Taglines: The greatest turkey movie of all time.
Free Birds is an American 3D computer-animated buddy comedy film produced by Reel FX Creative Studios, directed by Jimmy Hayward and it stars the voices of Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson and Amy Poehler. Originally titled Turkeys. It was scheduled for 2014, but it was released on November 1, 2013 by Relativity Media.
On a quaint, family-owned farm, a giant turkey flock lives a quiet, complacent, corn-stuffed life. All everyone cares about is feeding time and grazing in the sun with the Farmer, who they swear will bring them to “Turkey Paradise.” Everyone, that is, except for Reggie (Owen Wilson), a whip-smart turkey whose badmouthing of the Farmer and disinterest in the mundane, overfed turkey existence makes him an outcast among his flock.
Reggie’s life is changed forever when an unexpected visit from the President of the United States lands him the esteemed honor of “Pardoned Turkey.” This means living the plush life at Camp David, complete with TV On Demand and cheese pizza. By being pardoned, Reggie has found his own Turkey Paradise — a place where he (and he alone) calls all the shots! That is until Reggie is plucked from his paradise by Jake (Woody Harrelson), the relentless founder– and only member–of the “Turkey Freedom Front.”
Jake has only one mission: to change history forever and save all of turkey-kind. But he can’t do it alone: a mission like this needs brain and brawn, and that’s why he needs to induct Reggie into his effort. “It’s our destiny!” he proclaims, much to Reggie’s scoffing. Despite Reggie’s refusal to abandon his life of luxury, Jake kidnaps him, and together they break into a top-secret government lab and hijack a time machine named S.T.E.V.E (George Takei), taking them back to the year 1621, just days before the first Thanksgiving
Unfortunately, as soon as they arrive in the past, they find themselves in the crosshairs of Plymouth Colony Commander Myles Standish (Colm Meaney), an avid hunter on his own mission to capture enough birds to feed the colonists and their Native American allies for the upcoming Harvest Feast. Before Reggie and Jake become a main course at Standish’s dinner, they are rescued by Jenny (Amy Poehler), the beautiful and fierce daughter of the Wild Turkeys’ Chief Broadbeak (Keith David).
Jenny leads the pair to the edge of the forest where the rest of her flock is hiding from the Pilgrims. Jake must teach the wild flock about the future and rally support for his mission to change history, but Reggie is apparently on a mission of the heart: falling beak over-tail for Jenny.
Inspired by Jenny’s bravery, Reggie leads a daring raid on the Pilgrim village to free their captured comrades. However, their rescue plans backfire when Jake’s feather-brained scheme actually leads Standish and his hunters to the flock, putting Jenny, her family, and the future of all turkey-kind in jeopardy.
Disheartened, Reggie flees to the present day with S.T.E.V.E., following his longheld philosophy that “it’s better off if you go it alone.” But his life at Camp David no longer feels like it’s enough without Jenny and Jake around. Reggie finally realizes that Jake’s crazy mission IS his destiny, and he and S.T.E.V.E head back to help fulfill Jake’s effort to get turkeys off the menu for good!
In this irreverent, hilarious, adventurous buddy comedy for audiences of all ages, directed by Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who!), two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history – and get turkey off the holiday menu for good.
Free Birds (2013)
Directed by: Jimmy Hayward
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Owen Wilson, Amy Poehler, Keith David, George Takei, Kaitlyn Maher
Film Editing by: Chris Cartagena
Art Direction by: Kevin R. Adams
Music by: Dominic Lewis
MPAA Rating: PG for some action/peril and rude humor.
Studio: Relativity Media
Release Date: November 1, 2013
Visits: 137
