Director: Clay Kaytis, Fergal Reilly.
Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Kate McKinnon, Sean Penn, Bill Hader, Peter Dinklage, Jillian Bell, Keegan-Michael Key, Hannibal Buress, Ike Barinholtz.
So, the first mobile game to hit the biggest of screens and I walked in having low expectations but yes I was one of the one billion who downloaded the game back in 2009 and enjoyed it. But, really? Make a film about it? Maybe make a film about the people behind the game? But a film about flightless birds who go up against eggnapping pigs? 97mins of it at that too! Well, it worked and pretty much like the ridiculous premise for a game it was surprisingly enjoyable and entertaining. Boasting an all star cast including Jason Sudeikis as Red, comedy favourites, Josh Gad as speedy Chuck, Danny McBride as Bomb and Maya Rudolph as anger manager chicken (I think chicken) Matilda. Not forgetting Bill Hader and Peter Dinklage as the mighty eagle, oh, and a feather-ruffled growling Sean Penn as Terence. (Would love to have seen Penn's reaction to reading the script.) It was funny to notice the subtext on the age certificate warning at the beginning quoting "Slapstick comedy and toilet humour." As the film contained exactly that and pun after pun making it actually well scripted for what it is. Brings a whole new meaning to 'Golden Eagle'. The storyline is pretty basic but hey, all is forgiven if the film does what it says on the cover, right? What are viewers actually expecting from this kind of movie? It isn't the only debut either, being the first mobile game to hit the big screen but impressively it's also Clay Kaytis and Fergal Reilly's directorial debut but both having experience working on films like The Iron Giant, Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph and even Frozen. The two really put on a great show and even managed to get some slingshot action in there with great comedy effect, the toucan making a comeback! (Pun intended) And I have to mention the soundtrack. Amazing. Black Sabbath, KRS-One, Tone Loc and The Scorpions are just a few plus the best usage of Limp Bizkit's "Behind Blue Eyes" (I know I'm gonna listen to this later.) And what's with the Daft Punk!? Those guys are always getting on the big screen. Epic. It's great animation, beautifully colourful and laugh out loud funny. Cute, fluffy and had comedy for all the family. Plus I also advocate the ideal that sometimes, just sometimes a little bit of anger is required for the greater good. The biggest surprise of 2016 so far. The Finnish game developers must be flapping and snorting all the way to market.
Running Time: 9
The Cast: 10
Performance: 7
Direction: 9
Story: 7
Script: 8
Creativity: 9
Soundtrack: 9
Job Description: 10
The Extra Bonus Point: 5 for Chuck's parody of Marvel's Quicksilver. Touché.
83% 8/10
