The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

The idea of basing a film on a video-game hasn’t always proved successful – Super Mario Bros, Mortal Kombat are great proofs – and with yet another gaming-adaptation upon us, one is naturally a little skeptical about what to expect.

Luckily, first-time feature directors Clay Kaytis and Fergal Reilly have managed to keep the story of Angry Birds relatively exciting, inducing the story with just enough colour, character and infectious energy to keep the cynics at bay.

The Angry Birds Movie follows the story of Red (aptly voiced by Sudeikis); a permanently short-tempered resident who, thanks to his enraged disposition, has been forced into anger-management classes taught by Matilda (Rudolph). There he soon meets and befriends fellow students, including Chuck (Gad); a seemingly hyperactive yellow canary, Bomb (McBride); a typically docile blackbird with very little control over his feelings once his fuse blows and Terence (Penn); a behemoth bird who only grunts.

When a boatload of green pigs, led by the dubious-looking Captain Leonard (Hader), sail up onto their land bearing free food and catapults to help them fly, Red is instantly suspicious of their true motives but, of course no one believes him. When his suspicions turn out to be true and the pigs end up taking what is most precious to the them, Red – along with Chuck, Bomb and Terence – takes it upon himself to lead an attack on pigs in order to take back their precious keeps.

While it may stand as one of the most popular freemium game series of all time, The Angry Birds Movie – despite its best intentions – may not resonate as one of the finest video-movie adaptations made to date. But that is not to say it doesn’t have its charms. The colorful visuals are captivating, a couple of sequences – including a pig sing along – are creatively thought-out, while the voice work from the entire cast is spot-on, with both Sudeikis – a great fit for the sarcastically-loving Red – and Frozen’s very own Josh Gad coming out on top.

On the downside, however, the story – can feel a little slow with writer Jon Vitti – from The Simpsons, Alvin and the Chipmunks – taking a while before bringing the story to any kind of development, while the internal logic behind some of the story’s trademark features is a little flimsy.

Even though it may not turn into a must-see classic anytime soon, there is still plenty of whimsy, colour and slapstick comedy present in The Angry Birds Movie to keep the adults relatively entertained and the kiddies – who are more than likely to be the most entertained – giddy with joy.