Happy Feet
Thursday, 07 Dec 2006 21:26
Mumble dances his little paws off in this fantastic wintry movie
March of the Penguins with funny voices it may be, but this film has a lingering environmentalist message that doesn't go away.
Directed by George Miller, out in cinemas now, starring Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Hugo Weaving and Nicole Kidman, running time 87 minutes
In a nutshell…
Funny and spectacular, thought-provoking and moving.
What's it all about?
We follow the story of Mumble, a young penguin whose extraordinary tap-dancing skills are rejected by his society of Emperor Penguins in Antarctica. They value singing ability above anything else and kick Mumble out for being different – cue an epic adventure across vast landscapes for the determined young hero. After a series of incidents in which Mumble can only be saved by Robin Williams doing silly voices, our hero finds out the real reason for the lack of fish his tribe are suffering from. A strange abduction by aliens follows, in which, as we find out, we're the ones responsible for the penguins' plight.
Underneath the Christmas-time razzle-dazzle is a series message about the environment, in which the role of human interaction with the fragile environment of the Antarctic is key to the whole plot. The message is simple: humans are destroying whole species and, largely, don't have the foggiest idea that they're doing it.
Who's in it?
Elijah Wood provides the voice of the protagonist, Mumble, who isn't a universe away from another short and determined hero he recently played. Wood communicates a strong mixture of innocence and determination which effectively portrays the hero as someone prepared to stand up for what he believes is right. As well as featuring in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Wood has also been seen in Everything is Illuminated, Green Street Hooligans and Sin City.
Robin Williams voices two characters in this film: the leader of the Adelie Amigos, Ramon, and Lovelace, a Rockhopper penguin whose eccentricities land him in hot water. The comic timing which proved such a hit in films like Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society and Good Will Hunting is very much in evidence here.
Hugo Weaving, best known as Agent Smith in the Matrix trilogy, contributes an excellent grumbling Scottish voice as Noah the Elder, while Nicole Kidman's Marilyn Monroe-esque rendering of Mumble's mother, Norma Jean, frames the movie's beginning and ending well.
As an example…
Adelie Amigos: You know, chica chica boom boom!
Mumble: You're not interested in chicas?
Adelie Amigos: You kidding? Without us the chicas got no boom!
Likelihood of a trip to the Oscars
Wood et al can pack their bags to the next Golden Globes ceremony because, thanks to the stewardship of George Smith, they've hit a winner. The film deserves recognition for its excellent portrayal of the Antarctic landscape, which is worth the entry price alone, while the script itself makes it an entertaining view. Robin Williams could well be up for best supporting actor in 2007.
What the others say
"Let's just say this is a perfect film for penguin lovers who also are devoted members of the Green party - and leave it at that." – Baltimore Sun
"You should see Happy Feet - not only because it's stupendous, but also because it features the best dancing you'll see on the screen this year." – New York Magazine
So is it any good?
As well as imbuing a bit of moral fibre into western children, Happy Feet also shows off some fantastic computer-generated animation of the Antarctic landscape and provides an entertaining outing in the holiday season for all the family. It works, too: the humour is amusing and never tires, while the film's important message retains its prominence and powerfulness throughout.
That's not immediately obvious, however. With no preconceptions, the viewer becomes emotionally inured to the inevitability of this being yet another cartoon for American kids. But somehow out of this there emerges a strong moral message, cleverly brought about by portraying humans as the baddies.
The gradual appearance of 'aliens' into the penguin environment is handled extremely effectively. When humans actually appear in the penguins' backyard the transformation is complete: it's the people who look weird and alien-like, not the penguins. That's the moment to realise that the film's got you where it wanted to get you. You know whose side you're on – and they're dancing.
8/10
Alex Stevenson
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