Film Review: The Angry Birds Movie

I have allowed the obsessive phenomenon that is Apple iPhone’s Angry Birds game to pass me right by. Every day – according to research I did online – multiple millions of hours are spent playing the game. Why? I do not have a clue.

I was generously gifted with 20 tickets (with posters and Angry Bird sunglasses) for a Las Vegas girls club, The Las Vegas Rosebud Girls’ Club to a special Saturday morning pre-opening 3D screening of THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE.*

I usually do not go to animated 3D movies but now I think that is a mistake. I thoroughly enjoyed the sly sophistication of THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE by screenwriter Jon Vitti placed purely for the pleasure of parents forced to accompany their children.

Red (Jason Sudeikis), he of the bushy, black slab of eyebrows, is a loner in his deliriously happy neighborhood, Bird Island, of non-flying birds. Orphaned, Red has no friends and is always angry. I liked him immediately. He was on to something.

Red’s impatient behavior causes him to stand before Judge Peckinpah (Keegan-Michael Key) and he must attend anger management classes run by Matilda (Maya Rudolph).

Fifty Shades of Green?

Pluck my life!

Red: We’re gonna get those eggs back! Come on, we’re birds! We’re descendants from dinosaurs! We’re not supposed to be nice!

It’s in anger management class where he meets fellow non-conformists, Bomb (Danny McBride) and Chuck (Josh Gad).

The citizens of Bird Island are filled with thrills when a ship arrives helmed by a few pigs. Quickly established as friendly, a herd of green pigs leave the ship and set up a carnival of delight for the community. It is all fun and fancy rides. Unaware of what has happened in human history when a foreign entity arrives bearing gifts, such as when Christopher Columbus when he landed his three ships in the West Indies and tortured, enslaved and killed the Taino people; and Hernán Cortés, who was greeted with great honor when he arrived at Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital city, and destroyed the empire; and when the Reptilians, from the Draco Constellation, finally make their presence publicly known.

What do the pigs want?

It is only Red who is not impressed by the pigs. They have another agenda and it is up to Red and his buddies to save Bird Island. Red seeks the advice of the legendary Terence (Sean Penn), the Island’s fabled hero.

Payback’s a bitch, huh Sean?

The 3D is perfect with the bold colors leaping out and the story is fresh and clever. Directed by Clay Kaytis and Fergal Reilly, why not introduce audiences to two comedians I think are terrific, Sebastian Maniscalco and Anthony Jeselnik. They both have specials on Netflix.

*The Las Vegas Rosebud Girls’ Club was organized by a group of moms to foster an environment where girls can cultivate virtues, leadership, skills and strong interpersonal relationships. The Las Vegas Girls’ Club provide a place where girls can grow, learn, have fun, and develop confidence in their ability to make a difference in the world. The Club is open to all creeds, race and social background. The club is held every 1st Friday of the month from 5 p.m.—7p.m.

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Member of Las Vegas Film Critics Society: www.lvfcs.org/.

Victoria Alexander lives in Las Vegas, Nevada and answers every email at victoria.alexander.lv@gmail.com.

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