Happy Feet Two: Movie Review

The first Happy Feet opened to mixed reviews, but raked in a whopping box office draw of nearly $200 million. It even seemed like the reviews came in the form of political party lines. Many on the conservative right, such as Glenn Beck, found the original Happy Feet to be nothing more than an animated Inconvenient Truth. The global warming theme was quite evident in the first movie and remains in this second installment.

Happy Feet Two finds Mumble now with his own family and an entirely new issue to deal with. But like in life, the more things change the more they seem to stay the same. Mumble’s son Erik must find his own voice as his father did before him.

Bottom Line

If global warming is a hot topic for you, then this movie will either annoy you right off the bat or you will enjoy it tremendously depending on your stance. The movie centers around global warming, but this time the ice melts to such a degree that a giant iceberg breaks apart and crashes against the king penguins’ “home” trapping nearly every penguin. The shift leaves Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood) and his friends trying to rescue their families and the rest of the king penguin population.

The primary theme comes from the character of Erik and faith. Though faith is not directly talked about, Erik holds onto hope and faith that things will work out. Even though the situation does not unfold as he thought it would, Erik’s decision to stand for what’s right is the turning point in the entire movie.

Thumbs Up

Global warming message aside, Happy Feet Two is fairly entertaining. The musical and dance numbers are engaging and sometimes quite humorous. The best scene comes is from Mumble’s son, Erik. In the movie, Erik has a difficult time knowing exactly how he fits it in. At the climax of the movie, Erik stands up and finds his voice. The song “Erik’s Opera”was genuinely well done and very touching. 

Other highlights feature Robin Williams, who reprises his two roles as Lovelace and Ramon. The funnyman is always entertaining; and this is no less true in his voice-over talent. Brad Pitt and Matt Damon join the sequel’s cast as Will and Bill Krill. Their dialogue was smart and sharp. In just a few scenes, these characters discuss the meaning of life and the value of an individual.

Thumbs Down

The biggest issue with this movie is that the 3D isn’t worth the extra money. There are some neat 3D scenes surrounding Matt Damon and Brad Pitt’s characters, but there were so many chances in the movie to capitalize on the 3D technology and on this level the film fell flat.

How I Rate It

Family Friendly: This movie gets a 4 out of 5 star rating for family friendliness. The issue of global warming will likely frustrate some parents. There are some suspenseful moments in the film that may be too much for young children. Overall, it is a fairly safe film though.

Degree of Excellence: Happy Feet Two is well made. Therefore, it receives a 4.3 out of 5 for excellence. The only real issue is the sparse use of evident and entertaining 3D technology.