Happy Feet = Preacy Mis-Que

Rating: 1/10 (17 November 2006)

I just got back from seeing this movie. *SPOILERS* And I will say it was a visual masterpiece. Simply stunning on every technological level available in today's movies.
The trailers were simply stunning, witty, great tunes, funny dancing, and absolutely adorable Mumbles the Penguine Tap Dancing his way into our hearts.
I have been waiting to see this movie for months. Egarly sharing my you-tube clips with anyone who would watch them, and gushing like a 11 year old girl at my husband saying I simply "HAD TO HAVE A STUFFED BABY MUMBLES"....
That changed about 45 minutes into this movie. I feel as though I want to retch.
I went into this movie under the assumption of a funny animated cartoon.
Granted all cartoons have been used to make some sort of political statements since the beginning of time. And usually the messages they are making are valid.
This time, I feel however deceived/lied to/mislead.
The movie was SEVERELY mis-represented to the masses. This movie is choppy and horridly put together storyline wise. It is not smooth, and the message they are delivering does NOT belong in a child's movie.
I'll keep this relatively short and give you the cliff-notes of this film.
Dad drops Mumbles when he's in his egg.
Mumbles can't sing he can only dance...Dad is ashamed of him.
The entire colony ostracizes him because he 'can't find his heart song'.
(In the middle of all this it is noted that there is a massive FISH SHORTAGE) The "ELDERS" refuse him colony residence and force him to leave.
During that point of forcing him to leave they blame him AND his family for being a freak and the Penguine God is punishing them all with a shortage of fish.
Fast Forward: Mumbles decides he's going to find out why the "ALIENS" are taking all their foot.
Long and short he does find the aliens, humans and gets tossed into a zoo, where he starts to loose his brain.
One of the other main characters almost suffocates from a pop can plastic thingy around its neck.
The "ELDER" screams "REPENT" a lot, and they show the humans stealing ALL the fishes.
The punch line is the politicians get involved and they show all the humans arguing FOR and AGAINST the needs of the penguins...
THAT is the movie.
That is the entire freaking movie. Yes they have the cute little dancing episodes, but that was severely MINOR in the story line.
This movie mis-represented itself and severely ruined my experiences as a whole.
Please understand this. I AGREE there is an over-fishing problem, I AGREE something needs to be done.
I also AGREE that their target audiences is children, because the reality is its not going to change with this generation, only our children can truly save the frigid wild-life.
I feel like a slimy human, and I know that was their intention...but for freaks sake...I go to the movie to be entertained...I read the news and deal with politics, religion, environmental issues EVERY DAY....I don't go to the movies to be preached at more.
If you made it this far...and still want to see the movie...Enjoy...but know its NOT a child's movie at all.