (2005), and it truly delivers anything and everything audiences could want from an Illumination product.
L-R: Chump voiced by Awkwafina and Pam voiced by Elizabeth Banks in Illumination’s MIGRATION, directed by Benjamin Renner. © 2023 Illumination Entertainment and Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Now, onto the real reason were here — how incredible this home release looks. When it comes to computer animation, formatting for a home release doesn’t seem to be as important and crucial as it would be for an older catalogue title or anything of the sort, but the 4K UHD here is so crisp and clean, nearly looking 3D at times. Since it does appear this movie was upscaled for 3D and not shot in 3D, this could be the reasoning as well, but the coloring and presentation of this 4K looks absolutely astonishing. The way this 4K just pops at home on an older television set (a seven-year-old 4K Sony tv) is mesmerizing. Even if the elder audience isn’t totally sold on the story (which, how can you not?), they’ll be captivated by the gorgeous presentation and be completely entranced in this rich tapestry of animation.
L-R: Uncle Dan voiced by Danny DeVito, Mack voiced by Kumail Nanjiani, and Pam voiced by Elizabeth Banks in Illumination’s MIGRATION, directed by Benjamin Renner. © 2023 Illumination Entertainment and Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Moreover, aside from the astonishing presentation and genuinely great storytelling which works for all ages, the 4K Blu-ray and digital combo pack is packed to the brim with special features. This home release is packed to the brim with bonuses with three bonus min-movies (which seems to be a go-to for Illumination titles) and EIGHT other features ranging from making-of/behind-the-scenes to children activities such as how to draw and build your own pop-up book. Migration is an incredible looking disk. With a surprisingly, exceedingly enjoyable movie and a plethora of features, it is a must-have for any fan of the movie, animation, or titles that Illumination puts out.
Migration Special Features:
- Three mini-movies (Fly Hard, Mooned, Midnight Mission)
- Meet the Cast
- Microphone Madness
- Taking Flight: The Making Of
- The Sound of Flight
- How to Draw
- Build Your Own Pop Up
- Calling all Birds
- Best Nest
Available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD, and digital February 27th, 2024.
For more information, head to the official Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Migration webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews, streaming
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