A horrible mess.

Rating: 3/10 (16 April 2007)

First off, I have to qualify this comment by saying that this film is probably critic-proof in the sense that parents will rent it for their young kids (of the 6 and under crowd), and that these kids will no doubt enjoy it for one reason or another.
But as an adult watching this film, I couldn't help but find it uneven, patchy, tonally out-of-whack, and ultimately unfulfilling. And I'd probably dismiss it all the more if it wasn't for the fact that "Happy Feet" was directed by none other than George "Mad Max" Miller (and "Babe," but I'm not holding that against him).
A few flashes of brilliance aside, it's as if "Happy Feet" was made by a focus group. This is especially evident when you consider that this film was released just barely a year after the successful documentary "March of the Penguins." Okay, we've got our penguins, let's have them sing pop songs in a manner reminiscent of "Moulin Rouge." And to top it all off, let's make it relevant by tacking on a third act that deals with environmental responsibility (Miller's heart is in the right place here, but it just doesn't gel with the rest of the film).
What you get is a hodge-podge of elements, which conflict with each other. A few humorous, entertaining scenes? Sure. But a compelling feature-length movie? Hardly.