Brilliant animation and great characters make Happy Feet a sure-fire hit.

Rating: 9/10 (21 December 2006)

Happy Feet has taken the box office by storm - and it's easy to see why. The animation is absolutely top-hole (and the budget isn't astronomical either), the characters are all vivid, enjoyable and the kids quickly identify with them, and the film carries an important environmental message - we are slowly destroying the penguins' world and must recognise them for their true beauty before it is too late. From the very start of the film, you know that Mumble is going to be different, and when he does arrive on the Earth, the film does a grand job in making the other penguins ostracise him for his lack of singing skill, and we quickly feel sorry for the young Mumble, who is thrust into a nasty world straight from birth. The start of the film is very touching, but lacks on the comedy and general interest, and therefore, the film could not have continued in that way forever. And it quickly changed - with the film being best having Mumble as a teenager. He then realises that people are sick of his uniqueness now and that he is making the others feel humiliated, and that he could well be on his way to an early death. The film started to have more comedy from this point on - thank God for the Latino penguins. If it wasn't for them, the film could hardly even be called a comedy. Though it is meant to be touching, some of the action is extremely high-octane - when the penguins slide down cliffs into the sea, it makes for an overwhelming experience on the silver screen, and it may even thrill you. Though this film tries to be a masterpiece with its important message and generally effective characters and script, it is the animation that makes it brilliant - it is easily the best I have seen this year. It is all beautiful, and it truly raises the bar for animation in the future. Though the humans seem a bit surreal and strange, the way live action is mixed with animation is pretty well-done, and should be seen to be believed. Happy Feet isn't exactly a monumental film and probably won't have any effect on the environmental problems we suffer now, but the animation and story are brilliant, and we have a Christmas smash hit in Happy Feet. I thought it was absolutely riveting. If it receives a worthy DVD release, this film could well be as successful as things like Ice Age (though maybe not so as Shrek or Finding Nemo). Happy Feet makes for a truly great cinematic experience and you will never see penguins in the same way again. Spiffing! 9/10