Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Free Birds

This is topic Free Birds in forum Film Handlers' Movie Reviews at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Stu Jamieson (Member # 4626) on 01-11-2014, 06:40 PM:

A pair of turkeys hijack a US government time machine to travel back to 1621 with a mission to interrupt the first thanksgiving celebration and thereby forever remove turkey from the Thanksgiving menu. Yep, it's a wacky plot alright and it speaks to the thoroughly silly fun which follows.

It's strange that Free Birds has arrived on Australian shores with practically zero promotion (I think I saw a trailer once), especially given the cast which includes Woody Harrelson, Owen Wilson, Amy Poehler, George Takei and Colm Meaney. Perhaps it's critical drubbing in the US had something to do with this. But US critics need to lighten up. If they left their Thanksgiving/colonialism/vegetarianism pretentiousness at the door in favour of having some fun they'd find that Free Birds is actually a chortle-fest from start to finish.

As is the fashion there's plenty of adult humour intermixed with the kiddie sight gags. Plentiful references to films such as Contact, Back To The Future and Raiders Of The Lost Ark abound and help to keep the "big" kids amused. The characters are likeable and funny and the references to colonialism, whilst there, are kept on the lite side so as not to bog down the fun.

Free Birds is solid, non-serious entertainment that is perfect holiday fodder for adults and kids alike. And it has one of the funniest post credit codas in a good long while.

8 out of 10

Posted by Jock Blakley (Member # 6552) on 01-12-2014, 05:26 PM:

I've seen it advertised on bus/tram shelters here. I'm not so sure about the choice of tagline ("THE GREATEST TURKEY MOVIE OF ALL TIME") flying with Australian audiences, but I suppose the distributor must be happy with it.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 01-12-2014, 08:32 PM:

My one-sheet said "Hold onto your nuggets!"

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 01-12-2014, 10:41 PM:

^ ... and squeeze REAL hard.

RT score 18 from critics / 48 from audiences -

"ouch"

Posted by Stu Jamieson (Member # 4626) on 01-12-2014, 11:22 PM:

Yep, the critic response is brutal alright.