I'm not sure if computer animation has "jumped the shark" just yet, so to speak, but there has definitely been a real glut of "product" out there lately, and if I can't even be bothered to even look at Madagascar and Shark Tale (among others), I'll have to conclude that the bloom is indeed off of the rose.
One of a long, storied line of animated characters who was literally born abnormal (possibly the result of clumsy prenatal care by his inexplicably Elvis-like father, Hugh Jackman), an Emperor Penguin named Mumble (Elijah Wood) never seems able to grasp the art of singing, which apparently forms the basis of his entire tribe's culture. However, he can tap dance like freakin' Fred Astaire, which of course leads to all sorts of problems fitting in and being accepted by his peers (and their parents). Sounds familiar already? It should: this particular story of the sympathetic outcast who ends up teaching everyone else a valuable lesson has been done so many times and in so many better films, that it grounds this movie right from the start. In effect, you know exactly what is going to happen: it's just a matter of seeing it through in whatever style the director brings to the picture.
This isn't to call Happy Feet a disaster: there are a few entertaining points where this digital March Of The Penguins-with-a-beat comes oh-so-close to earning a recommendation. Yet every time I reach that point, along comes another squirm-inducing mega-choreographed musical number (or one of a dozen clichéd plot developments that one can see coming over the horizon well before they happen) that squandered whatever good will had been built up to that point. Then there is the third act of the film, which takes a sharp left turn away from being a happy dancy children's frolic and becomes instead a rather grim environmental screed with ghostly live-action actors superimposed over the animated goings-on. While this sudden shift in tone and setting certainly allows the well-known sensibilities of director George Miller free reign, the movie never completely regains it's, uh, feet, and kind of staggers to a (typically) crowd pleasing ending.
That said, beautiful character renderings, breathtaking scenery and involving animation sequences can go a long way towards making up for reheated stories and overly cute dialogue, and Happy Feet certainly packs some breathtaking set pieces for the eye-candy lover in you. I also found myself wishing to see more of the background characters after a while since they at least seemed more interesting and less been-there done-that than the leads (the bickering flock of skuas, and a mincing, yet fearsome leopard seal were a sinister hoot). Also making a valiant effort to save the movie single handedly by playing two roles is Robin Williams (who really should stick to voice acting as this is what he is undeniably best at). While I didn't much care for Williams' Lothario-with-Soul schtick playing Lovelace (and what the hell kind of name is that for a penguin?), he lands nearly all of the funniest lines in the movie as as Ramon, one of Mumble's posse of Adèlie penguin pals.
One of a long, storied line of animated characters who was literally born abnormal (possibly the result of clumsy prenatal care by his inexplicably Elvis-like father, Hugh Jackman), an Emperor Penguin named Mumble (Elijah Wood) never seems able to grasp the art of singing, which apparently forms the basis of his entire tribe's culture. However, he can tap dance like freakin' Fred Astaire, which of course leads to all sorts of problems fitting in and being accepted by his peers (and their parents). Sounds familiar already? It should: this particular story of the sympathetic outcast who ends up teaching everyone else a valuable lesson has been done so many times and in so many better films, that it grounds this movie right from the start. In effect, you know exactly what is going to happen: it's just a matter of seeing it through in whatever style the director brings to the picture.
This isn't to call Happy Feet a disaster: there are a few entertaining points where this digital March Of The Penguins-with-a-beat comes oh-so-close to earning a recommendation. Yet every time I reach that point, along comes another squirm-inducing mega-choreographed musical number (or one of a dozen clichéd plot developments that one can see coming over the horizon well before they happen) that squandered whatever good will had been built up to that point. Then there is the third act of the film, which takes a sharp left turn away from being a happy dancy children's frolic and becomes instead a rather grim environmental screed with ghostly live-action actors superimposed over the animated goings-on. While this sudden shift in tone and setting certainly allows the well-known sensibilities of director George Miller free reign, the movie never completely regains it's, uh, feet, and kind of staggers to a (typically) crowd pleasing ending.
That said, beautiful character renderings, breathtaking scenery and involving animation sequences can go a long way towards making up for reheated stories and overly cute dialogue, and Happy Feet certainly packs some breathtaking set pieces for the eye-candy lover in you. I also found myself wishing to see more of the background characters after a while since they at least seemed more interesting and less been-there done-that than the leads (the bickering flock of skuas, and a mincing, yet fearsome leopard seal were a sinister hoot). Also making a valiant effort to save the movie single handedly by playing two roles is Robin Williams (who really should stick to voice acting as this is what he is undeniably best at). While I didn't much care for Williams' Lothario-with-Soul schtick playing Lovelace (and what the hell kind of name is that for a penguin?), he lands nearly all of the funniest lines in the movie as as Ramon, one of Mumble's posse of Adèlie penguin pals.
Rating: 3/5
No comments:
Post a Comment