Happy Feet (Widescreen Edition)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Carlos Alazraqui, Elijah Wood, Johnny A. Sanchez, Lombardo Boyar, Robin WilliamsBrand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1 EX; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1 EX; French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1 EX; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1 EX
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: Widescreen, 2.40:1
Running Time: 109 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-03-27
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product features:
- Condition: New
- Format: DVD
- NTSC; Closed-captioned; Color; Widescreen
Movie Reviews of Happy Feet (Widescreen Edition)
Movie Review: Dance of the Penguins
Summary: 5 Stars
I went into "Happy Feet" feeling a bit jaded from the slew of animated films released in 2006 (those of you who read my review for "Flushed Away" will know exactly what I'm talking about). I kept thinking: will another one be too much for me to handle? Thank goodness the answer was no; for the most part, "Happy Feet" is a well-paced, clever film that's delightfully energetic, playfully humorous, and deceptively informative. Above all, it's thoroughly entertaining, containing many scenes that would rival some of today's best musical plays (if it weren't for the fact that penguins can't actually sing or dance). I enjoyed the characters. I enjoyed the music. I enjoyed the choreography. I enjoyed the photography, despite the landscapes being completely computer generated.
Most of all, I enjoyed the fact that, for a family film, the story was original. Let me explain: the ideas that were presented have been used in more serious, less family-oriented films. "Happy Feet" is formulaic as a Self Discovery movie. It tells the story of an emperor penguin named Mumble (eventually voiced by Elijah Wood) living in Antarctica. He lacks the ability to sing in a world where finding one's heart song is vital for achieving true love. His only form of expression is dance; his feet tap away at lightening speed, and he practically floats across the ice. Unfortunately, none of the other penguins can appreciate or even understand this ability, and he's immediately labeled as an unworthy misfit.
The story is also formulaic as a Hero's Journey fable. The fact that the colony's fish supply is dwindling is hinted at early on. The cause for such depletion is also hinted at; at one point, a ravenous bird (Anthony LaPaglia) tells Mumble that aliens abducted him. The creatures were big and fat, with eyes positioned on the front of the head and with odd appendages protruding from their bodies. And much to everyone's dismay, they're also smarter. They poked, prodded, and manhandled the bird, and they attached a small orange cylinder to his ankle before releasing him. Such descriptions stay with Mumble, and they come in handy when the fish supply is virtually gone; because he suspects that these aliens are responsible, he decides to find them and ask for a stop to their destructive behavior. What he has yet to understand is how far he'll have to go and how dangerous a journey it will be.
Thus far, the plot is fairly straightforward and seemingly perfect for families. However, the film doesn't adhere to the conventional child-friendly storytelling methods; not only does it have a non-traditional happy ending, it also has an underlying seriousness that isn't as obvious in other such films. For one thing, the penguin's group dynamic suggests religious satire; Mumble and his parents are part of a very large gathering, one that's lead by group of elders. Everyday, they preach to the penguins the importance of praying to a god, which we already know is nothing more than the Aurora Borealis. What's worse, they see Mumble as a deviant whose dancing angers the penguin god. If he wishes to remain among his kind, he must give his feet a rest and learn how to sing.
The satire goes further. Mumble's father--the Elvis-sounding Memphis (Hugh Jackman)--has trouble accepting his son's inability to sing, convinced that he "turned out wrong" because his egg was accidentally dropped. Even though he loves his son, he believes that, for the good of the colony, Mumble needs to shape up. "Don't ask me to change," he says, "because I can't." His mother--the Marilyn Monroe-sounding Norma Jean (Nicole Kidman)--is much more understanding; even though her son can't sing, she sees that he isn't any less of a penguin. Even Gloria (Brittany Murphy)--the would-be love interest--is eventually willing to look past Mumble's shortcomings. But as he will come to learn, the support of two penguins isn't enough for him to be accepted by the entire colony.
The satire goes further still. After being chased by a hungry seal, Mumble finds a new colony of penguins, ones of a different and shorter species. He first meets a small gang of thrill seekers led by Ramon (Robin Williams), a character so full of stereotypical Latin machismo that he practically steals the film. He introduces Mumble to Lovelace (also voiced by Williams), the religious leader of the group whose voice is a cross between a Barry White impression and a televangelist. He claims to have the answer to everything, and a dedicated following shows that many believe this to be true. All he asks for is a pebble as a form of payment. He's first seen standing on a gigantic pile of pebbles, haughtily preaching to those who seek answers. But from our point of view, something is not right; around Lovelace's neck is a "talisman," which in reality is nothing more than the plastic six-pack rings used to hold soda cans. Such an idea is understandably disturbing, and it gets worse when he's later seen choking. But it's also effective, especially as the film draws to a close.
Mumble and his new friends begin the journey to find the "aliens," which leads to a pretty interesting turn of events. Let's just say that Mumble finds them, and he sees that their world is defined by putting other species in confined spaces (ones that ineffectively recreate the areas they came from). His experience paves the way for an ending I didn't particularly care for. I found that bothersome; this would have been a perfect film had it not been for the ending, which is far too contrived to suit such an original story. Nonetheless, I have to give "Happy Feet" all five stars. I was amazed at its willingness to be different and I absolutely loved the satirical undertones.
Summary of Happy Feet (Widescreen Edition)
In the great nation of Emperor Penguins, deep in Antarctica, you're nobody unless you can sing - which is unfortunate for Mumble (ELIJAH WOOD), who is the worst singer in the world. He is born dancing to his own tune...tap dancing. As fate would have it, his one friend, Gloria (BRITTANY MURPHY), happens to be the best singer around. Mumble and Gloria have a connection from the moment they hatch, but she struggles with his strange "hippity- hoppity" ways. Away from home for the first time, Mumble meets a posse of decidedly un-Emperor-like penguins - the Adelie Amigos. Led by Ramon (ROBIN WILLIAMS), the Adelies instantly embrace Mumble's cool dance moves and invite him to party with them. In Adelie Land, Mumble seeks the counsel of Lovelace the Guru (also voiced by ROBIN WILLIAMS), a crazy-feathered Rockhopper penguin who will answer any of life's questions for the price of a pebble. Together with Lovelace and the Amigos, Mumble sets out across vast landscapes and, after some epic encounters, proves that by being true to yourself, you can make all the difference in the world.For anyone who thought the Oscar-winning documentary March of the Penguins was the most marvelous cinematic moment for these nomads of the south, you haven't seen nothing yet. Happy Feet is an animated wonder about a penguin named Mumble who can't sing, but can dance up a storm. George Miller, the driving force behind the Babe (and Mad Max) movies, takes another creative step in family entertainment with this big, beautiful, music-fueled film that will have kids and their parents dancing in the streets. From his first moment alive, Mumble (voiced Elijah Woods) feels the beat and can't stop dancing. Unfortunately, emperor penguins are all about finding their own heart song, and the dancing youngster--as cute as he is--is a misfit. Luckily, he bumps into little blue penguins and a Spanish-infused group (led by Robin Williams) and begins a series of adventures. Miller has an exceptional variety of entertainment: Busby Berkley musical numbers, amusement-park thrills, exciting chase sequences (seals and orca lovers might like think otherwise), and even an environmental message that doesn't weigh you down. Best of all, you don't know where the movie is going in the last act, a rare occurrence these days in family entertainment. A fusion of rock songs, mashed-up and otherwise, are featured; this movie is as much a musical as a comedy. Mumble's solo dance to a new version of Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" by Fantasia, Patti, and Yolanda may be the most joyful moment on camera in 2006. --Doug Thomas
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