Reggie, a bright turkey* who is being plucked* at a factory in a certain future is suddenly a “Pardoned* Turkey” chosen by the president of the United States.

    But his days of being the first daughter’s pet at Camp David are cut short when he’s recruited* by the hard-working but not very clever Jake, founder of the Turkey Freedom Front.

    Having found S.T.E.V.E., a top-secret time machine, Reggie and Jake head back to Plymouth Colony* around 1621, days before the first Thanksgiving that will make turkey the main course* on the festive dinner table.

    They get some valuable help on their mission* from Jenny, the brave and beautiful blue-eyed daughter of Wild Turkey Chief Broadbeak. But Reggie has to act quickly if he wants to rewrite tradition by replacing* turkey with delivery pizza.

    Director Jimmy Hayward keeps the film moving on at a pleasant speed, but the screenplay, which he co-wrote with Scott Mosier, lacks original stuff for a comedy*.

    The three leads who voiced the three birds have done a good job, especially animation pros* Owen Wilson (Lightning McQueen in the two “Cars” movies) and Amy Poehler, who now can add a wild turkey to a long list of characters that includes a chipmunk* (a pair of “Alvin and the Chipmunks” films), Snow White (“Shrek the Third”), Gretel (“Hoodwinked Too!”) and others.

    Although, like so many animated features these days, the 3-D seems a bit unnecessary, the characters and backdrops are presented in fresh autumnal colors, and Dominic Lewis’ warm score* feels at home in both time periods.(SD-Agencies)