Review: The Angry Birds Movie 2

The Angry Birds Movie 2
Cert: U / 97 mins / Dir. Thurop Van Orman & John Rice / Trailer



So, genuine question: Is Angry Birds still a thing, then? I don't mean 'are people still playing it', because I know that as long as some version of the game is available in the online marketplace, procrastinators of the world will idle away the hours flinging digital birds at digital pigs. I just mean is Angry Birds still enough of a thing to make a movie of? Because even the first entry back in 2016 felt like the window had been missed somewhat (I know animation isn't a quick process, but still). Anyway, the fact that I have no idea what the franchise has been up to for the last three years goes some way to explaining how I approached The Angry Birds Movie 2.

We open on Bird Island, where the war between its avian inhabitants and their porcine nemeses over on Pig Island has cooled to the level of playing constant pranks on one another, albeit pranks with no small level of vigour. But when a mysterious third island suddenly appears and begins hurling giant ice boulders at the other two, the pigs and the birds realise they have to join forces to save their homes and thwart their new enemies - the eagles.

PRESENT

The good news is that if you did enjoy the series' first cinematic outing, the sequel should present no significant problems. Once again the U certificate means the writers have to work harder to get the laughs from silliness and slapstick, and there are solid visual gags throughout. While the packed script doesn't quite have the wryness of its predecessor, it still zips along at an accompanying rate. The story itself is more prone to meandering however, not least because the main narrative is punctuated by a side adventure that feels for all the world like a ten-minute short has been edited into the movie. They both come together at the finale, but you're definitely left with the feeling that each was originally written without the other in mind.

The voice-casting is solid once again, with the characterisations matching their vocal performances almost perfectly. The visuals are as great as you'd want for an animated feature, although it's perhaps notable that there's no 3D option available this time round. Meanwhile, there's some thematic study of teamwork and confidence, but that's a pretty basic lesson for a kids' movie and it only features here to serve the plot. Speaking of which, the film waits pretty much until its third act to actually introduce the specific game-mechanics as being relevant to the birds achieving their goal. Which means that until that point it's been a standard animated kids flick with Angry Birds characters pasted in over the top.

SINGER

While 97 minutes is a respectable run-time for this type of thing, that comes pre-loaded with a predictably preachy script in its final minutes - although again, that's perhaps understandable given its appeal to a young audience. Because with soundtrack nods to Lionel Richie, Europe and Dawson's Creek, this movie may not be aimed at people in their 30s and 40s, but it was sure as hell made by them.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 is fun but definitely feels like a tacked-on sequel that should have landed two years ago to maintain brand momentum. It's not trying to reinvent digitally simulated physics, but it's sweet and diverting fun for the Summer holidays…

The first Angry Birds movie.



If you've got padawans to keep occupied, sure.



As above, this will be a good one for future rainy afternoons.



Let's not go mad.



That's possible.



Not that I heard.



Level 1: Well, I'm taking the sudden appearance of a snow-covered landmass containing a geothermal-powered superweapon (and its subsequent infiltration by the team of heroes) to be a direct homage to The Force Awakens' Starkiller Base, but that's for a longer analysis of the film which you'll be thankful to learn I'm not going to write.

But this has the voices of the LT-319 and BB-8 (okay, voice "consultant" in roundie's case) in it.

Oh, and Catherine 'Clone Wars' Winder is an exec producer.







DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.

Review: The Angry Birds Movie

The Angry Birds Movie*¹
Cert: U / 97 mins / Dir. Fergal Reilly & Clay Kaytis / Trailer



Wow. Pre-trailer ads for U-rated kids' films might just be the worst thing humanity has ever invented, whether they're aimed at the impressionable youngsters themselves or their time-poor, guilt-ridden parents. In my day, toy-adverts were used to sell toys, not insurance. This is not what Ian Palitoy had in mind when he invented the action-figure, I assure you.

Anyway, taking as its basis the ridiculously successful casual-gaming phenomenon that is Angry Birds, the movie iteration focuses on the arrival of The Pigs at Bird Island, and their insidious plot to steal all the eggs*². It's up to the emotionally-unstable feathered friends Red, Chuck, Bomb and Terence to save the day (with a little help, of course), all leading up to a meticulously implemented recreation of the gameplay which made the series such a success.

And happily, the movie is a success, too. It's very sharply scripted for a U-certificate (best line: "I'm tellin ya, something isn't kosher with those pigs..."), and the slapstick and more subtle visual gags will keep audiences of all ages happily occupied. More often than not, the witticisms and asides of the characters work better than the set-gags. Indeed, the consistently chucklesome screenplay serves as an interesting counterpoint to the fact that this is an (albeit belated) marketing tie-in for a video-game, rather than any sort of adaptation-proper.

The visuals are gorgeously animated as you'd expect, with a full and subtle range of facial expressions and twitches backing up the already-unique character design. That said, I saw this in 3D and the extra dimension seems very under-used, particularly since animated features always show this off the best.

The voice-cast are a pleasant surprise here, too. Given the Jason Sudekis/Josh Gad/Danny McBride level of casting, many of the performances are almost understated, and suit their respective characters well. Peter Dinklage gets to turn it up to 11 as Mighty Eagle, but it suits both the actor and the role, so y'know.

Considering the film industry's track record with game-to-movie conversions, and the disposable nature of this particular game itself, Angry Birds has no right at all to be as thoroughly enjoyable as it is.
But it's gloriously silly, and somewhat ironic that a movie as throwaway as this will stand up to a few repeat viewings, at least (and if you've got padawans in the house, you know that's only a matter of time)...

Oh, and there's nothing at the end of the credits. During and mid, yes. Just not after the names start rolling up. I stayed on, so you don't have to ;)



.



Only if you're after the 3D; you won't lose too much by seeing this at home.



It does, although the film knows its limitations and plays safely around them.



Everyone involved can safely put this on their CV.



Nah.



I didn't hear one, but I'd be amazed if there isn't.



Level 1: This movie features the vocals of Bill BB-8 Hader and is also produced by Catherine Winder, who was Exec Producer on The Clone Wars.





*¹ Although the BBFC website lists this as "The Angry Birds Movie", the classification card which comes up before the film says only "Angry Birds". It's the little things like this which wind me up. Where's the consistency, people?

*² With a more 'studio' movie this could turn out to be a parable on immigration or cultural integration, but Angry Birds doesn't attempt to dig that deeply (and to its credit). I mean, obviously the pigs want to eat the eggs which all have baby birds inside, but that's as awkward as the whole thing gets.

DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.