Rating of
2.5/4
Entertaining
TheWolf - wrote on 08/04/07
Visually, 'Happy Feet' is amazing. Almost every landscape down to the smallest icicle look so very real. Even the penguins themselves are highly detailed, but obviously aren't real. Aside from that and the direction from Greg Miller, everything presented in 'Happy Feet' is just okay. Nothing in it evokes a wholehearted wow. The plot itself takes what seems forever to be revealed. There's a forty five minute wait before anything about a famine is even mentioned. Watching the film is a lot like riding a roller coaster. No, I don't mean its a thrill ride. The way the story is set up, it goes up and down. Each time it begins to drag, something comes along to get it going again. And when the ending finally comes, it appears forced. The whole addition of an environmental issue still has me wondering. I guess because without it there would be nothing for Mumble to do on his journey of discovery.
The main issue I have with 'Happy Feet' though revolves around the music. Yes, I know it's a musical, but the music seemed to really exceed the film itself. I'm not sure if this was intentional or not. The reason being is because the film suggests that there actually is a real story behind it all. Either way, it doesn't really matter because it's the singing and dancing that will have people returning to see it all again. So despite having some assuredly bad qualities 'Happy Feet' does indeed have its moments. It does what it was supposed to, and that's entertain.
