Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Borget
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Animated bird adventure has mild violence, confusing plot.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Birds Like Us
What's the Story?
In BIRDS LIKE US, after years of staying within a single tree to remain hidden from something they know as the Horror, a group of birds who've forgotten how to fly sets out on a journey to see if they might find a better way of life. The citizens of Birdabad are afraid of life outside their tree and therefore tolerate a daily ritual of offering up their eggs to a vulture named Kondor (Jeremy Irons) and his gang in a trade for fruit. But a mother bird named Huppu (Alicia Vikander) who wants to protect her egg questions the way things have always been. She meets a wise and strange bat who says he can help guide them. Together the group travels through desert, ocean, and storm on a quest to find home.
Is It Any Good?
Trying to describe Birds Like Us is like trying to describe a strange dream. The story seems simple enough: animals take a journey to find a better home. We've seen this before with movies such as Madagascar, The Wild, and Back to the Outback. Those movies share an easy-to-follow plot and an animation style that's pleasant to watch, but Birds Like Us falls short. The animation isn't great, and the storyline is tricky to follow. A wise bat creature that has a long beard, fluffy tail, and stones for eyes often speaks in strange riddles and parables. He asks the group to take him "where the sun goes at night" and says he will take them "above and beyond." The looming "Horror" that all of the birds are afraid of is never clearly seen or explained except in periodic storms or funnel clouds.
Though the movie has some flaws, the voice cast and acting is enjoyable. There are a couple of interesting visual moments, such as a sky full of buttons and floating umbrellas. The main villain experiences some growth right at the end and the flightless birds are forced to finally face their fears. It's standard stuff that most kids have seen before elsewhere.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how easy or challenging it can be to change your way of doing something. Which characters were reluctant to try something new and which were ready for a change? When have you had to make a big change?
Even if you knew there was going to be a happy ending, which scenes were sad and/or scary? How much scary stuff can young kids handle?
The vulture Kondor transforms throughout the movie. What kind of character development did he experience? Why do you think he was able to change?
How do the characters demonstrate courage? Why is that an important character strength?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 24, 2017
- On DVD or streaming : January 25, 2022
- Cast : Alicia Vikander , Jeremy Irons , Sheridan Smith , Jim Broadbent
- Directors : Faruk Sabanovic , Amela Cuhara
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Run time : 84 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Thematic elements
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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