4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Review: MIGRATION

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Feb 27 Posted by Kyle Nolan in DVD/Blu-ray, Reviews | Comments

The Mallard family is content living in the safe, isolated world of their pond—at least that’s what patriarch Mack (Kumail Nanjiani) believes. He’s overprotective of his children, and wants to keep them locked away. His bedtime stories to teenager Dax (Caspar Jennings) and his younger sister Gwen (Tresi Gazal) are always filled with the scary things and dangers that lurk in the outside world. His wife, Pam (Elizabeth Banks), tries to let the kids know that not everything beyond the pond is to be feared. Pam doesn’t want her kids and herself to miss out on life because Mack is too scared to leave the pond, but every time she approaches the subject, Mack shuts it down.

One day, a family of birds heading to Jamaica for the winter stops by the pond for a rest, and invites the Mallards to join their flock. While the rest of the family is keen to fly south with them, Mack vetoes the situation, insisting that the family once again stay right there in the safety of their pond. And it seems like that’s the end of the discussion, until Mack finally changes his tune when he sees his future flash before his eyes as his lonely Uncle Dan (Danny DeVito) commends his decision, proudly stating that one day Mack will be enjoying a life alone just like him.

And so Mack surprises the family (and himself) as they head off an adventure, for their first migration as a family, to Jamaica. Meanwhile, young Dax is eager to prove to his father, that he is an adult, capable of some responsibility. However, along the way, the family of ducks cross paths with an overly-friendly heron named Erin (Carol Kane), who seems a bit too eager to welcome them into her nest; they meet street-wise New York City pigeon Chump (Awkwafina) who helps them find a way out of the busy concrete jungle; they help a caged Jamaican macaw named Delroy (Keegan-Michael Key) and incur the wrath of his chef owner, who is determined to get the bird back; and they spend time with a spiritual perkin named GooGoo (David Mitchell), whose sanctuary may be a bit too good to be true. While some of Mack’s fears of the outside world prove to have been warranted, the family is enjoying this adventure together, and they discover that they can overcome any obstacle that comes their way as long as they have each another!

Migration is something we don’t see that much of these days, a totally original story and characters that aren’t based on previous IP. At the same time, the Mallards are a family that feels quite familiar and real, despite them being ducks. Mack is a loving father, though a bit over-protective. Over the course of the film we see him gradually let loose, and as a result, he starts to enjoy life more. He and his wife Pam start to realize why they originally fell in love, and rekindle that romance that had gone away. Meanwhile, the kids also have this very relatable nature. Older brother Dax just wants to prove he’s an adult and can take on responsibility and be the man of the family, but his father needs to loosen the reigns. His little sister Gwen is a spitfire, constantly teasing Dax about his crush on Kim (Isabela Merced), the young bird who invited their family to join them on their migration.

Kumail Nanjiani plays the neurotic and nervous dad to a tee. He and Elizabeth Banks have this wonderful chemistry, and you can really feel the love that Pam and Mack have for one another, and how they care about their children. There is this really natural and fun scene where the couple laugh and joke with one another over the harrowing and yet ridiculous events of the previous evening. The film also features an amazing supporting cast. Danny DeVito is a delight as the curmudgeonly Uncle Dan. Carol Kane is so perfectly cast as this elderly heron who seems so suspiciously welcoming to the family. Is she inviting them into her home just so that she can eat them? The scene finds this amazing blend between tense horror movie and tongue-in-cheek comedy that will have you howling with laughter. Then there’s Awkwafina as this tough but lovable New York City pigeon who faces off with the family before becoming their friend. There is such great comedic timing with this character that really takes advantage of the actresses’ natural brand of humor.

Keegan-Michael Key also delivers a really fun performance as this Jamaican bird who’s been trapped in a cage for years, and just wants to see his homeland again. You can really feel the sense of joy when Delroy makes his way out of his cage for the first time. I wouldn’t have pictured Keegan-Michael Key with a Jamaican accent, but the role suits him perfectly. And finally there’s the hilarious David Mitchell as the simple-minded yoga teaching bird GooGoo. I recognized his voice immediately, and just had so much fun with this character.

The visual style of Migration is quite unique. In addition to the more realistic 3D animation for the main story, the film also utilizes creative 2D animated sequences whenever Mack is telling a bedtime story, or expressing his fears about what could happen, or if we see some sort of flashback. I really enjoyed this 2D animation, which is in the recognizable style of director Benjamin Renner (The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales, Ernest & Celestine). It makes a nice contrast to the slicker looking 3D animation.

Overall, Migration finds this perfect blend of humor, action, adventure and heart, and the result is another thoroughly entertaining family-friendly animated adventure from the folks at Illumination.

Universal has released Migration on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD. We received the 4K release for review. The 4K video with its Dolby Vision encoding looks amazing. The crisp, clean picture captures the fur and textures of the various birds and landscapes in tremendous detail. The color pallet is rich and beautiful, whether it’s the bright, sunny sky and fall foliage as the Mallards first start their journey, or the dark and stormy night when they meet the herons, or the busy, bright lights of the city, or the colorful tropical setting of Jamaica. I can’t imagine this film looking any better. The audio track is also top notch, making excellent use of the stereo and surround channels to provide a fully immersive experience. This is especially noticeable as the Mallards are caught in a thunder storm, or when a massive helicopter flies overhead. And whenever there is music, the sound just fills the room with delight.

I first saw this film in 3D in the theater, and wish that Universal had also offered a 3D disc option. While that is not the case, at least fans with devices that support it can get the 3D version in digital format via Vudu, like Universal previously offered for Trolls Band Together & Super Mario Bros. Movie. I hope they continue to at least offer digital 3D as an option for these animated films!

The 4K release includes both a 4K disc and a Blu-ray disc, which come packed on either side of a standard 4K keepcase, along with an embossed carboard slipcover, and an insert containing a code to redeem for a 4K MA digital copy of the film. Both discs contain the same bonus material—3 fun animated shorts, over 25 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the filmmakers (while there are no interviews with the cast, there is footage of them in the recording booth), and several instructional videos for activities to do at home.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:22:53)

2160p / Widescreen 2.39:1
Dolby Vision / HDR10
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Blu-ray:

1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital (code may not be valid after 3/31/2025):

4K Digital Copy (Movies Anywhere compatible)

Extras:
Play All, or select from:

Fly Hard (4:00)
In this new mini-movie, an older woman named Delores feeds the pigeons, but leaves the park as it starts to snow, dropping her locket in the process. So Chump flies through the busy and dangerous streets and underground of New York City to get it back to her.
Mooned (8:40)
Set after the events of Despicable Me, Vector is now stuck on the moon along with another lost Minion. As Vector struggles to find a way back to Earth, his contempt for the Minion causes him to miss out on a ride home. This mini-movie originally played before Migration in the theater.
Midnight Mission (4:52)
In this new mini-movie, Agnes is scared of the dark and asks Dave to help. So he and his fellow Minions head off in a rocket to outer space to find a way to brighten her bedroom.
Microphone Madness (3:11)
Footage of the cast in the recording booth. Includes Elizabeth Banks (“Pam”), Danny Devito (“Uncle Dan”), Awkwafina (“Chump”), Keegan-Michael Key (“Delroy”), Carol Kane (“Erin”), David Mitchell (“GooGoo”) & Kumail Nanjiani (“Mack”).
Meet The Cast (16:37)
The filmmakers discuss the characters and the comedic voices behind them. Includes storyboards and concept artwork, behind-the-scenes footage of the actors in the recording booth, and interviews with director Benjamin Renner, editor Christian Gazal, producer Chris Melendandri (founder, CEO Illumination) & composer John Powell. Play All, or select from:
- Kumail Nanjiani: Mack (2:07)
- Elizabeth Banks: Pam (1:48)
- Keegan-Michael Key: Delroy (2:28)
- Awkwafina: Chump (2:14)
- Danny Devito: Uncle Dan (2:10)
- Carol Kane: Erin (2:04)
- Caspar Jennings: Dax & Tresi Gazal: Gwen (2:46)
Taking Flight: The Making Of Migration (5:29)
The filmmakers talk about creating new characters, telling a human story with ducks, working in 3D animation, giving the film a unique style and look, all of the departments involved in making the film, the various stages of animation, and more. Includes storyboards and concept artwork, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with producer Chris Melendandri (founder, CEO Illumination), director Benjamin Renner, co-director Guylo Homsy, compositing supervisor Céline Allègre, editor Christian Gazal, computer graphics supervisor François Boudaille, production designer Colin Stimpson, supervising animator Fabrice Senia, lighting supervisor Thierry Noblet, animation director Gwénolé Oulc’hen, layout cinematography supervisor Damien Bapst, and character animator Audrey Fobis, Some of this is in French with English subtitles.
The Art Of Flight (1:58)
Montage comparison of the various stages of animation involved in making these avian characters come to life.
The Sound Of Flight (2:57)
Composer John Powell discusses his approach to scoring the film from the ducks’ perspective.
How To Draw (10:33)
Director Benjamin Renner demonstrates how to draw four of the characters from the movie. Play All, or select from:
- Mack (2:47)
- Delroy (3:08)
- Chump (2:38)
- Gwen (1:58)
Build Your Own Pop-Up Book (11:07)
In this narrated step-by-step video, viewers are shown how to create their own pop-up book, including 5 different methods of adding action to the story.
Calling All Birds (5:34)
Learn how to communicate like the birds in the movie by using everyday materials to create three different bird whistles. Play All, or select from:
- The Mack Quack (2:39)
- The Heron Honk (1:30)
- The Chump Chirp (1:22)
Best Nests (5:47)
In this final crafting activity, learn how to create a nest for any birds you may have around your yard, as well as a water feeder to keep them hydrated. Play All, or select from:
- Nests (3:49)
- Water Feeder (1:55)

Final Thoughts:

My Rating

Film:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Highly Recommended

Migration is another delightful animated film from the folks at Illumination that the whole family can enjoy together. It features a wonderful, talented and recognizable voice cast. While this is a story about a family of ducks, it is also one that is relatable to any family. The film takes viewers on a fun, action-packed adventure that will have them laughing throughout. Universal’s 4K presentation looks and sounds great, and the discs include a nice variety of bonus material. This release comes highly recommended for any animation fan, and even those just looking for a fun, heartwarming adventure the whole family can enjoy together.