"I'm Happy. They're Happy Too."

Rating: 9/10 (4 December 2006)

"Happy Feet" is one of the best films of the year. With a star-studded cast, a killer soundtrack and beautiful animation, it has raised the bar for all future CGI films.
With people like Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman and Robin Williams, the movie was bound to have great comedic timing and flow. Trying to point out any particular part that stood out would be difficult to do, however, I can say with confidence that there are moments of both physical comedy as well as some one-liner zingers.
The eclectic amalgamation of music is something I didn't think would flow too well, but the music team has done an excellent job coordinating melodies in a way somewhat reflective of "Moulin Rouge." With it's sweeping landscapes and ever-more-approaching-realistic realism, the animations of the movie are the best I have yet seen in any fully-CGI movie. This movie really captures the flow of the different species of animals, but still allows for the personification of the actors. My only complaint with this is when the humans are on screen. Combining the real with the animated in this movie was a bold step, unfortunately it took me out of the world of the movie.
I have to admit that I did not think I would like this film. I liken my apprehension to the apprehension I had to go see "Cast Away,"...
"What kind of plot or dialog is there going to be with a guy stuck on an island?" "What kind of plot or dialog is there going to be with a bunch of dancing penguins?" Luckily, in both cases, I was pleasantly surprised.
Quick Plot Synopsis: In a society of Penguins where singing is how you find your mate, Mumble is unlucky as he can't carry a tune but the li'l bugger can dance up a storm. He becomes a social outcast amongst his community and seeks answers to life elsewhere. In the process he hears about strange "aliens" who have giant machines and who have been abducting animals. Mumble believes that these aliens might be the cause of the food shortage, instead of the community's belief that the "Penguin Mother" is simply denying them food. This heretical theory forces him into exile, but he vows to make the long journey to try to discover where these aliens are, and to convince them to stop hurting his friends and family.
Three social issues are topics of this movie: Being an outcast, Religious Fanaticism, and Humans' effects on the environment.
Whether or not we admit it, everyone has felt like an outsider at one point. Mumbles' struggles with his tone-deaf-but-toe-tapping self are the struggles we have all felt if we ever believed in something those around us did not.
Yes, "Happy Feet" has some overtones directed at religions... not any particular ones, mind you, simply religious fanaticism and the evils and pitfalls of them. This should only be an issue with religious fanatics as it does target the core of their beliefs. If that is you, that is fine ~ embrace your thing, but penguins arguing that the "Great Giver" is the punishing them for having a tap dancer in their midst is funny no matter how you slice it.
Yes, "Happy Feet" does target humans' selfish behaviors by displaying how we can destroy an ecosystem without batting an eye. But realistically, are you going to say that you think a movie that teaches kids to consider the repercussions of their actions is a BAD thing?