Released in December 2023, Migration is an animated film directed by Benjamin Renner and Guylo Homsy. It charts the narrative of a small group of Mallards leaving on a trip from their familiar New England pond to Jamaica, attracting unexpected adventures on the way. Though it sounds alike in story line to Rio (2011), seeing the adventures both the group of birds encounter, Migration takes a much lighter tone.
Though it sounds alike in story line to Rio (2011), seeing the adventures both the group of birds encounter, Migration takes a much lighter tone.
The prime focus of the narrative is the bonding and reflexibility of thinking that makes the small family of Mallards a special one. It includes dad Mack (Kumail Nanjiani), mom Pam (Elizabeth Banks) and their kids, son Dax (Caspar Jennings), young daughter Gwen (Tresi Gazal) and finally, their uncle Dan (Danny DeVito). Their engaging conversations, silly fights and sacrifices make every scene interesting and keep the viewers on their seats.
Migration boasts of an adventurous spirit
Mack, the planning head of the small family takes all upon his shoulder to safely look after his family even when it takes away from them the most pressing essentialities, namely new situations and experiences. Dax and Gwen are made to grow up listening to his frightening stories about the outside world and how that will hunt them down and tear them apart mercilessly. This is vehemently opposed by Pam, who dares to add her part to the story, also establishing her power to safeguard the family, though it is well looked after by Mack. Pam also finds it difficult to digest the extreme fear of Mack and his continuing endeavor to mislead their kids as well. But Mack continues to firmly believe that going out of their home pond is nothing short of deadly danger.
Their eventual meeting with another duck family on their annual migration to the Caribbeans sparks conflict with Mack and his over protective nature. Thus, Mack agrees to the plan and tries to shed off his constant fear of the outside world. Hence, begins their journey of discovery and joyous spirit sprinkled by a little bit of goose chase which adds an element of suspense to the narrative. The meeting with the Heron family and their renewed recognition is one of the direct outcomes of their migration.
As a whole, the film stands out as an allegory to migration and lets the viewers to undertake the risk to receive a wide set of new experiences by travelling. As of now when the migration rates are high, the film tries to back and support the idea by creating a depiction of the world ready to unfold before us. The opportunity to join a new pack of people from various origins and culture, to smell and sense an array of new places and nature is an excruciating yet welcoming venture for most people. It is not just a break from everyday life but also gives a fresh perspective to life, often enabling people to accept and take in everyone in spite of the various differences that otherwise drive them apart.
As of now when the migration rates are high, the film tries to back and support the idea by creating a depiction of the world ready to unfold before us.
This idea is strongly persistent throughout the film and especially towards the climax where every one of the viewers are cajoled into casting away their safe cocoons and to fly away to the new lands of hope. Together with this, the other elements of allegory include the caging of the Jamaican parrot Delroy, the misunderstood paradise of the ducks (a poultry farm) and the duck-thirsty chef, Martin Yan-wannabe. All of this stand for the precarity and bonded slavery traps set out for the careless migrants.
When seen in the context of migrations especially in the name of higher education and permanent settlement, the film paints layers of meaning to the process, often trying to bring in the idea of migration in positive light. In this allegorical sense of reading the film, it is also necessary to understand why these migrations happen. The most likely reason is the lack of opportunities to grow or sustain oneself and thus, the search for the fresh pastures of land. Whether they reach their expected level of success in the new lands, it is a clear case of brain drain that could negatively impact the growth of any nation. In the post-global world, where boundaries are merging and exiting from view day by day, it is necessary to retain talents.
For this, an unbiased study to find out the underlying issues and ways to strategically remediate them must be taken in a time bound way. But when read as a strategic defense, it is also necessary to raise the value of the individuals to rectify the existing system at home. Moreover, the migrant individuals when they plan to settle back in their native place, they could effectively introduce and implement the new systems and their functioning style as evident from their outside experiencing of the world. Therefore, introduction of modernism is also a highly desirable and inevitable consequence of migration.
A new call on parenting style
Unlike the other family oriented animated films which includes at least one scene on a family fight and confusion, Migration stands different in that it happens to depict this difference of opinions in the most sophisticated and unwavering way. In the initial scene where Mack is puzzled over the authenticity of his philosophy of life, Pam gives him enough space to think about the situation and hence, he solves it on his own, taking lessons from uncle Dan. The frightening stories by Mack are also re-directed and turned positive by the efforts of Pam, encouraging the ducklings not to believe everything by Mack, hinting the wide possibilities at hand.
Altogether, the positive Pam and the less positive Mack, try to bring up Gwen and Dax in the most encouraging way so that they would be able to take decisions when it is needed the most. So Gwen and Dax do not back out in the moment of crisis; rather they spread out their wings and fly high, to rescue their family and friends, marking a proud moment for their parents.
The treasured sibling bond in Migration
The comical yet highly solid bond that Gwen and Dax share with each other stand out as the most significant throughout the film. It is not just striking but also the most remembered scenes after one has finished watching the film. Gwen’s teasing of Dax on meeting a teen female duck, to the crucial moments when she daringly stands by him, offering her soothing hugs make them special. Though younger to Dax, Gwen has acquired most of the qualities of her parents.
The comical yet highly solid bond that Gwen and Dax share with each other stand out as the most significant throughout the film.
Thus she cares for Dax, just like he does for her. The scene when both of them decide to formulate a plan to rescue their parents and friends, Dax behaves like a matured adult keeping the situation under control since he knows that he is the only one there for his little Gwen.
Migration has tried its best to capture multifarious elements with a touch of wit, care and love. Yet above all, the theme of migration encourages the spirit of travel. The film encourages a travel experience that could readily change one’s life by not just ridding one of boredom alone, but by allowing them to develop themselves and opening their eyes. This one hour seventeen minutes watch is doubtlessly a worthwhile one.
