Yellowbird(2014)
Animal adventures give me the thrills. I'm always up for the colors, the banters, twists, suspense and of course i don't think it's complete without the animals migrating.
Synopsis
After the tragic death of Darius, father of Delf, and leader of a flock, Yellowbird, later called Sam, lies his way through and takes up the responsibility of leading the flock to Africa as it was time for the birds to migrate.
After sustaining a great injury, Darius the leader of a flock of birds seeks help and urgently needs help especially because he needed to pass on information to his family. Luckily, Yellowbird approaches him and he instructs Yellowbird to find Karl, his second in command and tell him to lead the flock to Africa as he couldn't take the responsibility anymore due to the severity of the wound.
The flock arrives just before Darius breathes his last and his last words are that they should listen to Yellowbird. This instruction from Darius, makes it easier for Yellowbird to deceive them into believing that Darius actually placed the responsibility for the migration on him.
Yellowbird is a young hatchling, one without a family of his own except for the bug he made friends with. The Bug who's been trying to help Yellowbird see the world, seizes the opportunity and sweet talks the flock into believing that Darius actually asked Yellowbird to lead them.
The birds are excited to hear this except Karl who perceives that Yellowbird and Bug are lying and tries to make them see but the birds don't trust anything Karl says and move with Yellowbird instead.
Along the way, Yellowbird who's without experience, gets confused as they begin to experience as they encounter some twists and turns that put the lives of the birds at risk. Yellowbird tries to tell Delf the truth but she trusts him too much and doesn't let him say a word about it.
Due to Yellowbird’s ignorance about migration and the way to Africa, the birds get lost and encounter danger on the way.
My review and Rating
Yellowbird, directed by Christian De Vita, is a charming film that deserves more attention. It is heartwarming and visually pleasing as it follows the epic adventures of yellowbird leading the flock to Africa.
This film boasts of beautiful animation; vibrant colors, deep details and lovable character designs.
I've seen movies that carry the same storyline but each one is still very much as engaging as the last with striking details to keep the viewer glued to their screen. It also has a delightful soundtrack that complements the film's emotional moments.
However, the movie has some minor drawbacks and one of them is a predictable plot as it follows a familiar arc as I aforementioned, rather subtly. Another thing is the limited character development. One of such characters is the antagonist, Karl, who's always against Yellowbird. He's got the typical bully character but his motivations and backstory are left unexplored, making him seem more like a caricature rather than a nuanced villain.
All in all, I'd rate it a ⅘. It's delightful, suitable enough for all ages. It's also a great choice for a cozy movie night or a family outing.