Sequel to the 2006 Antarctic animated hit, featuring the voices of Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt.
Mumble (Wood), The Master of Tap, has problems. His wee son, Erik, is "choreo-phobic". Reluctant to join the penguin's dance, Erik runs away (encountering The Mighty Sven along the way, a penguin who flys). Meanwhile, a rogue iceberg threatens the homeland. Mumble brings together the penguin nations and all of the continent's creatures - from tiny Krill to giant Elephant Seals to sort it out.
The first Happy Feet was quite a surprise. Its tale of a tone deaf penguin’s desire to dance could’ve been your standard family fluff. Instead, it was a competently made charmer, expressing the joys of music, rhythm, individuality and standing out. Happy Feet Two is the polar (ha!) opposite.
There’s a lot going on in the sequel: Mumble’s (the star of the first) parenthood problems, a false prophet, a massive Titanic-trumping iceberg, and two philosophical krill searching for a purpose in life (perhaps because they have no purpose in the plot). But none of it connects organically. It’s as if the filmmakers gathered all the failed conceptual subplots of the original and meshed them together like slithers of soap, forming an ugly wad of a story.
Despite the flat-out gorgeous CG and eye-soothing use of 3D, Happy Feet Two is simply a pretty-looking mess of ideas. The muddled, unfocused plot will disappoint adult fans of the original while kids are likely to lose interest after half an hour and start bugging their parents instead, as was the fate of the poor father sitting next to me.
By Liam Maguren, Flicks.co.nz
i thought it was awsome
In some ways, it's a more grown-up story than Happy Feet, with more complicated messages delivered in subtler ways.
For me, Happy Feet Two is pretty thin soup. The animation is bright and attractive, the music gives the characters something to do, but the movie has too much dialogue in the areas of philosophy and analysis.
The odd stirring sing-song can't save this sugar-frosted animation from turning into an unholy mess. But will it be the last Emperor? Don't hold your breath.
Even with the addition of new characters, such as the ones voiced by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, George Miller's animated sequel just isn't very funny.
Dazzling panoramas, no matter how impressive, are no substitute for the involving story Happy Feet Two has had to do without.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Monday, 26th Dec 2011.
Release date: December 26th 2011.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
