Patos!

"Migration" is vividly animated with warm cartoon tones that would do Daffy proud. But it never quite spreads its wings.

In the end, "Migration" moves along at jet speed while often feeling labored.

Benjamin Renner's new comedy Migration offers a winning combination of a charming narrative and distinctive animation style.

It may zing and zag in unexpected formations... but it all soars along at a genial enough clip.

"Migration" is a most insistent picture. Characters deliver their lines with unmodulated insistence.

Ultimately, "Migration" is probably going to fade from audiences' memory faster than whatever lesson they learned in school the week before winter break.

"Migration" isn't exactly unique, but it's different enough. And in today's factory filmmaking, that's almost as unlikely as milking a duck.

Don't expect "Magnificent Ambersons"-style interfamily drama a la Orson Welles. But the character moments here resonate, and there are enough stakes to make the final scenes feel meaningful.

Even at just 70-something minutes (before credits), the movie seems to take forever getting to its destination...

"Migration" may pass the time, but my guess is that those kids will retain more lasting memories of whatever their parents got for them at the concession stand than anything up there on the screen.

Thrillingly airborne and a riot of color, Migration's many scenes of flying are an absolute joy.

This movie is the punishment I deserve for loving those Minions!

Illumination has proven once again that they are a powerhouse in the animation field. With a relatively grounded story and some stellar animation, they may have started yet another popular franchise.

Yes, Migration is the generic animated family-friendly film, but it also self-aware about it. It knows it's just simple kids' entertainment. And if that's what you want, then you know that these ducks will deliver.

For a movie in which the central characters occasionally have reason to lament how delicious they are, it's simply not as tasty as it could be.

... features some scattered laughs for the preteen demographic, but it isn't as consistently zany or clever as intended for accompanying adults.

It is a family-friendly, seasonal, nondenominational holiday movie option, but it's more fun to pick out what makes this a Mike White project, and his influence gives it a slight edge over the rest.

There's no denying that the film has its moments, but they aren't enough to make up for the bland way most of the film comes across.

Migration is delightful.

When all is said and done, Migration is fine. It's a fully serviceable family film to check out around the holidays. However, a "fine" family film and a "must-see" for the whole family are two different things.