Breathtaking and Beautiful

Rating: 10/10 (6 December 2006)

Happy Feet begins by introducing us to an achingly beautiful world and then takes us on an extraordinary hero's journey filled with laughter, tears, and unconditional love. It is a rare modern epic that goes far beyond the scope of most recent movies, family or otherwise, with amazing visuals, wonderful music, and simple but meaningful themes. Be warned: you might actually find yourself responding to this film on an emotional level that could be a little embarrassing. You might leave dancing- or simply breathless.
The film weaves the fantasy of a musical world inhabited by penguins, a poignant and beautiful dream in which each emperor penguin searches for love by singing a unique "heartsong". Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood) is hatched into this world as one very special individual. Unlike the others of his kind, Mumble seems to be without any singing ability at all. Instead he is compelled to express what lives in his heart through an incredible gift for tap dancing (granted to the character by the great Savion Glover through motion capture). Ever positive despite rejection from his community, sweet Mumble is caught up in a remarkably deep adventure story that grapples with concepts of identity, love, and tolerance while instilling a basic sense of environmentalism.
The enormity of this story is quite amazing. The brilliant George Miller (creator of diverse and artful films from Mad Max to Babe) succeeds in creating what may be one of the most lovable characters ever, and then drives him to the edge of hell and back. Drawn along in Mumble's wake, we often laugh and sometimes cry with the character as he stumbles into a group of loyal friends (two of which are voiced fantastically by Robin Williams), showers his soul mate with unconditional love, and ultimately seeks out answers to environmental issues that are far bigger than one little penguin. Nothing, though, could be bigger than Mumble's heart. Unless you are made of stone, you will fall in love with this character, and you'll be cheering him along for every minute of his struggles.
As you come to love Mumble, you will be exposed to elegant themes that are so universal they serve as a kind of mirror. You'll see some of yourself or someone you love in his struggle to prove that being different can be wonderful. You'll remember past feelings and childhood fantasies as he shows that love can be worth absolutely everything. And you'll probably feel at least a little guilty to be a human as you remember the profound and sometimes terrible impact we can have on the many wonderful creatures that surround us. Fortunately there is a good chance that you will also come out feeling empowered to make the world a little better.
All in all, the experience is breathtaking.