Review of Happy Feet Two (2011) by Pantelis A — 08 Aug 2012

I was not first in the queue at the multiplex when Happy Feet came out. Despite being a fan of CGI movies, I'm not a dancing enthusiast and, frankly, I got the joke - dancing penguins, ha ha - without actually seeing the film. Also, much as I like Robin Williams live and in straight roles, I can have enough of him quite quickly when he is voicing animated characters. Anyway, I finally saw it, and it was exactly what I expected - OK, albeit the underlying gag was not sufficient to underpin a feature-length movie.

Clearly, I was out of step, because in due course along comes Happy Feet 2. Oh well, I reasoned, hopefully the 3D will be enough to keep me interested.

Now it seems that not only was I out of step on Happy Feet 1, I'm also out of step on Happy Feet 2, because I loved it. The dancing is kept to a minimum and such dancing as there is takes place in strict service to the demands of the plot. After what looked as if it was going to be, worryingly, a retread of the first movie (Mumbles' young son Eric is also rhythmically challenged and wanders unhappily away from the Emperor penguins' colony), Eric's terpsichorean shortcomings are overlooked as a) we meet some new characters - specifically an Australian elephant seal and a pair of Krill (voiced wonderfully by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon), and b) a huge iceberg traps the Emperor colony, putting them at risk of starvation. Only Mumbles, Eric, and Eric's two chick friends can (with help) save the day.

There is a lot more story here than in the first film, and much of it is very suspenseful. There are some wonderful visuals, some hysterically funny dialogue from the two Krill (Will and Bill Krill - Will is determined to reverse roles and become a carnivorous predator, to the horror of his meek friend Bill), and some inspired moments which choke you up with emotion at the same time as making you laugh. I never thought I would use the adjective "idotically" with the noun "beautiful", but when a pack of Krill start geometric pulsations of their fluorescence in time to their tap dancing to Under Pressure on the underside of an iceberg, idiotically beautiful is the only way to describe what you are seeing.

Oh, and the 3D, while not essential, has some spectacular moments.

I loved it.

8/10.