Director:
George Miller

Cast:
Hugh Jackman
Nicole Kidman
Robin Williams
Brittany Murphy

Official URL:

http://www.happyfeetmovie.com

Country: USA
Rating: PG
Studio Name: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Running Time: 2 hr 0 mins
Release Date: November 17, 2006

Critics's Rating:
(3 out of 4 Reels) 

November 17, 2006

By Veronica Mixon

Happy Feet is a charming, musical animation film about the odd-ball penguin that saves the day. George Miller, the director who brought us “Mad Max” and “Babe,” delivers a delightful entertaining movie that’s suitable for the entire family. Far away in the Antarctic, the penguin nation lives happily singing all day long. The talented Memphis (Hugh Jackman “X-Men Series”) romances and marries Norma Jean (Nicole Kidman “Bewitched”) and they eventually have a son, Mumbles (Elijah Wood “The Lord of the Rings Trilogy”). While most penguins have beautiful voices, Mumbles displays his talents in another way. He loves to tap dance and only his childhood friend, Gloria (Brittany Murphy) applauds his efforts. But, Mumbles dancing proves to be embarrassing to his proud father and scary for the rest of the penguins. It’s almost as disastrous as the suddenly scarcity of fish and Mumbles is denounced by the penguin leader, Noah the Elder (Hugo Weaving, “Matrix Trilogy”). When Mumbles is accidentally separated from his tribe, he meets a merry gang of penguins from a different group lead by Ramon (Robin Williams, voicing a Spanish accent). Williams also plays a second character, Lovelace the Guru who sparks a penguin exploratory expedition. Suddenly, Mumbles discovers the cause of the lack of fish and the movie becomes a tale of environmental alarm.

Nevertheless, Happy Feet is fun and wonderfully intriguing with fantastic penguin choreography created by morphing Broadway great Savion Glover to the popular music of Prince, k.d. Lang, Pink, Patti LaBelle and Fantasia. There have been many animal animation movies this year and a few have been boring and pointless. But, George Miller does make the icy world of penguins look interesting and the use of music for youngsters is inspiring because it’s not the usually sappy stuff. Happy Feet is enchanting.

to TOP