Happy Feet Two Review

Enough already with the bad reviews. I am here to laud praise where praise is due and to denounce all others.

Happy Feet Two finds our beloved Mumble (Elijah Wood), still stuck in his first molt, as the father to tiny chick, Erik (Ava Acres). Gloria, voiced by P!nk, still sings and dances alongside her uber talented mate.  Just as Mumble found it impossible to sing when he was a chick, so little Erik cannot dance. After totally embarrassing himself, Erik with his two friends, Bo (Meibh Campbell) and Atticus (Ben Flores, Jr) follow a love starved Ramon back to Adelieland.

Once there, everyone-including the audience-is introduced to Sven, the flying "penguin," who in reality is actually a puffin. Sven speaks in a traditional sing-song, Swedish dialect and after his hyped introduction by Lovelace (Robin Williams returns to voice this role and that of Ramon), Sven indulges in his role of penguin guru, passing out gems of wisdom that the very gullible young emperors find impossible to ignore.

When Mumble appears on the scene to take the trio back home, he listens to Sven, but scrutinizes the puffin, as if he cannot figure out quite what is wrong. Sven's positivity sermon instills into Erik that "if you want it, you must will it. If you will it, it will be yours." Of course, that's just a lot of bull, but Mumble remains his patient self and allows his chick to discover the truth in his own time. That time period comes very soon, as global warming has dislodged a giant chunk of ice, which plugs up emperorland, allowing no escape or access to food.

However, Sven may garner the attention of the adelies and emperor chicks, but he is merely one of the several subplots of the movie. The real scene stealers are the two krill who venture off from the swarm searching for adventure. Matt Damon and Brad Pitt are hilarious as the two voices continually come up with the best lines ("I'm one in a krillion"). And the colors these two generate in the film are simply stunning.

Is there singing? Is there dancing, still? Yes, yes, of course. You will see and be amazed, especially when you finally understand little Erik's special gift. But in order to fully appreciate this film, watch it in 3D. This was my first experience with the new type of 3D lenses and wow! I mean, wow! Snow and ice are flung into the viewers' faces and leopard seals appear as if they will leap from the screen into your lap. I laughingly poked at air bubbles at the end of the film and when the first one burst as if I had poked it, I was hooked. The soundtrack and score do not disappoint either, as there are a couple of recycled Queen numbers.

So lay off the bitching about not enough female roles or that Puccini would be turning over in his grave. Geez. Can't a penguin just make you smile and that be enough? It is entertainment, after all.