Let’s be real—most movies about scientists involve them either causing an apocalypse or being eaten by whatever they’re studying. Raven Quill finally gives us a genius who doesn’t accidentally doom humanity, and instead does something actually interesting: teaches a bird to write. And not just any bird—a raven, nature’s most smug, goth-adjacent intellectuals.

Finally, a Smart Sci-Fi Film That Doesn’t Treat Us Like Pigeons

The premise sounds like a Black Mirror episode written by a particularly pretentious ornithology PhD student: Dr. Anya Petrova, a woman who clearly hasn’t heard the phrase “just because you can doesn’t mean you should,” decides that ravens need their own written language. Because apparently, cawing and stealing shiny things wasn’t enough.

But here’s the twist—it works. Watching Quill (the raven, not the writing utensil, though the pun is absolutely intentional) go from pecking at screens to composing what I can only assume are bird-Yelp reviews of human behavior is both hilarious and mind-blowing. Imagine if Planet of the Apes had less revolution and more poetry written in beak-scratches.

Visually Stunning (Unlike Most of Us After Two Years of Pandemic)

The cinematography is so gorgeous it’s basically National Geographic meets The Social Network—if Mark Zuckerberg were a bird. Every shot of Quill staring judgmentally at the scientists (you know he’s judging them) or dramatically soaring over landscapes makes you wonder why we even bother with human protagonists anymore.

And the effects? Seamless. No weird CGI blurs or uncanny valley nonsense here—just a very smart bird doing very smart things while humans scramble to keep up. The scene where Quill teaches other ravens his new language is like a TED Talk, but with more feathers and fewer corporate sponsors.

The Ethical Debate: Because Nothing Says “Fun Night at the Movies” Like Existential Dread

Of course, the second humans do anything cool with animals, someone has to ruin it by asking, *“But is it *right?” Cue the animal rights activists, who show up like the vegan friend at a BBQ to remind everyone that maybe teaching birds to write is technically playing God.

The film’s smart enough not to pick sides, though. Instead, it lets Quill himself settle the debate in the most dramatic way possible—because if there’s one thing ravens love, it’s being the center of attention.

Why You Should Watch It (Besides the Fact That It’s Better Than Whatever’s on Netflix Right Now)

• It’s educational. You’ll finally understand why ravens are the real intellectuals of the animal kingdom.
• It’s emotional. You will cry. Probably when Quill writes his first word. (Don’t lie, you’re already tearing up.)
• It’s the only movie where the bird is the smartest character. Take that, Jurassic Park.

Final Verdict: ★★★★★ (5/5, but Quill would probably give it 4.5 for human inaccuracies)
Best Tagline: “Can a raven write a masterpiece?” (Spoiler: Yes, and it’s probably about how disappointing humans are.)

See it. Then go apologize to the nearest crow for underestimating them.