REVIEW: “Happy Feet” (2006)


WRITER’S NOTE: The following was originally posted on my Facebook page on February 24, 2025. [In light of the current on-and-off winter season, here’s a little throwback for all you animation buffs.] 

By the middle of the 2000s, Hollywood apparently had a real fascination with penguins, from the scene-stealing birds in DreamWorks’ Madagascar to the fascinating Warner Independent documentary March of the Penguins. After overseeing two Babe movies the previous decade, director George Miller turned to the medium of animation to present a stunning and entertaining song-and-dance romp about Emperor penguins in Antarctica. 

All the flightless birds in this story sing, except for Mumble, whose musical vocals would actually shatter ice. (That’s a figure of speech.) The little tyke (voiced by E.G. Daily as a baby, and by Elijah Wood as a young adult) does have a unique ability to dance, especially tap. His arc soon becomes a hero’s journey, as Mumble vies for the affections of the beautiful Gloria (voiced by the late Brittany Murphy), and travels far and wide to make contact with human beings and figure out what’s been happening to his community’s fish supply. Along the way, Mumble encounters everything from foreign penguins to elephant seals, killer whales, and fisherman, all the while learning themes of self-acceptance, valuing uniqueness, and reconciliation. 

The thing that immediately stands out about Happy Feet is its photorealistic animation, with motion capture work from artist/performer Savion Glover for Mumble’s toe-tapping abilities. Live-action camera movements (including what’s only possible in animation) transport audiences through roller coaster sequences of detailed snowy mountains and massive oceans. Unforgettable scenes include baby Mumble dancing to Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish,” and when Mumble’s community sings and dances to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Boogie Wonderland.” It’s also fun listening to Robin Williams as both the rockhopper love guru Lovelace and as the charismatic Ramon, who leads a group of penguins from another island that instantly welcome the ostracized Mumble. (“You’ve got the most charisma of anybody,” they tell him.) It’s also worth noting that Mumble’s parents, Memphis and Norma Jean (voiced by Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, respectively), are modeled after Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. 

As Baz Luhrmann did with Moulin Rouge, the filmmakers present a catchy playlist of pop songs, ranging from Prince (who even contributed an original song to the soundtrack) to The Beach Boys and Queen. But parents of younger children will want to view the movie for age-appropriateness, considering some of the select songs (especially in scenes involving “mating season”) have suggestive lyrics; ditto mature themes of religion (paganism and legalism?) and environmentalism (which turns out to be heavy-handed on the latter). For some viewers, these themes can feel misguided at times. 

Still, how Mumble expresses himself through dance is a reminder that, while not everyone can sing—at least not the same—not everybody has to do so to say or show who they are. There are other forms of expression (including artistic), not just one. And Mumble’s not the only one either. 

#filmfreeq #bekerianreviews #21stcenturycinema #warnerbrospictures #kennedymiller #animallogic #georgemiller #happyfeet2006

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