Adventures in Zambezia (Also known simply as Zambezia) is a 2012 English-language South African computer animated film focusing on a young Peregrine Falcon named Kai (Jeremy Suarez) who lives in a desert with his father, Tendai (Samuel L. Jackson) after the death of his mother. It was produced by Triggerfish Animation Studios.
After a visit from Gogo (Jenifer Lewis) and Tini (Tania Gunadi) who are attacked by a pair of Marabous, Kai decided to follow them to Zambezia, a bustling bird city near the edge of Victoria Falls. Meanwhile, Tendai comes across an evil plan by Budzo (Jim Cummings) to eat all the eggs in Zambezia, only to get captured in the process. Kai must now work with Zambezia's resident air force, the Hurricanes, to protect Zambezia from Budzo and the Marabous.
Tropes in Zambezia:
- Ass Shove: In the beginning Kai flies into a giraffe's butt. Cue it later contorting in abdominal pain.
- Attack of the Town Festival: The Marabous capture the Weavers under the orders of Budzo during the annual festival they have.
- Badass in Distress: The Hurricanes wind up being caught in a net near the end of the film.
- Big Bad: Budzo, the monitor lizard who plans to eat all of the eggs in Zambezia.
- Captain Crash: Gogo the stork is very clumsy when it comes to landing.
- Child Eater: Budzo enjoys eating defenseless bird eggs, much to his twisted amusement.
- Dance Party Ending
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: Ajax, the Commander of the Hurricanes.
- Evil Egg Eater: Budzo, the main villain, is a MaliciousMonitorLizard who wishes to eat all of the eggs in Zambezia.
- Fantastic Racism: When founding Zambezia, marabous were excluded from the city due to their ugly looks and poor manners. When they pull a Heel–Face Turn and help save the city, they are welcome in there, but some of the birds still don't trust them.
- Gossipy Hens: The duo of female touracos who spend most of their time gossiping while getting their feathers dyed are almost literal examples.
- Handicapped Badass: Sekhuru, the chief of Zambezia, is missing his right wing after Budzo attacked him.
- Heel–Face Turn: The Marabous pull this off once Budzo betrays them.
- Heroic BSoD: Once Kai is discharged from the Hurricanes, he decides to leave Zambezia, until Gogo brings him to Sekhuru's office.
- Missing Mom: Kai's mother, Amaya was killed by Budzo before the events of the movie.
- Race Lift: Well, kind of. Ezee is given a stereotypical Jewish accent and mannerisms in Russian dub, because his name sounds like the stock one used in many jokes about Jews. That makes his character even funnier.
- Reptiles Are Abhorrent: The main villain is a Rock Monitor.
- Scavengers Are Scum: Marabou storks are ever-hungry marauders who are excluded from Zambezia and conspire with Budzo. They pull a Heel–Face Turn at the end of the movie, though.
- Wham Line: The revelation of what happened to Kai's mother.Kai: What happened to her?
(Smash Cut to Tendai in the cage)
Budzo: (Laughs evilly)
Tendai: Murderer! She was my wife! - Wham Shot: Kai discovers that Budzo is missing a claw from his right front foot.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Budzo betrays the Marabous once they've placed the bridge to Zambezia which allows him to get to Zambezia, and brings a massive army of monitor lizards with him to devour his former allies.
