![]() ![]() Directed and co-written by Miller, whose equally somber Pig in the City stands as one of the great, overlooked movies of the '90s, Happy Feet ultimately takes an optimistic tone, gently hinting that the plight of the penguins is no lost cause. When Mumble demands to know why, the simplicity of his very sensible plea evokes no small heartache. Worse yet, massive fishing liners are compromising the balance of nature, endangering the creatures that make Antarctica their home. Everywhere Mumble goes, pollution abounds – garbage carelessly dumped in the sea, a plastic six-pack casing choking the life out of one unfortunate penguin, voiced by Robin Williams. The story of a well-meaning outsider struggling for acceptance is familiar, particularly in children's fables, but taken on its own terms, Happy Feet is as powerful and heartfelt an appeal for environmental responsibility as An Inconvenient Truth. Mumble vows to track down the root of the problem. Thanks to the "aliens" – human industrialists who are polluting the waters surrounding Antarctica and scooping up the fish that represent a vital food source – the penguins are going hungry. Soon enough, he discovers a different way to make an impression. He tries to win over lovely Gloria (Brittany Murphy) with his furious tap-dancing (hence the nickname, "Happy Feet"), but the other penguins mock his fancy footwork, and Gloria remains unstirred. Mumble is friendly and fearless, but without a song to call his own, he remains an outcast. Because singing is an important part of the penguin mating ritual, Mumble’s parents fear he will spend his days alone. Mumble (Elijah Wood) is a young emperor penguin who can’t carry a tune. Yes, the movie is loaded with song-and-dance numbers inspired by pop heavyweights including Prince, DMX and Elvis, but they’re rarely intrusive - if anything, they're integral to the story. ![]() Anyone expecting the standard litany of pop-culture references and hokey one-liners will not find them here. Rather than condescending to the children who comprise the bulk of its demographic, it challenges them with a smart, compelling plea for environmental awareness, framed within the context of a bubbly musical comedy. George Miller's long-awaited follow-up to Babe: Pig in the City (1998) is an animated fantasy of rare depth, a delightful combination of digital wizardry and thoughtful, provocative storytelling. Happy Feet, a late entry to the sweepstakes, is a cut above them all. Considering the recent flurry of furry misadventures – among them, Over the Hedge, Flushed Away, Open Season and Ice Age: The Meltdown – 2006 has been a banner year for quirky, cuddly animals. ![]()
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