The Angry Birds Movie

Directed by Fergal Reilly and Clay Kaytis, this animated film inspired by the mega-popular app-based video game serves up a birds vs. pigs tale. After he fails to deliver a “hatchday” treat—an act of rebellion against the happy camaraderie of Bird Island—Red the sardonic Cardinal (voiced by Jason Sudeikis) is sentenced to anger-management classes conducted by Matilda (Maya Rudolph), a calm, free-range chicken who urges her students to therapeutically “paint your pain.” Other rebellious misfits include Chuck (Josh Gad), the manic yellow canary; hulking Terence (Sean Penn); and the literally explosive blackbird Bomb (Danny McBride). Their ire is aroused when a pair of seemingly friendly singing-and-dancing green pigs—Leonard (Bill Hader) and sidekick Ross (Tony Hale)—come ashore, snort around, and steal the birds' precious eggs to take home for a feast. Furious Red and his feathered friends consult the once-mighty Eagle (Peter Dinklage) and Judge Peckinpah (Keegan-Michael Key). Vengeance is paramount as the angry flightless birds head to Pig Island, where they devise a giant slingshot to catapult themselves at the oinking porkers in order to rescue their unborn chicks. Amidst the fast-paced, cartoony fun, the usual bathroom humor, puns, and pop culture visual gags abound. Unfortunately, it's not interactive. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “Symphony Mode” viewing option, a music segment with composer Heitor Pereira (11 min.), a brief “Chuck's Rescue” bonus scene, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are the production featurettes “Meet the Birds” (11 min.) and “Creating the Real World of Angry Birds” (9 min.), deleted scenes (6 min.), four “Hatchlings” shorts (5 min.), the behind-the-scenes segments “Meet the Pigs” (5 min.), “Crafty Birds” (4 min.), “Dance Along Birds and Pigs” (4 min.), and “Bubbles and Hal” (2 min.), the brief “Angry Birds Action! How to Sync,” the music video “Friends” by Blake Shelton, a photo gallery, and bonus DVD and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so animated film.] (S. Granger)