Happy Feet (2006)

Just perfect...

Excellent but underrated film

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

If you watch this film in tandem with 2005's "March of the Penguins", you'll be amazed to discover that the film makers for this animated movie got a lot of the science about Emperor Penguins exactly right. I'm talking about the breeding habits, the 'heartsong' business, care for the egg by the male penguin and how they survive those brutal, wintery conditions by rotating huddled bodies in and out against fierce windstorms. Since I saw 'March' not long ago, those thoughts are still fresh in my mind, so it's easy to make the comparison.For kids, this has to be a generally warm and fuzzy movie, though for impressionable youngsters, there's also some danger present with predatory hunting birds, leopard seals and a particularly clever, though brutal badminton game played by killer sharks with two of the film's penguin heroes. Fortunately, all the picture's 'good guys' make it through to the end in fine form.Somehow though, there seems to be some sort of disconnect with the way the picture arrives at it's conclusion. With a plot element involving the disappearance of the penguins primary food source, and a connection made to 'alien' human beings as the cause, there's a hasty resolution to the problem whereby the world community gets on board with the penguins plight and everything is made good again. I didn't see that connection, and I don't think you will either, but if you can disregard that inconsistent flaw, you'll probably have a good time with those colorful Emperor penguins and the clever animation.

'Happy Feet' won the Oscar for best animated feature back in 2006 over the much more popular 'Cars'. While both were equally good, but I do the feel the strong message and catchy music of 'Happy Feet' gave it slight advantage. 'Happy Feet' is the tale of a dancing penguin 'Mumble' who gets rejected by the society which considers singing as penguin-thing and dancing as something horrid. Mumble's singing is quite pathetic and thus decides to leave the society. Well the story line may follow the typical "odd-different guy finds his true potential and becomes hero" path still the number of interesting characters and lively songs keep you hooked. The voice- cast is splendid with likes of Elijah Wood, Hugh Jackman, Robin Williams, etc. The screenplay later delivers a strong environmental message with the penguins not having any fish to eat due human interference. But I feel the film should have been about 10-15 minutes short as the pace tedious in the first 45 minutes.The animation is simply beautiful, watching thousands of penguins dance together in a wave was really a wow-moment. 'Happy Feet' finally with heart-warming story and beautiful animation is worth a shot!RATING: [3/5]

This movie might have been good if it was devoid of all the divisive political undertones. I am all for saving the world, stopping the hate and riding the 'guilt wagon' into the sunset. But to have this as a regular menu item on all that is, "Hollywierd" or Disney – is just a reflection of youthful arrogance or aging culpability. Stop wasting my time and money preaching your personal views and opportunism. Sadly, the skill-levels of the visual artists involved in this effort, tower miles above the script writers, directors, producers and others influencing the content. Give us a break, please. Leave your politics at home and please stop trying to poison the well of children. That, I think, is more offensive than the strong sexual content within this movie. Don't get me wrong, sexual content (if you really can't write anything without it) can be fine - when it is skillfully hidden. In 'Happy Feet', it was not. I am sure the young will love this production, great – congratulations – you made your money. I used to be a fan of Disney films, but more and more, find them more repulsive than enjoyable. Most productions are not for kids anymore…unless their new intention is to divide youth form youth, or children from parents…I don't know. At this point, what difference does it make, I don't care. For this movie, I wish I could get this part of my life back. I will not see another Disney production unless I get positive feedback from a trusted source.

Mumble (Elijah Wood) is an emperor penguin who's born a little late and a little odd. He can't sing which he needs to have a Heartsong to find his true love. All he can do is tap dancing. He is always the runt of the group and an outcast.The penguins are cute. The underdog story is universal. The thing is I didn't find all that much funny about this movie. It's definitely more cute than funny. The 'latino' Adélie penguins just doesn't strike me as funny. They are just talking fast for the sake of talking fast. As for the singing and dancing, it's a bit of fun but it isn't that compelling. This is probably a lot more for the kids than for the adults.