Movie Info
Movie Name: Happy Feet Two
Studio: Village Roadshow Pictures
Genre(s): Animated/Comedy/Musical/Family
Release Date(s): November 18, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG
Uhm…get the hell out of our way…
Mumbles is all grown up and has a chick of his own named Erik. Erik, like Mumbles, finds himself struggling to fit in. Erik finds himself enthralled by “penguin” named the Mighty Sven who has gained a cult following by being able to fly. Also, a couple of Krill named Will and Bill decide to go against their swarm. When a giant ice flow traps the Emperor penguins at their nesting ground, it is up to Mumbles and Erik must find a way to help the penguins.
Directed by George Miller, Happy Feet Two is the follow-up to the Academy Award winning Happy Feet of 2006. The movie received mixed review and a smaller box office return than the original film.
Suckers!
Happy Feet was a weird movie. With song mash-ups, dancing penguins, and an environmental message, the movie was just odd. Happy Feet Two tried to follow-up the oddness and didn’t do it as well as the first film.
The story for Happy Feet Two is all over the place like the first film. The first part of the film is really about Mumbles and Erik’s travels then the second half involves freeing the penguins. The movie also is interlaced with appearances by two krill named Will and Bill who have decided to go against their instincts (and one has decided to become a carnivore). You also get hippy guys in Rasta hats trying to help the penguin (and rocking out with Queen). The movie is unbalanced and awkward rather than charming.
Will & Bill…the Krill
The voice actors once again are quite talented. Elijah Wood’s Mumbles is the primary voice actor but he’s joined by a strong supporting cast. With the death of Brittany Murphy in 2009, she was replaced by Pink. Steve Irwin was also suppose to return as the elephant seal but was replaced by Richard Carter after Irwin’s death in 2006. Other voice actors include Hank Azaria (Sven), Robin Williams (Ramon/Lovelace), Sofia Vergara (Carmen), Hugo Weaving (Noah), Common (Seymour), Will the Krill (Brad Pitt), Bill the Krill (Matt Damon), Anthony LaPaglia (Alpha Skua) and uncredited smaller roles for Nicole Kidman (Norma Jean) and Hugh Jackman (Memphis).
I want to kill these irritating guys on principal…
The music and visuals of the film are different than many animated films. The music is used a little more throughout the film and still is a very Glee like mash-up of popular songs. The humans are done by motion capture which leads to a strange human like nature to it. I do like the character design of Sven the puffin masquerading as a penguin.
Happy Feet Two is kind of messy but it does have some moments. If you enjoyed the first Happy Feet, you probably will enjoy this film as well. It is a different movie, and I admire that it tries to simply not redo the first film.
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