Migration

➤Rated PG
➤Theaters

When it comes to animation, Illumination doesn’t have the same brand recognition that Disney and Pixar have, but the studio has made some impressive strides in recent years. In 2022, Minions: The Rise of Gru became a social media sensation when teenage “Gentle Minions” started dressing in formal wear to attend screenings. In 2023, The Super Mario Bros. Movie became the biggest animated movie of the year with $1.3 billion worldwide. Now Illumination hopes its ­latest film about a family of ducks embarking on an adventure takes off.

In Migration, Mack, the father mallard, warns the rest of his family how dangerous it is to wander away from their safe little pond. He believes he’s teaching his family “very valuable fears.” But when a group of migrating ducks on their way to Jamaica drop by the pond, Mack’s wife and children convince him to follow them. But it’s not all blue skies on the way to Jamaica, and during a detour through New York City the family runs afoul of a celebrity chef who specializes in duck à l’orange.

The beautiful animation is smooth with a painterly quality. Autumn foliage has an impressionistic style, and the scenes in which the ducks weave through New York’s skyscrapers are visually stunning.

Migration contains scenes of peril and some mild rude humor, and the movie doesn’t break new ground with its narrative. But families will be thankful there’s no political agenda lurking behind the story. Instead, the movie sticks to feel-good lessons about overcoming fears and letting youngsters spread their wings.

The film might not have the franchise appeal of Minions and Mario, but it’s a satisfying movie for families seeking shelter from the cold in a cinema this winter.