'Migration' (2023)

Migration is a 2023 animated movie featuring a family of ducks. The story is based on the real migration of birds from the north to the south.

The storyline is centered around a family of ducks. Mack, the main character, is used to living in a cozy duck pond in New England. He describes the pond as his comfort zone. Pam, Mack’s wife, wants to have an adventure of a lifetime. Their kids, Dax and Gwen, also want to have an adventure. Mack’s overprotectiveness symbolizes safety for himself and his kids, though this trait is unfavorable to the rest of the ducks, who want to see the world outside of their pond.

The Mallard family is based on a family of mallards, or wild ducks. As hinted by the film’s title, Migration is about a family of ducks flying from New England to Jamaica. The ducks’ flying formation is V-shaped, indicating balance and smooth travel among the flock.

Like with any travel journey, the Mallard family runs into obstacles along the way, making the migration a bumpy path. They encounter other birds; some birds are helpful, while others are a hindrance. The Chef is the main antagonist of the movie who wants to kill the birds for food. After freeing Delroy from his cage, the Jamaican bird helps the ducks on their way.

Jamaica is the birds’ destination. As shown in the ending, the birds have a wonderful time in the tropics, which is based on the fact that birds migrate to the south because of the warm weather there. New England’s location is very cold during the winter months, so viewers can infer the timeline of this film takes place during the autumn and winter months.

Dax, a teenage duck, wants to help, but his ideas are rejected. After he and Gwen save their parents from being eaten by the Chef, Dax leads the flock in the V-formation as the birds prepare to take off from the ground. This shows viewers that even the youngest and smallest bird can make the biggest difference.