'Happy Feet Two' review

"Happy Feet Two" (Credit: Warner Bros.)

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Now that tap dancing penguin Mumble (Elijah Wood) has found his place in the Antarctic colony alongside his love Gloria (Alecia Moore, aka Pink), it’s the couple’s young son Erik (Ava Acres) who struggles to fit in. The impressionable youth finds an idol in The Mighty Sven (Hank Azaria), a self-declared “flying penguin” who Erik meets while exploring with Mumble’s eccentric pal Ramon (Robin Williams). At the same time, in the depths of the ocean, two microscopic krill—buddies Will (Brad Pitt) and Bill (Matt Damon)—swim outside their swarm for a journey of their own.

The buzz: “Happy Feet” was a box office smash back in 2006, bringing in close to $200 million in the U.S. and going on to defeat the mighty Pixar’s underwhelming “Cars” for the Best Animated Feature Film Oscar. There was immediately talk of a sequel, and now writer-director George Miller and stars Wood and Williams return to theaters the same year as Pixar’s even more underwhelming “Cars 2.”

The verdict: If all you’re looking for is a movie with adorable dancing penguins, “Happy Feet Two” gets the job done. As a merry holiday distraction, it’ll entertain kids without insulting parents. But as a sequel to a stellar Oscar-winning animated achievement, it’s a creatively challenged disappointment. That’s all the more surprising coming from Miller, who delivered one of the most imaginative and delightfully off-kilter family movie sequels with 1998’s “Babe: Pig in the City.” Maybe that film’s box office failure taught him an unfortunate lesson about playing it safe. Whatever the case, “Happy Feet Two” duplicates many of the strengths of the original, without surpassing or even matching its originality and inspiration. This time the extraordinarily beautiful animation, playful pop music selections, genuine love of animals and the environment, and boldly loopy sensibility serve an overly simplistic story with canned themes of self-discovery, individuality and interconnection. Where “Happy Feet” was dazzling and grand, “Happy Feet Two” is familiar and small. The saving grace comes from the welcome distraction of Will and Bill’s parallel storyline. Although largely disconnected from the central action, their amusingly unpredictable adventure gets a big boost from Pitt and Damon’s spirited contributions and surprising chemistry. The two superstars recorded their vocals together and the effortless rapport shines through loud and clear on screen. They’d deserve an animated buddy comedy of their own, if only it wouldn’t risk feeling as redundant as this sequel.

Did you know? In addition to stepping into the role of Gloria for the late Brittany Murphy, pop star Pink also co-wrote Gloria’s original ballad, “Bridge of Light.”

“Happy Feet Two” is also playing in select IMAX theaters. Find local showtimes here.

“Happy Feet Two” is also playing in 2D. Find local showtimes here.

Follow Metromix's Geoff Berkshire on Twitter: @geoffberkshire