First of all I want to say this, I really like animation films and I actually liked this more than the first Happy Feet. The characters felt more developed and they went through a more interesting journey. This film aims to tell to children not to lie and how important the friendship is. However I have been astonished when I have seen rude comments on Happy Feet 2. I think people are being too harsh on this movie. Some critics refused to look deeper because this is not their usual type of child animation film. I am actually shocked while reading some of the scathing reviews. Also, I think people are being too hypercritical because the first Happy Feet won the Oscar. I loved this movie and I found it far superior to Rango, Gnomeo & Juliet and Cars 2. The animation was amazing. In my opinion, it has the best production values and cinematography of any animated film of 2011, I have watched lately. The story is in-depth, layered, complex and much more meaningful than the first Happy Feet. Also, there are significant themes and messages about community, teamwork, bravery, overcoming obstacles and environmentalism. I laughed, cried and felt such empathy for these penguins because this movie has a lot of soul and heart.
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celiktugce27 May 2012
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asnerd8 November 2011I just watched this movie at a close preview in TIFF, Toronto. I really like it, for it brings a fresh wave with it's story, characters and overall look. A lot of animation movies nowadays share quite a similar way of storytelling, and that's where Happy Feet 2 stands out from the crowd. Characters of Matt Damon and Brad Pitt worked out really well. Graphics and effects look really awesome. George Miller commented on the amount and complexity of those effects by saying that their render farms almost crashed in the process. Also I'd like to comment on 3D part of the movie, because it does really work out here, looks beautiful with 3d glasses on - gives real depth, really amazing experience. And I can't say the same for a lot of 3D movies that are out there. I would definitely recommend this movie, for Happy Feet 2 will be interesting for both children and adults.
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moviewizguy12 November 2011Mumble, The Master of Tap, has a problem because his tiny son, Erik, is choreo-phobic. Reluctant to dance, Erik runs away and encounters The Mighty Sven: a penguin who can fly! Mumble has no hope of competing with this charismatic new role model. But things get worse when the world is shaken by powerful forces. Erik learns of his father's "guts and grit" as Mumble brings together the penguin nations and all manner of fabulous creatures-from tiny Krill to giant Elephant Seals, to put things right. -- (C) Warner Bros
I thought HAPPY FEET was pretty great. The film was foot-tapping fun and the dark turn it took in the third act, while unexpected, made it edgy and different for me. When a sequel was announced, I thought it seemed unnecessary. How far can you really stretch the premise of penguins who can dance and sing? Apparently, not that far. After viewing the sequel, it very much does seem unnecessary and wholly forgettable within ten minutes after you walk out of the theater, which is disappointing to say the least. Other than this, the main problem with HAPPY FEET 2 is that there aren't that many good musical numbers as compared to the first one. Most of them are pretty mediocre. However, there are probably around three that range from good to great, one of which uses the song "Under Pressure," which is easily the best number in the entire film.
Another problem I had was the dark tone of the film. It's a bit TOO dark, if you ask me. You see the younger penguin characters constantly be put in danger which made the film very uncomfortable to watch, and what these characters go through in the film would probably traumatize them for life. The film also suffers from messy storytelling. For example, the subplot with the shrimp characters (voiced by Matt Damon and Brad Pitt) seems to come from nowhere and is out of place from the rest of the film. It also doesn't help that the characters are so damn annoying. As for the 3D, it's put to good use in some places but, overall, it's really unnecessary. The one good thing I can say about the film is the look of it, which is very beautiful. I also liked Pink a lot, who gives a boost for all the musical numbers she sings in, along with Robin Williams, who has a few great jokes up his sleeves.
Overall, HAPPY FEET 2 is a disappointment considering that I am a fan of the first film. Director George Miller doesn't seem to have his heart in the right place for this sequel compared to the first film. However, the film is slightly better then CARS 2 if that says anything. -
cattjones18 November 2011I was really looking forward to seeing this film and it did not disappoint. Although Happy Feet Two was not as good as its Oscar-winning predecessor, there were still plenty of toe-tapping moments. I liked the fact that the songs were recognizable. I am sure that L. L. Cool J is just tickled pink that they included his "Mama Said Knock You Out". In this film Mumble (Elijah Wood) is all grown up and learning how to be a better father to his son Erik (Ava Acres). Erik was just the cutest little thing and he pulls at your heart-strings right from the beginning. The main story line was a good one, but I think that I found the story between Bill the Krill (Matt Damon) and Will the Krill (Brad Pitt) even more entertaining. Those two had their own thing happening. I liked the way that the writer (George Miller) had two stories going on at the same time and the fact that they blended together in the end was excellent. I think that you have to have a lot going on to keep the attention of kids these days. I did not see this film in 3D, but you could tell by some of the scenes that the price of a 3D ticket might have been worth it for this film. The animation in this film was simply stunning. Animation has come a long way since Casper the Friendly ghost (I'm dating myself, huh?) Anyway, it was great. It was also refreshing to see the development of numerous female characters in this film such as Gloria (Pink) and Carmen (Sofia Vergara). I have to give props to the ladies. Robin William's character, Ramon had me cracking up throughout the film. It is not surprising that Robin really knows how to make his characters stand out since he has done numerous voice projects in the past (Genie in the Aladdin films, Dr. Know in A.I. and Fender in Robots). This film contains numerous life-lessons that I think that the target audience will understand (one person can make a difference, keep your promises, don't run away from home, etc.). If you enjoyed the first Happy Feet, then you will also enjoy this one (just not as much). Anyway, I say put on your dancing shoes, shake a tail feather and go out and see this film. I am giving this film a green light.
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TourettesPersonal23 November 2011Happy Feet is definitely one of those films that doesn't need a sequel but it has a purpose to give us an environmental message and that message became the main plot of this film. But for some reason, it's unnecessary. Extraneous characters like the Krills. There's nothing much to do with this. Just a lot of unnecessary things scattered throughout. The visuals are largely stunning and still has its powerful tone but even with those things, it still falls short.
The first Happy Feet movie sets with a powerful tone and an absurd but interesting premise. That was acceptable as a penguin movie. Happy Feet 2 has its similarity with the first one by the father-son relationship. The rest is all about the crisis of the climate change but unnecessary things are happening especially with the two Krills, Will and Bill. They appear like Scrat from the Ice Age series. They are funny though but again, unnecessary.
The film itself is also unnecessary. The problem of Mumble's tap dancing was already solved. They lived happily ever after in Antarctica since the "aliens" moderated their fishing. The climate change is a really good idea. But after the movie, it feels like it's just another sequel. Well, the movie never fails to its cast. Elijah Wood and Robin Williams did the same thing in the first movie but still good in this sequel. The newbies, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon are both fun even though they are playing the most extraneous characters of the film. Pink and Common are good replacements. What happened to Fat Joe? And the last but never the least is Hank Azaria who nearly steals the show.
The movie gives some nostalgia and powerful tone from the first movie but it doesn't help at all but the visuals are really stunningly beautiful. Keeps the film large and worth it to the cinema and 3D. Realistic textures to make it look like it's Animal Planet but the elephant seals looks cartoony in some part but it's still good to look at. The songs are decent.
There are only two reasons why this exists. Environmental Propaganda and money. It's the 21st Century of Hollywood and they are somewhat running out of ideas. With all of their technology and talented filmmakers, they can make as many unnecessary sequels as they want. The Environmental Message is stuck in the plot but there is nothing wrong with that. Happy Feet 2 is not a bad movie. It's just unnecessary. -
Interestingly enough, I enjoyed this far more than I did the original "Happy Feet." I thought this movie had a much better developed and much more interesting (and even at times exciting) story, I thought that it had characters that overall were also better developed and most impressive was that it avoided the really in your face political message that characterized the first instalment. At the same time it held on to what worked well in the original movie - the superb animation and the good use of songs.
The story once again revolves around the colony of Emperor Penguins in Antarctica, and especially around Mumble, the dancing penguin who's now married to Gloria and has a son. While Mumble and son Eric are away, the colony gets trapped by shifting ice and faces starvation if they can't find a way out. Enlisting the help of Ramon's penguin colony, which now includes a little puffin named Sven, and a herd of elephant seals, Mumble sets out to save them.
It really did work well. The only think I found a bit awkward was the parallel storyline around Will and Bill - two krill who get separated from their swarm. That seemed an unnecessary addition to the story, and although the movie tried hard, I never thought the krill story fit into the overall story very well. Other than that, though, this was really quite well done, and, since I didn't really care for the first movie, it was a pleasant surprise. (7/10) -
Even if there is tons of that like in this film here. I liked the first film mostly for the charm and emotional story lines, for example the one about Mumble and his dad. This sequel, which came out five years after the first, lacks completely in that area. They tried to do the same as in the first film (that won the Best Animated Feature Oscar) in some areas, for example they included once again a mix of live action and animation with the animation being the far dominant part. However, this turned out a disappointment. Not even the small fluffy penguins were a delight anymore as they were written so annoyingly with stupid rap songs and without the slightest ounce of obedience to their elders. Talking about the music, it was really really bad early on, but got a bit better as the film went wrong. Still I heavily object to the casting of Pink here. In terms of voice acting, she adds nothing to this movie, simply because she never does it. All she does is sing and her loud scratchy voice did not bring any emotion that this film was so badly in need of. She even sort-of destroyed the final scene with her rendition of Queen's "Under Pressure". As an animal choir the way it started I liked it, but then she started singing and all the magic was gone.
This movie was shout completely at the Annie Award (animation Oscar) that year and that says it all. It is a bit of a joke this film had 3 directors and 6 writers and this is what they came up with. Truly embarrassing. The core filmmaker was also the one who directed the first "Happy Feet" movie and he is otherwise mostly known for directing "Mad Max" (the old and the new). What a strange collection of movies he worked on. It does not get any further apart than "Mad Max" and "Happy Feet". One of the film's intended most emotional moments was when the walrus is trapped and Mumble goes to rescue him, so he can reunite with his children. Sadly, the execution really took out all the emotion for some reason. This could have been so much more. Apart from that, this scene made it obvious that the walrus would return the favor at some point later in the movie and now this film was not only void of any heart, but also fairly predictable. The film gets a bit better after the 30-minute-mark, but that does not mean that it becomes a quality movie, just that it really really sucked early on.
Another oddity in here is the inclusion of Brad Pitt and Matt Damon as voice actors. I wonder what they were thinking including the duo as krill. I guess they only wanted to advertise the film with these two superstars as their characters basically had nothing to do at all with Mumble and the gang. It was like they were in their own movie, even more extreme than with Scrat and the "Ice Age" films. And Bill's and Will's storyline adds absolutely nothing to this sequel here. So far, there is no news yet about a third "Happy Feet" installment and I do not really think it is necessary unless they somehow manage to come up with something a lot better than they achieved here. The director is busy anyway right now with the "Mad Max" sequel, but who knows. Between film 1 and 2, also a lot of time went by.
Another weakness is that the film takes itself so seriously at times and then again is so goofy and childish on other occasions. You really don't know what to think of that. For example there are really all kinds of musical styles in here from rap music to almost opera music or stuff you would expect in "Les Misérables". The only truly positive thing here was the animation. The finale was mesmerizing to watch actually and that was only on a small computer screen. But as I wrote in the title: This is not enough. -
tavm29 November 2011Before I review this sequel to Happy Feet, I actually looked at my comments on the previous one to refresh my memory of that one. So once again, Mumble is voiced by Elijah Wood but wife Gloria-previously voiced by the late Brittany Murphy-is now played by Alecia Moore (better known as singer Pink). Robin Williams is also back in his two characters, one of whom has a budding romance with a penguin named Carmen voiced by Sofia Vergara. Among added characters are those of Will and Bill the Krills as enunciated by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. They don't seem part of the story at first but they will once the climax comes. Just about everyone I mentioned have some amusing and entertaining moments but things don't really pick up until the avalanche scenes come on. As before the highlights are when they dance and sing various pop songs especially when "Under Pressure" comes on. So on that note, Happy Feet Two gets a recommendation from me.
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Armgirls28 January 2012I watched this today with two of my younger sisters, one of whom regarded the first movie as her "favorite movie ever" (before Kung Fu Panda came out) and was really excited for this sequel. As soon as the credits rolled, she commented "That was... off."
(Spoilers! Spoilers! Spoilers!) First of all I'd say that the visuals were amazing as before, as well as the music and choreography. But the plot... it reminded me of how I used to put my iPod on shuffle and make up stories to go with it. A whole musical number just to calm upset Erik down? A bunch of elephant seals singing while stampeding? I was generally surprised and not sure I should be humored or facepalming at the inclusion of "Never Gonna Give You Up" and "Dragostei Din Tei." I mean did I really have to get rickrolled by krill?
Oh and the krill. I kinda sorta liked the idea, but their almost pointless side-story had me rolling my eyes. The audience we were with seemed to like them, though, and laughed every time they appeared. So I guess YMMV.
There were WAY too many accents and half the script was lost on me as I tried to process what each person was saying, having to quickly switch from American to Spanish to Swedish (Romanian?) to Indian, etc.
The environmental message was even more heavy-handed this time (tufted puffins apparently all killed off, oils spills, global warming, etc.) I agree we should be concerned with these, but the constant shoving of it in your face makes you numb to the idea. This is coming from an environmentalist.
That said, there were a bunch of things that bothered me that PROBABLY wouldn't bother most people. Like why there were African Black-footed Penguins (Africa) and Little Blue Penguins (Australia and New Zealand) living with the Adeles? Or why Mumble is still fuzzy after having almost lost all his down in the first movie. Or why Eric has all of the same markings as his father and is the ONLY blue-eyed penguin aside from his father. Is he retarded too? Did they just run out of character design ideas?
All of this, plus the plot not really picking up until about a third of the way through the movie, bothered me... but it was kinda okay. Again, the visuals were great and I very much enjoyed the music. The penguins and other animals were fun to watch and for the most part realistic. I was dancing along to the big dance numbers and thought the reveal of Erik's talent was awesome (even if it sounded like an opera singer inhaling helium).
So, sure, if you want something energetic and cute to sit your kids down in front of, be my guest. I might even watch it again, if I can get around the dead plot and nature issues. It's fun and pretty to look at. Just shows what a superficial, visual race we are. -
DICK STEEL17 November 2011Happy Feet took home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year 2007, but that film had everything - song, dance, comedy, drama, romance and of course the feel good factor. One would have thought that success meant a fast-track into getting a sequel out, but it actually took some 5 years before it actually did. George Miller assume the entire directorial responsibility this time round, with the story co-written by Warren Coleman, Paul Livingston and George Miller somewhat making this a little bit darker in tone, with much less comedy, with more of a dark, brooding overtone that hammers home its environmental message.
Gone are the colours and the more light hearted moments thanks to the Robin Williams voiced hippy penguin Ramon, who now takes a backseat to just trying his best to romance fellow penguin Carmen (Sofia Vergara), and in comes a terribly overt evangelistic feel with the presence of a new character The Mighty Sven (Hank Azaria), whom the penguins all worship for its flight ability, charisma and glib tongue. It cannot be more pronounced of the intent to show how these characters turn out to be nothing but false prophets, what with his miraculous ability of flight for a penguin, the rote religious preaches and sermons he gives, and not to forget the promise to deliver the emperor penguins from their current environmental plight, starting with the vast plans to provide fish for his new flock.
New characters also got introduced to expand the scale of the story now to involve the smallest of life forms with two Krills, Will (Brad Pitt) and Bill (Matt Damon), the former adamant in striking out on his own and to evolve from a non-conformist environment where they swim around and be sitting ducks to larger prey, while the latter is the voice of rational thought, and comfort, joining Will only because he has but one friend. And on the other end of the size spectrum, we have the Leopard Seals with nasty, combative attitudes, whom you'd identify as key to the plot in the third act once Mumble (Elijah Wood) starts to tap his happy feet.
Mumble is now all grown up and has a family of his own, with wife Gloria (voiced by the late Brittany Murphy in the earlier film, with singer Pink now taking over) and kid Erik (Ava Acres), a shy little one who neither can sing like his mom or dance like his dad, and becomes the prodigal son taking after his dad, well OK, the co-protagonist of this sequel. Why there's a need to have baby penguins boil down to the simple reason that they're cute, and will draw in the crowds. Much of the plot centres around how Mumble tries to connect with his young son, and finds it terribly tough to do so, but adversity no thanks to the threat faced by the entire Emperor Penguin community left stranded due to shifting ice, provides the opportunity especially when Erik can witness just how innovative and heroic his dad can actually be, compared to his idol Sven. Every boy needs a hero, and it works when one is close by.
Like the Ice Age franchise which is still going on strong, the message about saving our environment, and with that the species which are dependent on the preservation of their natural habitat, can't get any more pronounced in this installment, especially with carefully crafted sound design and visuals to warn just how fragile this balance is, through the multiple shots of icy landscapes breaking up at every opportunity. With kids and their parents expected to make a beeline for this film, the target audience's all set in taking home these none too subtle reminders. There's a stoic seriousness in the story, though balanced by both Brad Pitt and Matt Damon's Krill characters being nothing other than comedic fodder with their rapid fire dialogue exchange, and Pitt's Will being one of the most delusional animated characters for some time to come.
Some may frown at the religious overtones the narrative tended to dwell onto in the mid- section, and the many song and dance sequences and medleys that really padded up the film to a 100 minutes that felt longer than its runtime, but Happy Feet Two still had enough reserves in its tank to make it a wholesome family entertainer, though a lot more serious in treatment than its predecessor. -
TheLittleSongbird10 March 2012I want to start off saying that I liked the first Happy Feet. While it was not perfect, with a final twenty minutes(or so) that felt like a completely different movie, it was gorgeously animated and I loved the songs and choreography. I wasn't expecting the sequel to be as good, but I was not expecting it to be so disappointing either. Is it a terrible movie? I don't think so. The animation like with the first Happy Feet is simply spectacular, especially in the very detailed backgrounds. The characters are really cute looking too, then again I have always had a soft spot for penguins. The songs are also toe-tapping, with the best being Under Pressure, and the choreography dazzles, though I will be honest in saying that the first one in both areas was more memorable.
The voice cast do an admirable job, Elijah Wood is suitably humble and Robin Williams is quite good if not as funny but it was Hank Azaria who stole the show. I wasn't so sure though about Pink as Gloria, she didn't do too bad a job but while I can understand why it was a different voice actress as Brittany Murphy had died I found Murphy brought more likability and charm to the character.
On the other hand, the script feels thin here, nothing of note stands out, not helped by and the humour with the Krill felt out of place and unfunny to me. The Loney Goatherd yodel scene was the only one that made me smile at least. The characters I didn't like as much, there were too many to emphasize with and few of them charmed me in any way, Mumble is not as cute as he was in the first movie and his son Erik felt like one of those stereotypical "kid of hero/heroine" that you'll find in the Disney sequels for example, Lovelace is underused, Gloria is not as likable or as charming and the Krill despite enthusiastic vocal work from Matt Damon and Brad Pitt didn't amuse me in the slightest. In fact the sole bright spot was Sven.
The biggest fault though was the story. Granted the story was not the first movie's strong point either, but despite the thin structure and preachy final act it was still cute and grasped my attention. This sequel doesn't do that. It is glacially paced, has next to none of the charm of the first one, is too anti-climatic and worst of all it doesn't seem to know what type of story it wants to be. It relies too much at times on the musical numbers, has a pointless side-story with the Krill and for me the whole story here actually manages to be more heavy-handed than the final act of the first movie.
All in all, as much as I did want to like Happy Feet Two(and I am one of those who can understand why some will like it and some won't, likewise with the first), it was a disappointing and unnecessary sequel that has some things to like but has too many glaring flaws that sadly can't be overlooked. 4/10 Bethany Cox -
LarissaBeth18 November 2011Happy Feet 2 is amazing. As a 12 year-old, I suppose I haven't watched even a total of 30 movies or such to rate this as 10 but in my opinion, Happy Feet 2 is almost as good as the first. It contains the hilarity and also amazing songs, similar to Happy Feet 1. I watched this movie with about 19 of my classmates and two of my teachers as a farewell on our graduation from school. When Erik started singing to the elephant seal, the scene itself was so sad I couldn't help but start crying. And I love those two krill, Bill and Will if I'm not mistaken...One asked the other of they could have children and the other replied that they were both males. Hilarious! My favourite quote "We're doomed and they're dancing. Unbelievable!" I recommend this movie to others because I enjoyed, became emotional and had a lot of fun!
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hannah-javanmard23 February 2012I was genuinely surprised to log on to IMDb and see such poor reviews of this film.
The last Happy Feet started well and just lost all momentum from the point where Mumble was taken into captivity. It became slow and terribly boring.
This film on the other hand was a treat. The characters were lovable and IDENTIFIABLE. I cannot grasp how people have such trouble recognising the characters. They make them thin, fat, or with blue eyes so you can tell them apart.
The story with Will and Bill the Krill was easy to follow and extremely humorous! This storyline was full of adult humour.
Overall the musical numbers weren't as good as Happy Feet 1 but there were more of them, further interspersed throughout the film and more recognisable songs. In Happy Feet 1 the songs dry up towards the middle. I would have liked to see more than just the boogie wonderland piece and this is what this film delivered.
Of course there were moral lessons jammed in. Thats exactly how Happy Feet one was but I felt that at least in this film they were slightly less contrived.
A very good film, despite all the critics. -
It is very difficult to make an entertaining movie that has a lesson in the consequences of climate change on the Antarctic wildlife, just as it is always hard to live up to the original when you're a sequel. This sequel made the lesson entertaining but the film did not live up to the original. I really enjoyed the original and watched it many times over, I'm not so sure I would do the same with Two. The lesson in Happy Feet was clear cut and the scandalous humans did try to resolve the atrocity of depleting the penguins food source, but in Happy Feet Two nothing was really clear except that the polar icecaps are melting and now the Emperor penguins fully accept song and dance. Mumble (Elijah Wood) and Gloria (P!nk) now have had an egg of their own, and are now parents to Erik (Ava Acres). Mumble is challenged to be a good father and Erik is on a path of self discovery. The role of Gloria is filled nicely, her singing prowess made the opening Rhythm Nation production amazing, it was actually the most outstanding compilation in the entire film and would have been more fitting as the grand finale song. I unlike Catt was not thrilled by the krill, I have yet to figure out what the krill was the point of the krill storyline with Bill the Krill (Matt Damon) and Will the Krill (Brad Pitt) other than to add some big names to the film since Norma Jean (Nicole Kidman) and Memphis (Hugh Jackman) did not reprise their roles. I really liked what was happening with Ramon (Robin Williams) in this story, with the whole hatin' on The Mighty Sven (Hank Azaria) while pursuing Carmen (Sofia Vergara), the chase could have been expanded in place of the krill story filler. The movie just seemed to have a number of encounters loosely strung together with no outstanding purpose of it all, unlike the original with the fact that different can be the one thing that saves everybody. Maybe the message of this film was if humans venture to aid the wildlife and we don't succeed, they'll figure out a resolution to their problem themselves. Or when everyone works together to deal with a problem no matter how big or how small you are you can overcome any obstacle. Or maybe I just didn't get the point, which is why this film gets an amber light.
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michaelRokeefe30 July 2012This is a cheery and positive sequel to the Oscar-winning HAPPY FEET. The acclaimed tap-dancing penguin Mumble(voice of Elijah Wood)and Gloria(voice of Pink)have started a family of their own. Erik(voice of Ava Acres)is a bit shy and lacking confidence because he hasn't found his rhythm and footing among his peers. The young Erik attempts to runaway and places his admiration in The Mighty Sven(voice of Hank Azaria), who can fly. Mumble starts a trek to find his son, while their Antarctic homeland becomes threatened. All is not lost; for it will take the entire Emperor Penguin nation to pull together and dance in unison to save their world...and Erik is proud to be part of the effort. Other voices you may recognize: Sofia Vergara, Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Garcia, Johnny A. Sancez and Brad Pitt. Kudos to director George Miller.
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sriramkumarav18 November 2011George miller gives us a pretty sleek family entertainer with awesome 3D and new characters Will the Krill,Bill the Krill,Atticus and much more.The plot is simple and revolves around Mumble & his kid Erik then there's just nothing all that special or urgent about any of it. The krills reminds the Ice Age's saber-toothed squirrel Scrat hunting for that pesky acorn,yet they did bring some of the funnier moments to the film.And for the music there are several pop remixes, of course, and songstress Pink (as Erik's mom)shows off her vocal chops, even as she reveals a limited acting range.The score, in a lack of imagination, also pilfers the classical music canon (somewhere, Puccini is rolling over in his grave).When it's not singing, the movie just yawns.
In a nutshell average movie and easily forgotten. -
Promoting responsibility to children is a great idea, however personification of penguins by having them talk while watching real footage of people eating chicken is a subliminal mind-game. The connection smooths the black and white into a grayish-sick.
The subject of the movie is far too deep for the young to understand, and too immature for the adults to enjoy; this movie sits on neither side of the fence, but sort of has a post up the middle! (Unpleasant) The voices and star's voices of Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Pink, etc. is what sold me. The cute pictures of penguins sold my kids, who lost interest after the third song... not at all the first Happy Feet. :( The producers need to do a serious sit-and-think before dragging the incredible first picture through another slaughter by creating a third. -
g-bodyl23 May 2013Happy Feet Two, the sequel to 2006's Oscar-winning hit Happy Feet, is a good follow-up and has some nice toe-tapping tunes, but fails to repeat what made the first film a hit. The animation, as always, is lush and beautiful. The story itself is a bit weak and is a drastic drop-off from the original. The story also over does it with philosophical reasonings. I don't think the audience want to hear that. That being said, the tunes are well-sung. I really liked it when they performed Queen. The voice-acting is great which is always a plus in animated features.
George Miller's film takes place a few years later with Mumble and Gloria having kids of their own. The kids escape their parents to fool around and the penguin nation gets trapped by a glacier. Now it's up to the kids and some allies to save the day.
As mentioned before, I thought the voice-acting is good. Pink gets a pass since she is better than expected replacing the late Brittany Murphy. Even though I have no idea why the krill were in the film as they had nothing to do with the penguins, but Matt Damon and Brad Pitt added some good comedy to the film.
Overall, this is a beautifully-animated musical but it's not as good as the original. I'm surprised that the film had such a deep drop-off at the box office. I think they should leave this franchise alone if the quality will keep getting worse. I liked this film, but this sequel is not necessary. I rate this film 7/10. -
Avwillfan8931 January 2012The penguins' and the people's feet and vocal cords are starting to hurt - because they tried to tap dance and sing through a movie that had exhausted its potential. The first film told us everything we needed to know about a such a wonderful world. Now unfortunately, this sequel has become so "been there done that", it should be changed to "Unhappy Feet 2"
The worst parts: Mumble's son Erik can't sing or dance, but suddenly he sings at the precise moment where a situation seems impossible, and it becomes suddenly possible again. Ramone and Lovelace's characters were made smaller so a new character with no depth could come in action. The specially made songs for the movie (Bridge of Light) made little sense with the movie, despite how beautiful they were. And finally, the whole plot about the unavailability of the fish had already been done before.
Overall, I was very disappointed after waiting so long to see the sequel, and finding out that this was all they came up with. Some songs were good, especially Under Pressure and Dragostea Din Tei, but nothing in the movie captured the magic of the first one. -
briancham199431 May 2020I'm probably the only person who likes this one more than the original. It is still not great though. The new characters like Sven and the elephant seals were interesting additions. It's optimistic how everyone works together but the story is still a bit flat.
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Meven_Stoffat19 November 2011Somewhere around the 30 minute mark of Happy Feet Two, there's a scene where Gloria, played by Alecia "Pink" Moore in lieu of the late Brittany Murphy, sings to her scared baby penguin named Erik a song called "Bridge of Light", while he appears trapped on an upper glacier. The lyrics seem to be a hippie anthem about how all you need is love, and how if the world had everyone love each other, and... Well, that, the world wouldn't be a so bad place, like, ya know? At that point, their peace and love causes the northern lights to start. This is where the first thing that popped up in my mind was "people who thought the first movie was too preachy should best steer clear of THIS."
It only seemed possible from the success of the first movie that a sequel would be released. I mean, after all, despite the fact that it left audiences divided, it became popular and made tons of bucks at the box office. And since Brittany Murphy died, things further went to hell for this sequel. Despite all that... It managed to get made and released... And not much else.
I'll admit I loved the first movie. I can understand why it would divide audiences- not everyone favours a global warming message, but I liked it, it had great music, it was super cute, and I absolutely loved it.I was in favour of the inevitable sequel that followed. Tonight I finally saw the sequel... And, it was a mess.
If anything, the best way to describe this movie would be rushed. I still find it hard to believe that this movie took 5 years to make... This kind of "plot" could have been scraped up in a week, not even, for me. I feel as if they probably felt rushed to find a Brittany Murphy replacement and go from there, to rush the film out.
However, there is a fair amount to love in this film. Obviously, I did give the movie a 5/10, so there's a lot to love, right? For one, the charming look is still here. The look has vastly improved from the first movie evidently. The animation looks far better, and the IMAX 3D complimented the graphics perfectly. Every single flake of snow, hair, drop of water can be seen, it's absolutely amazing. In addition, the voice work is admirable too- Matt Damon and Brad Pitt as the skrill, Robin Williams as Lovelace, Hank Azaria as Sven (probably the highlight of the film), Elijah Wood as Mumble, etc.
There are a lot of funny moments in the film too, I won't lie. I loved the brief shout outs to the first movie, as well as the "Loney Goatherd" yodel to scare the birds away. I will also admit, I LOVED Under Pressure, it was AMAZING. and how it was in tune to the snow falling, was even greater.
However, unfortunately it isn't enough to make up for... Um... The rest of this movie.
No memorable numbers except for Under Pressure. The first movie had Boogie Wonderland and Somebody to Love. Those were awesome! And all the worse is that it starts off so well with the medley. It makes you believe the film will be just as good as the first. Too bad the film scraps that promise right away.
What was the plot?! The movie can't even decide what it was about, which is even bad in the first 40 minutes. At first you think it's going to be a story along the same lines of the first movie, about a youngling in search of his inner dance. Then all of a sudden... It's about global warming... Oh, wait, we must introduce Sven, the flying penguin! Oh, now were trapped in their home land! And the skrill! Who were they and why were they in the movie?! They had no point at all!!!
...which marks the perfect point to segue into the film's biggest issue: the movie moves at such a glacial pace (no pun intended), since 3/4 of the film are set in the homeland. This made the movie feel longer than it was, for reasons I cannot put my finger on. I mean, global warming is an issue that is important to be touched upon. However, the film just stays there, and it doesn't work. It ruins what could been a great film.
In short, I wish I could love this movie. But... There's too much of too little. Whereas the first movie was a marvel in terms of everything, this film is cute and... cute. I love cute things. I need more than just cute, though. I need enjoyability to go with it. And while this film isn't bad at all, I can't recommend it, for reasons stated above.
OVERALL: 5/10
THE GOOD: Gorgeously rendered and animated, Happy Feet Two stays cute and delivers on the dancing and cuteness.
THE BAD: Cuteness can't make up for its indecisive screenplay, lack of memorable numbers and characters void of emotional connectability. -
u41267857 December 2011I really enjoyed Happy Feet Two. The animation is truly amazing, akin to that of avatar if not better. I saw it in 3D which I highly recommend. The scenes with the Krill swarm are truly mesmerising. I found the story a little slow to start off with but once I got into it I really enjoyed it. In particular I found the Will and Bill characters (Damon and Pitt) enjoyable. It was probably not as funny as its predecessor but still makes for an enjoyable movie. I also enjoyed the 80s rock ballads and there is some great singing from Pink. I can't understand why the critics have been so harsh on this film I really enjoyed it and it is worth seeing for the animation alone. Well worth while for the whole family.
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grantss18 December 2019Not as good as the first movie, but has its charms. Plot is a bit aimless, but the music is nice and there's a sweet innocence about the whole thing.
Voices, by a veritable who's who of Hollywood, are well done. -
- Spoiler Alert -
I took my little brother to see this movie in the theater with high hopes, we were both gravely disappointed, he was very sad we didn't go see something else.
He fell asleep halfway through, but awoke with grunts of frustration each time the penguins would break into song. The movie really pushed our buttons, and was over all very annoying.
I left the theater at the anti climactic ending where they all start singing "Under Pressure," what a terrible movie, I remember the days when movies came with their own songs, like The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.
Over all, not worth the money. -
I love this movie. It's about Mumble (Elijah Wood) and Gloria's (Pink) baby penguin named Erik (Ava Acres) who wanders off from all the other penguins. His father, Mumble tries to find him and while he is gone a big iceberg blocks the penguins from going anywhere. Anthony's video review here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_2LiIaHRbY
My favorite characters are Mumble, Erik and two krill named Will and Bill (Brad Pitt & Matt Damon). I like Mumble because he is really funny and he sometimes gets mad at Erik. I like Erik because he tries to get his father to take more chances and he is almost always happy. I like the two krill because they show how friendships take work. They split up in the movie, get lost and then find each other again and make a stronger friendship.
My favorite part of this movie is when Will and Bill start tapping on the ice from underneath - kind of like how Mumble taps on the ice from above. Then, a whole bunch of other krill join in and they light up the ice with all of their tapping. I think this is really cool because it is neat to see all the lights and how they actually do that.
The animation and special effects in this movie are really cool. When the krill light up the sea, that is really cool. When some of the ice goes tumbling down the effects of that are really neat. The animation in this movie is awesome. The penguins look very real and they do a good job at making them talk.
I recommend this movie for ages two and up. This movie does have a few scary parts that might be frightening for kids younger than two. For example, when one of the elephant seals falls into a big hole his kids get really scared because they think he might get stuck down there forever. That part made me a little nervous. This is a great family movie that shows happiness and friendship. Go out and see this movie when it comes out in theaters on November 18th.
Reviewed by Anthony Aranda, age 9, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic