Publicity
Stills of "Happy Feet"
(Courtesy from GV)
Genre:
Animation Director: George Miller Voice Talents of: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams,
Brittany Murphy, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman RunTime: 1 hr 38 mins Released By: GVP Rating: G
Animated penguins! Elijah Wood voices the character of a misfit
Emperor penguin who can't sing his mating song to his girl
so he learns to tap dance instead.
Movie
Review:
It
has been confirmed. Penguins are a force to be reckoned with,
period. They captured our hearts in March of the Penguins,
scared us silly with their murderous ways in Madagascar and
now they return to the silver screen attempting to melt our
hearts and tire our feet in well, Happy Feet!
If anyone
has thought of staying from this film lest it be an animation
for children, think again. Happy Feet will intrigue any adult
as much as it would leave children in awe. The film dives
head first into themes like finding one’s individuality,
fitting into a society that scorns the different and of the
plight of penguins where humans are involved, issues which
are still relevant to the adult life. Also, there are a number
of scenes that might prove a tad too overwhelming for children
and could possibly lead them to question aplenty.
Happy
Feet is about Mumble HappyFeet (Elijah Wood), offspring of
Memphis (Hugh Jackman) and Norma Jean (Nicole Kidman), a penguin
who finds great pleasure in tapping his feet but cannot find
his heartsong. The heartsong in question is something that
all penguins possess and essential to finding the right partner
in the near future. Looked upon as being different from the
rest, the young Mumble finds it hard to make friends and spends
time by himself, dancing away.
When Mumble’s
dancing starts to affect the other penguins, he is chastised
by Noah the Elder (Hugo Weaving) for being the cause of a
famine that has plagued the entire penguin community. He is
banished when his pleas that “aliens” have taken
their fish are ignored. In wanting to prove the truth, he
ventures on a journey that takes him beyond the vast landscape
of ice and one beyond any penguin’s limit.
Quite
honestly, Happy Feet is yes, a musical about penguins that
dance and how love and friendship play a part in their lives.
However, the film is so much more than that. It is obvious
that a lot of thought had been put into making the film instead
of just focusing on just the animation. This fortunately,
is a welcome change considering that there has been an influx
of animation films most of which, unfortunately, possessed
an extreme dearth of quality in theirs plots.
Despite
having a worthy plot, Happy Feet treads slowly like the hatching
of an egg. The film starts off slowly with the courtship of
Memphis and Norma Jean and introducing the audience to the
life cycle of a penguin. It is only much later in the film
that the primary issue of the famine comes into the picture.
Also, the character dynamics only gel when the Amigos (Robin
Williams and gang) come into the fray providing much needed
laughter. Then there are the monstrous and vicious preys from
both the sky and the water that provide much suspense and
intrigue to the film. Eventually, the tempo does pick up and
reaches a crescendo only for the moment to be broken with
a typical Hollywood ending.
The star-studded cast on the other hand, does not fail. As
a musical, the singers are top notch in the form of Hugh Jackman,
Nicole Kidman and Brittany Murphy, voicing Gloria, the object
of Mumble’s affection. And the rest of the cast is brilliantly
casted that one cannot recognize the face behind the voice
and in this instance, the chameleon, Hugo Weaving. Ultimately,
Robin Williams, voicing two characters is the element that
bonds the film with his over the top antics, which serve as
a welcome distraction.
Happy
Feet is an animation that dares to tread on new waters in
introducing serious themes. For a film that celebrates the
individuality of its main character, it mirrors that of the
makers of the film. However, one should be prepared to take
sides, to accept the film about a penguin’s journey
to both redeem and find himself or a film that prides in its
own ambition in thinking a bit too big with its ideas. I say,
watch it for what it is worth. It is a guaranteed cinematic
experience that one will not forget.
Movie
Rating:
(The
penguins in Happy Feet will tappity-tap their way into your
hearts!)
