Happy Feet Two - (November 18, 2011): PG
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Opening Weekend Box Office: #2 with $21,237,068
Domestic Box Office Gross to-date: $22,995,315
Gross Revenue: $25,595,315
Production Budget: $135 million
Director: George Miller
Back in 2006, a group of dancing penguins hit theaters and wowed audiences, staying at the top of the box office for weeks, but then a significant gap in time elapsed and the charming characters were largely forgotten. Now, five years later, Warner Bros. Pictures was preparing to sell a sequel to audiences, banking on familiarity with the original and the recognition of an all-star cast to draw moviegoers. The addition of Brad Pitt and Matt Damon’s voice talents was noteworthy, but the biggest change involved the inclusion of Alicia Moore (better known as P!nk), who contributed a song to the first film’s soundtrack but would now be stepping in to take over the role originated by the late Brittany Murphy. I myself was most excited about Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara and notorious voice-actor Hank Azaria, who is perhaps most famous for the numerous roles he brings to life for The Simpsons…with all of these familiar names present, there was tremendous pressure for filmmakers to deliver an entertaining and successful sequel. Leading up to the release date, the trailer of baby penguins dancing to pop-rock was everywhere, so regardless of being someone familiar with the original, I was charmed enough by the energetic thematic style promised to give Happy Feet Two a fighting chance.
Resurrecting the pop-culturally savvy and fleet-footed Arctic birds from the original Happy Feet, this sequel starts off with adult Emperor penguins Mumble (Elijah Wood) and Gloria (Alicia Moore) trying to teach their young son Erik to dance. Things don’t go quite as planned, and a humiliated Erik flees his colony, but as Mumble sets out to retrieve his son, a glacier drift ends up trapping Gloria and the rest of the Emperor Penguins, effectively cutting the colony off from their food supply. Mumble quickly seeks the help of his friend, Ramon (Robin Williams), who is preoccupied trying to win the affections of a beautiful fellow Adélie penguin, Carmen (Sofia Vergara). Ramon quickly reunites Mumble with the elder Rockhopper penguin Lovelace (also voiced by Williams), and together the trio consults Sven (Hank Azaria), a Puffin bird that the other penguins mistakenly classify as a prophetic flying penguin and therefore revere. Together, the different penguins work to free the Emperor colony, even going as far as to enlist the help of humans and elephant seals, so that the trapped birds do not succumb to starvation or other environmental threats. A small subplot follows two brave Krill, Will (Brad Pitt) and Bill (Matt Damon), attempting to separate from their swarm in a quest to move up the food chain, but the two narrative chains eventually cross, proving that even the smallest of animals can make a difference.
As can be expected from virtually every one of today’s computed-generated family films, one of the strongest aspects of Happy Feet Two was the film’s gorgeous animation, whether that involves the beautiful Northern Lights, the detailed Arctic landscape, or the downright precious baby animals (the young penguins and seals will melt your heart). Another equally impressive showcase of visual graphics was the blending of live action and animation used whenever the penguins interact with the “aliens” (humans), undoubtedly demonstrating the next stage of motion-capture technology. The second accolade-worthy element that was fully expected included the voice acting, which imbued distinct personalities to each character and paved the way for significant humor. It is no surprise that legendary voice-manipulators like Hank Azaria and Robin Williams could energetically rattle off jokes, but the real treat involved the zany and clever interaction between Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, whether they were questioning the meaning of life or attempting to “bite something with a face” in order to ascend the food chain. The final praiseworthy feature of this sequel, which was a big selling-point for the original, is the energetic soundtrack, which mixed both classic and contemporary music in a thoroughly stylish manner…unfortunately, the music did highlight a few shortcomings.
In case the initial trailers didn’t make it painful obvious during the rendition of Justin Timberlake’s “Sexy Back,” the main focus of Happy Feet Two is energetic and memorable music, and for the most part, the film took that responsibility in stride. Easily the biggest contributor in this department was Alicia Moore, who not only delivered a convincing character portrayal, but also lent her considerable vocal strength to the musical numbers, including “Bridge of Light,” an easy contender for some Best Song awards. Now, most of the transitions into song were seamless and clever, but one in particular instigated by young Erik is so corny and ridiculous that you are almost shocked backed into the realization that you are watching a children’s film. At times, Happy Feet Two also tugs a little too strongly at the heartstrings, overplaying the emotional impact of certain scenarios so much so that the tactic could almost be viewed as a cheap shot. So, despite some missteps, in its entirety, this sequel is a strong entry that has more than enough to appeal to both children and adults, but from a box office perspective, the latter group has not yet come across that realization.
Debuting as number two with just over $20 million in its first weekend, Happy Feet Two has thus-far underperformed and has considerable ground to cover in recovering a hefty $130 million production budget. Now, while I myself did not see the film in 3D, the use of the technology this time around does seem warranted, so maybe that will help with the numbers. However, with new releases Arthur Christmas, The Muppets, and Hugo all vying for the attention of a younger audience, drawing big numbers does not seem all that likely. Such a sobering reality really is disappointing considering the high quality of the film, and all I can hope to do is emphasize how worthwhile it is to actually see this movie in theaters. Whether you are a penguin enthusiast or just looking for a strong animated movie, Happy Feet Two is well-deserving of both your time and money.
Overall Recommendation: High
