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Story

In Flying the Nest, Ploey (voice of Jamie Oram) is a plover chick who lives with his parents and his best friend Ploeveria (voice of Harriett Perring). Life is hard for the plovers. They must deal with the ever-present threat of attack by vultures and other predators, in particular a huge vulture called Shadow (voice of Richard Cotton). Each spring Shadow and the other vultures eagerly await the return of the plovers, so they can eat them.

The plover chicks must learn how to dig for worms and how to fly. But Ploey is afraid to fly. One day Shadow takes Ploey. Ploey’s father comes to his rescue, but he’s taken by Shadow in Ploey’s place.

When it’s time for the birds to migrate south, Ploey gets left behind. He decides to walk to Paradise Valley, where the birds go to wait out the Arctic winter. Ploey meets many dangers along the way, including blizzards, foxes, avalanches and ice drifts. He also meets Giron (voice of John Stamos), a large white bird, and Mousy (voice of Graham Dickson). Giron and Mousy save Ploey several times. Ploey finally reaches his destination, where he’s reunited with his mother and Ploeveria. On return to their spring home, Ploey gets the chance to take revenge on Shadow.

Themes

Animals in peril; migratory birds; prey and predators; death of a parent

Violence

Flying the Nest has some violence. For example:

  • The vultures swoop on the returning plovers and take several in their claws.
  • A large cat chases the plover chicks. He catches one of them and takes it home. The cat is then kicked out of his house through the window.
  • Shadow easily picks up Ploey in his talons and carries him off. Ploey’s father attacks Shadow, who lets Ploey fall to the ground, but takes Ploey’s father instead.
  • The cat chases and catches Ploey. It takes him into the house, where he’s put inside a birdcage. The cat tries to grab at Ploey through the bars.
  • A fox attacks Giron and takes him to his lair.
  • Giron and Shadow have a physical fight. Ploey throws a dynamite stick into Shadow’s cave, which explodes. Shadow isn’t hurt, but Giron looks like he’s dead (he isn’t).
  • Shadow takes Ploeveria, and Ploey comes to rescue her. Ploey tries to trap Shadow in an iron trap. Giron and Shadow fight again, and Shadow has Ploey pinned to a post with the trap. Giron throws a dynamite stick at Shadow, who crashes into a wind vane. Giron then ties his claw to a rope. Shadow bangs into a church bell, knocking himself out. He then falls into a freshly dug grave and is covered in dirt.

Sexual references

Flying the Nest has some mild romantic references. For example, Ploey and Ploveria are very close friends and hold wings. At one point, Ploey dreams that he’s lost Ploveria to another plover, who says he loves her with all his heart. Ploveria replies that she loves him too.

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

There’s no use of substances in Flying the Nest.

Nudity and sexual activity

There’s no nudity or sexual activity in Flying the Nest.

Product placement

There’s no product placement in Flying the Nest.

Coarse language

There’s no coarse language in Flying the Nest.

Ideas to discuss with your children

Flying the Nest is an animated adventure story about a young migratory plover chick who has to find Paradise Valley on his own.

The predatory nature of some of the animals in the movie could be quite scary for very young children, and there’s a moderate level of violence. Therefore, we suggest the movie isn’t suitable for under-5s, and we recommend parental guidance for children aged 5-8 years.

The main messages from this movie are to believe in yourself and to overcome your fears.

Values in this movie that you could reinforce with your children include courage, bravery, willingness to help others, kindness and heroism.

This movie could also give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life issues, like your beliefs about what happens when someone dies. In the movie, Giron likes to think his sons are stars in the sky and that he’ll see them again someday. Ploey imagines his father as a star too.

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Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

Member Organisations

  • Parenting Research Centre
  • The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
  • Murdoch Children's Research Institute

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