‘Migration’ Review – The Best Illumination Can Get

For the first time in a long time, there is no real pedigree in animation right now; there hasn’t been for a few years. Long gone are the days of Pixar domination, and despite a few haymakers from Dreamworks now and again, they aren’t consistent enough to claim the throne, either. Now, we are not going to claim that Illumination is the best of the bunch right now, far from it, but now considering Migration, they’ve arguably had the best year of any of their counterparts.

They haven’t had a Spider-Verse moment or anything, yet they’ve still arguably put out their two best titles in 2023 alone. The Super Mario Bros. Movie was first: a fun, faithful adaptation of the games that seemed to satisfy most. Some critics were split, sure, but the wide consensus has been undeniably positive and has only strengthened since its release. Now, Migration: an incredible visual feast, with easily the most well-rounded and compelling character arcs an Illumination film has ever had.

The family dynamic on display with the ducks is just a delight; nothing groundbreaking, but why does that have to be an issue? Some stories are better told simply, and Migration is a great example of that. An all-applicable tale about a family of ducks embarking on a migration for the first time together, all in search of something. The film outlines the themes at hand (or wing) well, and hits all the necessary beats in executing them fully by the credits. Although, unfortunately, it struggles often to substantiate the journey in between, and this issue pervades the film in multiple ways.

After the first half or so, it becomes clear that the filmmakers didn’t quite know where to take this thing. What was a grounded, developmental story about this dysfunctional family quickly becomes comedy fodder when the film’s useless villain is introduced. There was no need for a main villain here, and past his introduction, the character continuously returns in more annoying, contrived ways each time. It really strips the film of believability in any way; that isn’t a necessary quality in the first place, but when the first half leaned into it so heavily, it’s a random disappointment to witness the second half break off. 

The pacing is off by proxy, too. Right around that halfway point, things screech to a halt in favor of repeated jokes and drawn-out developments. It’s almost like the film was regrouping, trying to figure out where to go next. The lack of specific direction is debilitating.

Yet there’s always a good deal of fun to be had in between. If Illumination does anything right, it’s the gags. Here specifically, the animators utilize the family being ducks to spur some really creative bits and bobs that forge a unique memorability for this film and its visual identity. And again, it helps that Migration is downright gorgeous. It was supposedly inspired by watercolor paintings, and the film consistently looks like one. One sequence in the clouds, in tandem with John Powell’s perfectly whimsical score, is a wonderful highlight of not only the film but the year as a whole. 

All the main cast’s voice-acting is superb, as expected, though unexpected is the standout Caspar Jennings as one of the kids. His journey is one of growth and self-confidence; one that is extremely relevant to children today, and Jennings is phenomenal in delivering everything that comes with that. 

Migration is a good movie, point-blank. Not necessarily special, though certainly not forgettable either. The studio just so happened to catch animation on an off-year for most, releasing their best work and, considering the whole picture, standing out. Migration is a quintessential watch with loved ones and should serve subsequent watches down the road with immortal visuals and fresh fun most of the way through.

Migration is currently playing exclusively in theaters courtesy of Universal. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQfo0HJhCnE]