In Storks, delivering babies is a thing of the past as the storks have moved on to cornerstone.com, an Amazon-esque corporate delivery system that delivers just about every type of package imaginable. One day, things go awry as a baby order arrives and we follow the shenanigans that ensure the child is delivered.
Storks is the second animated feature to come from the Warner Animation Group, the new animated subdivision of Warner Bros. responsible for The LEGO Movie, written and directed by Nicholas Stoller, director of the Neighbors films, and co-directed by Doug Sweetland, an animator on various Pixar films including the first two Toy Story's, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles, so naturally my expectations were high and I must say that Storks delivered.
Stoller's script is remarkably funny and the humor is actually quite intelligent as Stoller never stoops to the lows of blatantly crude adult humor that will fly over children's heads like The Angry Birds Movie or childish fart jokes commonly found in Minions and the other Despicable Me films. Stollar strikes the sweet spot right in the middle excellently satirizing workplace environments, big conglomerates, and new parents while also maintaining some deeper themes involving troubled family dynamics and whether striving for promotion is what we really desire or not.
The animation in Storks is fairly good, nothing incredible but at the same time it doesn't feel like it was done haphazardly to make a quick buck. The animators took the time to ensure every bouncing baby looks adorable and that the character design of the creatures seems fresh rather than derivative of other animation.
The talented voice cast assembled for the project are no slouch either bringing genuine personality into their respective characters. Andy Samberg's Junior makes for a compelling and relatable protagonist, simultaneously delivering some of the film's funniest moments poking fun at birds, and Katie Crown injects exuberance, determination, and heart into Tulip. Crown and Samberg make for a great pair onscreen bouncing dialogue off one another.
The B-storyline and characters revolve around Nate Gardner, the boy who asks for the younger sibling in his letter to the storks kicking off the entire plot, and his family and I am glad that Stoller felt the need to give them a compelling arc instead of just focusing on the storks. The Gardner family is composed of Ty Burrell's Henry, Jennifer Aniston's Sarah, and their son Nate voiced by Anton Starkman and I can say they were all great in the capacity used serving as the emotional lynch-pin of the piece.
Supporting characters that serve as nice bit parts include Kelsey Grammer's uptight Hunter, Stephen Kramer Glickman's odd Pigeon Toady, and Danny Trejo's Jasper. Keegan Micheal Key and Jordan Peele's Alpha and Beta wolves, along with their wolf pack, have some of the best gags in the film and overtime they were onscreen promised insane hijinks and at least a few laughs.
In conclusion, Storks is highly entertaining animated feature the entire family can enjoy thanks to an original premise, plenty of laughs, and a talented voice ensemble.
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