How entertaining?     ★★★☆☆
Thought provoking? ★☆☆☆☆

27 November 2011

This article is a review of HAPPY FEET TWO.

By Hemanth Kissoon

“I’m moving up the food chain. I’m going to chew on something with a face,” Will the Krill (Brad Pitt).

Like SHREK the original HAPPY FEET celebrated being different, and being proud of one’s self. Mumble (Elijah Wood) was a tap dancer, not a singer like the rest of his species. We now follow him as a parent, clumsily guiding his son Erik to also cease worrying about not fitting in. While seeming to be ploughing the same path at its predecessor, HAPPY FEET TWO also appears conscious of not wanting to be a re-tread. Instead of filling the story vacuum with something equally as engaging as the first, there seems to be an absence of coherence – just a few subplots sown together: Ramon (Robin Williams) looking for love, Mumble helping out Brian an elephant seal, Sven (Hank Azaria) the puffin masquerading as a penguin, and Brad Pitt’s scene-stealing turn as a krill questioning his place in the universe. Halfway through I felt there was no plot, but instead of resenting it I just went with the energy of the pace. The film is not romantic, nor moving, but the set pieces are striking and there is humour. Messy then, and disjointed, though the spectacular IMAX format adds a star for entertainment.

Referring to dancing, “Perhaps it’s a momentary respite from the existential terrors of existence,” Will the Krill.