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3 Things Parents Should Know about Migration

  • Michael Foust CrosswalkHeadlines Contributor
  • Updated Dec 27, 2023
3 Things Parents Should Know about <em>Migration</em>

Mack is a loving mallard who says he only wants what is best for his children. He’s also a father who does things, well, a little different. Mack doesn’t believe ducks should migrate. It’s too dangerous, he says. His kids might get hurt, he says. Besides, his New England pond is too beautiful to leave.

“It’s a stupid idea.”

But then his two children -- son Dax and daughter Gwen -- meet a few ducks who do migrate. These ducks describe a tropical paradise with sun and sand. It’s warmer there. It even has bananas!

“You will love migrating!” one of the ducks tells Dax and Gwen.

But can they talk their father into it?

The new film Migration (PG) follows the charming story of dad Mack, mom Pam, and their two kids as they take along Uncle Dan and embark on their first-ever family trip south to Jamaica. It stars Kumail Nanjiani as Mack, Elizabeth Banks as Pam, Danny DeVito as Dan, and Awkwafina as a pigeon named Chump.

Here are three things parents should know:

Photo credit: ©Illumination; used with permission.

  • Migration movie

    1. It’s the Latest Film from Illumination

    The most successful animation studio post-pandemic hasn’t been Pixar or Disney- two titans that have historically dominated the genre. Instead, it’s been Illumination, the company best known for the Despicable Me and Minion franchises, but that was also behind The Secret Life of Pets and Sing series.

    Illumination -- the studio behind Migration -- has the top animated movie for 2023 (The Super Mario Bros. Movie, $574 million domestically) and 2022 (Minions: The Rise of Gru, $369 million). Its 2021 movie Sing 2 grossed $162 million domestically.

    By contrast, Pixar’s two post-pandemic films, Elemental and Lightyear, grossed $154 million and $118 million, respectively. Walt Disney Animation Studios Movies has yet to have a post-pandemic release reach $100 million in the U.S.

    Illumination has enjoyed box office success with production budgets that are far less -- sometimes half the budget -- of Pixar and Disney movies.

    Photo credit: ©Illumination; used with permission.

  • migration movie

    2. It’s about Family, Love, and Adventure

    Mack’s resistance takes a turn when his wife encourages him to see the world, and his brother -- Uncle Dan, a hermit -- encourages him to stay home. (Mack doesn’t want to turn out like Dan.) Their trip gets off to a rough start when they migrate directly into a storm and are forced to spend the night with a family of spooky herons.

    But the trip gets back on track -- sort of -- when they stumble upon New York City. (“What is this place?” -- one of them says.) There, they meet a pigeon with street smarts and a parrot, Delroy (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key), whose home is Jamaica and who can help them find their way. Unfortunately, Delroy is confined to a cage and is owned by a cruel chef who cooks duck. Mack’s family aims to free Delroy while staying clear of that chef.

    Migration gets off to a slow start but picks up steam once they enter New York City. Its ending leaves room for a sequel.

    It’s a family-centric plot with lots to like. Despite their disagreements, Dad and Mom love and support one another. They place the needs of the children over their own. They overcome their fears. Migration promotes courage and self-sacrifice. It encourages parents and kids alike to embrace adventure and try something new. No doubt, trials may come -- as Mack and Pam discover. Often, though, it’s worth it.

    Photo credit: ©Illumination; used with permission.

  • Migration kids movie

    3. It’s Charming and Family-Friendly

    Migration isn’t the best-animated movie of the year, but it’s easily one of the most family-friendly ones. It contains no coarse language (details below) and no sexuality (minus a joke about Dax having “babies” with a female duck).

    The PG rating mentions “peril,” a description that references a handful of scenes. In the first scene, the heron couple, at night, appears on the verge of eating Mack and his family. In another scene, Mack and Pam are kidnapped and separated from their kids (They’re later reunited). Throughout the film, though, they build each other up and maintain an optimistic attitude in the face of long odds.

    My 8-year-old son enjoyed Migration -- and then talked about it for the next several days. I suspect other kids will, too.

    Migration is rated PG for action/peril and mild rude humor. Language details: “gosh” (3), “I swear” (1).

    Entertainment rating: 4 out of 5 stars

    Family-friendly rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

    Photo credit: ©Illumination; used with permission.

    Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.