Free Birds

Play trailer

1:57

Free Birds

PG

Released Nov 1, 2013

1h 31m

Kids & Family

Holiday

Comedy

Adventure

Animation

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

20%

Tomatometer

89 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Pardoned by the president, a lucky turkey (Owen Wilson) named Reggie gets to live a carefree lifestyle, until fellow fowl Jake (Woody Harrelson) recruits him for a history-changing mission. Jake and Reggie travel back in time to the year 1621, just before the first Thanksgiving. The plan: Prevent all turkeys from ever becoming holiday dinners. Unfortunately, the two birds encounter colonist Myles Standish (Colm Meaney), out to capture feathered friends for all the hungry Pilgrims.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Technically proficient yet creatively moribund, Free Birds begs unfortunate comparisons with the dim-witted fowl that inspired it.

Read Critics Reviews

Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

Anyone who's seen Chicken Run will wonder why they're not enjoying a well-constructed Aardman animation rather than attempting to make sense of this incoherent transatlantic trifle.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 1, 2013

Full Review

Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

Ultimately embarrassing and even offensive but has an offbeat premise, some neat characters and plenty of guffaw-worthy gags.

Rated: 2/5

Nov 29, 2013

Full Review

Sophie Monks Kaufman

Little White Lies

Surely Owen Wilson can do a lot better than a slipshod animation about time travelling turkeys?

Rated: 2/5

Nov 29, 2013

Full Review

Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

Feels average, like a flightless bird trying to soar with the Pixars of the genre.

Rated: 2.5/5

Jan 31, 2021

Full Review

Brent McKnight

The Last Thing I See

It's nice to get a Thanksgiving movie that doesn't revolve around tedious family drama. Though you may wind up having in uncomfortable conversation with your kids about exactly where your holiday meal comes from.

Rated: B-

Jul 8, 2020

Full Review

Kathi Maio

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

Much can be overlooked if such a movie is rollicking good fun. But Free Birds isn't even that. That's right, I'm going to say it. It's a turkey-and not one of the time-traveling freedom-fighter species, either.

Mar 11, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

C D

we're going back in time to the first thanksgiving to get turkeys off the menu

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/03/25

Full Review

Ben P

This just did NOT deserve a 20%... it's the only Thanksgiving themed movie I've watched, and it's absolutely AWESOME! Probably my 3rd or 4th favorite movie of ALL TIME! I gobble gobbled up this movie gbgbbgbgbb

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/05/25

Full Review

Jake P

Oh my gosh this easily beat my expectations, must watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/05/25

Full Review

Adrían C

Es un poco aburrida, algo tonta y simplona pero al menos tiene una excelente animación

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/25/25

Full Review

Frank J

Animation is pretty good and the humour is funny. The plot could be better and I also wish there was more human characters but other than that it is a fun movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/05/25

Full Review

Jackson R

the movie sucks so bad that is was actually so funny. if you got your friends you will never laugh this hard again. Worst movie ever would recommend to everyone i know

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/05/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Jimmy Hayward

Director

Owen Wilson

Reggie

Woody Harrelson

Jake

Amy Poehler

Jenny

George Takei

S.T.E.V.E.

Colm Meaney

Myles Standish

Free Birds: Official Clip - Gunpowder Explosion

2:10

Free Birds: Official Clip - Pizza Delivery From the Future

2:29

Free Birds: Official Clip - The Pizza Turkey

2:28

Free Birds: Official Clip - Saving Turkey Chicks

2:28

Free Birds: Official Clip - Bromantic Dancing

1:29

Free Birds: Official Clip - The Cranberry Sauce Joke

2:30

Free Birds: Official Clip - Laser Pointer Chase

1:36

Free Birds: Official Clip - The Turkey Hunt

2:30

Free Birds: Official Clip - Trapped by the Pilgrims

2:30

Free Birds: Official Clip - We're All Idiots

2:29

View more videos

Dr. Seuss' The Grinch

60%

53%

Dr. Seuss' The Grinch

Watchlist

The Star

45%

70%

The Star

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Star

The Croods

71%

77%

The Croods

Watchlist

The LEGO Movie

96%

87%

The LEGO Movie

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The LEGO Movie

Ice Age: Continental Drift

37%

61%

Ice Age: Continental Drift

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Free Birds: Trailer 2

1:57

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Pardoned by the president, a lucky turkey (Owen Wilson) named Reggie gets to live a carefree lifestyle, until fellow fowl Jake (Woody Harrelson) recruits him for a history-changing mission. Jake and Reggie travel back in time to the year 1621, just before the first Thanksgiving. The plan: Prevent all turkeys from ever becoming holiday dinners. Unfortunately, the two birds encounter colonist Myles Standish (Colm Meaney), out to capture feathered friends for all the hungry Pilgrims.

Director: Jimmy Hayward
Producer: Scott Mosier
Screenwriter: Scott Mosier, Jimmy Hayward
Distributor: Relativity Media
Production Co: Relativity, Reel FX Animation Studios
Rating: PG (Some Action/Peril|Rude Humor)
Genre: Kids & Family, Holiday, Comedy, Adventure, Animation
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 1, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 31, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $55.7M
Runtime: 1h 31m

Most Popular at Home Now