Happy Feet Two

Name: Happy Feet Two
Item: Happy Feet Two
Rating: 3
Author: Sandie Angulo Chen

Movie review by

Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 5+

(i)

Penguin sequel has fun musical numbers, a few mild scares.

PG
2011
100 minutes

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Parents say

age 5+

Based on 12 reviews

Kids say

age 6+

Based on 20 reviews

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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Educational Value

Kids are likely to pick up on the movie's environmental message about the dangers of global warming, as well as the importance of finding your own voice and encouraging your family and friends.

Positive Messages

Like the original, the sequel features a strong environmental message and also encourages parents to let their children believe in possibilities and follow their passions. Kids will also learn the importance of helping others and how every individual can make a huge impact.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Mumble and Gloria are kind, encouraging parents who want Eric to live up to his potential. Eric himself is sweet and believes in others, even though he's not confident at first about his own abilities. A mama penguin thinks of obstacles as challenges to overcome, so her daughter is a fearless young penguin. Bill and Will each go on their own journeys of self discovery that eventually lead them both "home."

Violence & Scariness

An iceberg traps the penguins in a snow valley that they can't climb out of, and a couple of times the situation looks dire for them. The krill are eaten by whales and other fish, so Will and Bill realize that they're at the bottom of the food chain. A huge elephant seal looks poised to harm Mumble, Eric, and their pals but then falls off a cliff and requires assistance. Two male seals battle for dominance. The predatory skuas try to peck at the penguin chicks.

Sexy Stuff

Penguin mates Mumble and Gloria embrace. Ramon is smitten with the beautiful Adelie penguin Carmen and calls out to her "You, me, egg, now!" in a suggestive way. They flirt throughout the movie.

Language

Insults/language like "loser," "idiots," "sucks," and "bottom feeders."

Consumerism

Nothing in the actual movie, but merchandise tie-ins are available in stores.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this sequel to 2006's Academy Award-winning animated adventure Happy Feet features many of the same environmental and family lessons for audiences. Global warming's impact on the penguin characters is again addressed; the peril that comes with natural disasters may frighten the youngest of viewers -- as could some scenes with large/menacing elephant seals and predatory skua birds. There are also a few mild innuendos from the penguin voiced by Robin Williams, and some viewers may interpret the relationship between two male krill as having gay undertones, particularly when Bill suggests they start a swarm of their own. But ultimately this is a tale of family, friendship, and what it means to find your individual voice -- your own special gift.

User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Adult Written bySally Fields April 6, 2012

age 6+

Gender imbalance

Another example of predominantly male protagonists, so not recommended for your daughters!

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Parent of a 9, 13, and 15-year-old Written byGOOD MOTHER March 25, 2012

age 2+

Family movie

I thought it was a great family movie. Not to many family movies these days. Adults and kids will enjoy.

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Teen, 17 years old Written byLakota1172 June 2, 2018

age 2+

Lemme' tell you something bout' happy feet 2

Now, we all know about Happy Feet and yes the Australian classic is good but, we can only call it GOOD.
The second, featuring a perfectly selected cast, is simp... Continue reading

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Teen, 13 years old Written byHarleyTye May 23, 2012

age 2+

Happy Feet = Happy Viewers

it's a good fun movie that i recomend, with singing, slight violence, and dancing. this movie shows that even the smallest of steps makes a BIG difference.

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What's the story?

In this follow-up to 2006's Happy Feet, Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood) and Gloria (now Pink, since Brittany Murphy died in 2009) are the parents to penguin chick Eric (Ava Acres), who can neither find his "happy" dancing feet nor his singing voice -- a rite of passage for all penguins. After Ramon (Robin Williams) decides to leave the Emperor penguins and return to Adelie land, Eric and two young friends follow, so Mumble must go retrieve the young 'uns. Meanwhile, a melting iceberg hits the Emperor penguins' natural habitat and traps them in a snowy valley they can't climb out of -- leaving Mumble the only adult to brainstorm a rescue. Mumble enlists the Adelies -- who have a mysterious flying penguin visitor named Sven (Hank Azaria) -- to come catch fish for the stranded Emperors. And just when it seems like all might be lost, help could come in a very unexpected form.

Is it any good?

Animation wise, HAPPY FEET TWO is a stunning achievement. The underwater sequences and the iceberg disaster are particularly impressive, but all of the animation is top notch. Director George Miller has also mastered the art of the elaborately choreographed animated musical number: The sequel seems to feature even more show-stopper performances (usually led by Pink) that the original, each of which was planned by a team of famous choreographers, including tap dancer Savion Glover (who's responsible for all of Mumble's moves thanks to motion-capture technology).

Story wise, however, the movie is a bit cluttered with extra characters. Although it's a hoot to hear Brad Pitt and Matt Damon voice Will and Bill the krills -- who are separated from their swarm and wind up having existential crises about their purpose in the world -- there are just too many secondary characters detracting from the central storyline between Mumble and Eric. In particular, the flirtatious banter between Ramon and Carmen (Sofia Vergara) is forced and forgettable, and the audience doesn't have a chance to fully connect with Eric's young pals. Overall, the musical numbers and the 3-D animation are fantastic, but the actual story isn't as cohesive as the original's coming-of-age tale.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about the movie's messages about independence and environmental awareness. How do Will the Krill and little Eric struggle with the same sort of issues? How do they each achieve their goal of uniqueness?
Why do some people think that everyone should conform and "fit in"? Has there ever been a time when you didn't feel like you fit in? How did that make you feel?
How does the sequel compare to the original? What are some similarities between Mumble's journey and Eric's? Which movie do you prefer?

Movie details

In theaters: November 18, 2011
On DVD or streaming: March 13, 2012
Cast: Elijah Wood, Hank Azaria, Robin Williams
Director: George Miller
Studio: Warner Bros.
Genre: Family and Kids
Topics: Adventures, Arts and Dance, Music and Sing-Along, Ocean Creatures, Wild Animals
Run time: 100 minutes
MPAA rating: PG
MPAA explanation: some rude humor and mild peril
Last updated: September 26, 2019