Too bad it's rather predictable. The story at the core of Storks is a fairly simple one, and the trials and tribulations of Junior and Tulip are easy to guess for anyone old enough to read this page on TV Tropes. Not that this is a bad thing, per se — the predictability of the plot here feels comforting in its lack of challenge, like settling into your favorite recliner for a cozy bit of rest. I was more disappointed in Storks for not developing its aesops and themes better; the movie fumbles around the edges of a message about what really makes a family, while ignoring the darker implications of Tulip's orphaned upbringing or the storks' 18-year baby-delivery hiatus. And don't think about the story too hard, lest you trip over the movie's loose threads and unanswered questions.
A formulaic but funny movie
Storks is a bit of a rare bird in the modern age — an animated movie that's not based on an existing IP, not an adaptation of a beloved children's book, and not a vehicle for the inevitable toys and whatnot. It is, instead, a wholly-original story by Nicholas Stoller, spinning a silly fantasy about babies and storks that explore what constitutes a family.
Too bad it's rather predictable. The story at the core of Storks is a fairly simple one, and the trials and tribulations of Junior and Tulip are easy to guess for anyone old enough to read this page on TV Tropes. Not that this is a bad thing, per se — the predictability of the plot here feels comforting in its lack of challenge, like settling into your favorite recliner for a cozy bit of rest. I was more disappointed in Storks for not developing its aesops and themes better; the movie fumbles around the edges of a message about what really makes a family, while ignoring the darker implications of Tulip's orphaned upbringing or the storks' 18-year baby-delivery hiatus. And don't think about the story too hard, lest you trip over the movie's loose threads and unanswered questions.
Still, what saves Storks from total obscurity is its comedy. The movie nicely balances its deeper moments with lots and lots of laughs, making the runtime fly by smoothly. Between Tulip's perky mania, Junior's repressed issues, the wolf pack's two leaders, Pigeon Toady's CloudCuckoolander status, Nate's attempts at parental manipulation, and a setting that runs largely on Rule of Funny and random nonsense (complete with copious amounts of lampshades, sarcasm, and snark all over the place), there's always something quotable, chuckleworthy, or laughably silly nearby. It's not quite The LEGO Movie or The Emperor's New Groove, but it's a solid runner-up when your movie night gang is looking for a change of pace.