Happy Feet Two

One of the first images we see in Happy Feet Two is the sight of literally hundreds of penguins dancing and singing in perfect precision to Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation". This immediately sets us in the right mindset, and makes us remember the joy of the original film from five years ago. The same thing happens every time there's a musical sequence, all of which are exquisitely done. It's when the penguins stop singing, and the movie focuses on the plot that things drag a little. While the movie remains cute, brightly colored, and entertaining for the most part, you can't help but feel that returning director George Miller and his team of writers were at somewhat of a loss as to how to continue the story.

We are reunited with the tap dancing penguin, Mumble (voice by Elijah Wood), who still can't carry a tune, but has managed to start a family with his young love Gloria (recording artist Alecia "Pink" Moore, stepping in for the late Brittany Murphy from the first movie), and their young chick, Erik (Ava Acres). Much like Mumble in his younger years, it seems that little Erik is having a hard time fitting in with the other penguins. He can't dance like his dad, and his singing doesn't match that of his mom. Because of this, Erik runs away from home with two of his little friends. Not long into his journey into the arctic wild, little Erik comes across the Mighty Sven (Hank Azaria), a puffin who is passing himself off as a penguin who can fly, and is treated almost like a god because of his flight abilities by a different clan of penguins. Seeing Sven flies puts the idea into Erik's head that maybe he can fly too if he puts his mind to it.

Mumble tracks his wayward son down, and as he tries to set the boy straight during their walk home, catastrophe strikes - Global warming causes the ice shelf to shift, stranding most of Mumble's tribe in a gorge where there seems to be no escape. Gloria is down there amongst the penguins, and unless something is done, they will all starve and die. Desperate for help, Mumble will turn to anyone he can think of, including a hard-headed elephant seal, the loopy penguin guru, Lovelace (Robin Williams), and even the Mighty Sven. As for young Erik, he will have to look within himself to find his own abilities and talents that make him special, and will help save his mother, as well as the other penguins in his tribe.

I wasn't exactly expecting complexity walking into Happy Feet Two, but even by kid's movie standards, the plot is pretty thin. It's basically comprised of Mumble and his friends standing around a giant gorge, trying to figure out how to free the other penguins that are stuck inside. The action never strays very far from the gorge, so it sometimes feels like we're watching a bunch of CG animated characters standing around, wondering what they should be doing. Fortunately, Miller and his team seem to realize this, so they do anything in their power to try to keep things interesting, including elaborate music and dance sequences, and a genuine energy that keeps things from lagging. We understand that a lot of the additional sequences (such as Mumble squaring off against an elephant seal dad) is strictly padding, but it's entertaining padding, at least.

In fact, one such subplot brings about the film's two most memorable characters - A pair of krill who go by the names of Will (Brad Pitt) and Bill (Matt Damon). These underwater crustaceans are tired of being at the bottom of the aquatic food chain, and decide to try their hands at being predators, going after animals and fish five times their size. The banter between the two actors is amusing, and while their plot has nothing to do with the action itself, the bug-eyed duo deliver some of the biggest laughs in the film, so I didn't care all that much. I actually wouldn't mind seeing the characters appear in a short cartoon or something. They wind up stealing the show, and offer a light comic touch to the somewhat dark main story that concerns itself with death and uncertainty.

So yes, Happy Feet Two is not quite the movie the first one was, and the plot is as thin as ice that is slowly starting to thaw. But the movie is filled with various stand out moments that help make the movie worth watching at least once. Such moments include the energetic music numbers, the best being a hopeful ballad sung by Gloria called "Bridge of Light", that is not only beautifully sung, but also features a gorgeous depiction of the Northern Lights. The movie is also a marvel to look at, with a somewhat photo-realistic appearance at times. There's some beautiful motion capture here, giving the penguins precise and lifelike movements. The animation, character designs, music, and voice acting can't be faulted in any way, and are top of their class. If only the script lived up to the qualities of everything else, we'd be looking at one heck of a movie.

As it is, I am recommending Happy Feet Two with big reservations. It's cute and all, but there is some pretty big competition coming up just around the corner in the family film market, including The Muppets, Martin Scorsese's Hugo, and The Adventures of Tintin. If those films manage to live up to expectations, I have a feeling that this movie will feel even thinner and slight than it already seems. Still, this movie is fun. Kind of unnecessary, but still fun.

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