Happy Feet: A Stroke of Genius

Hubble Space shots of the cosmos open Happy Feet, a visual song and brilliant investigation into truths of our own particular and small piece of the cosmos. The world will fall in love with Mumble, Gloria, Norma Jean, Memphis, Lovelace and the five sidekicks, and with their world, as we watch this visual song from Down Under.

Inspired by March of the Penguins (Luc Jacquet and Jordan Roberts), and perfectly directed by Australian filmmaker, George Miller, with screenplay by Warren Coleman who is collaborating on his first screenplay with veteran writer John Collee (Master and Commander), this song is sent to those on Top, about corporate exploitation, resource consumption and the newest manifestation of conquering imperialism. Happy Feet taps out a message of love in a presentation of pure genius.

Building on the scientific actualities that Emperor Penguins sing singular songs to find mates and that their one egg a year must be protected by grueling and extreme exertion, Happy Feet cinematographically, through superb animation, presents the realities of life in Emperorland; realities not dissimilar to those in Antarctica, Earth: realities as they are in the 21st century with hockey-stick shaped rising global temperatures and correspondingly decreasing global resources. The penguins of Emperorland are running out of fish.

In this atmosphere of encroaching famine, Norma Jean (Nicole Kidman), with a little beauty mark on her bosom, sings her sonorous song looking for a mate. Over her dulcet tones we hear a medley of some of the world's favorite love songs, like One in a Million. Finally, Norma Jean hears that special song, that one song that goes to her heart. Memphis is singing.

There egg comes and it is time for Momma Norma Jean to make the long winter's trek back to the ocean and the fish supply so that she can replenish herself and bring nourishment back for the baby which will, by then, have hatched from the egg. Papa Memphis is left with the egg, as he and the other papas, bearing their burdens of love on their Happy Feet lest the eggs freeze in the Antarctic snow, huddle together to brave the fiercesomely icy blasts of sunless, freezing winter.

Thus begins the story of Happy Feet. The return of the mothers brings news of a deepening famine of fish and there is nothing to be done about it. Or is there? Before that question is answered we've met new friends whom we will never forget and heard love blooming in song. Happy Feet takes us on a heart-stirring quest for love, relief and aliens.

March of the Penguins showed the world the actions and behaviors of the daily lives of a tribe of Antarctic Emperor Penguins. We were moved to love for these little, exemplary creatures, dedicated, courageous and loving as they are. Happy Feet shows us emotions, thoughts, soul and social dilemma. We are moved to love these little characters, and the creatures they represent, to an even greater degree. That's the hope of Happy Feet, anyway, that we'll love the little Emperor Penguins of the screen and the Antarctic enough to save the ones that live and breath in the midst of worsening living conditions.

Hubble cosmos images reveal the magnitude of the greater world and, when shown next to some of the trials surrounding Emperorland, bespeak the truth that we are all alone on this one lone planet, fighting our private battles for survival and supremacy: The images show us that we're all we've got. If we try, maybe we can make things a little easier on each other, Emperor Penguins included.

Two points on which we can ease things for others specifically suggested by Happy Feet are plastic rings and fishing rights. Wouldn't cardboard boxes that eventually disintegrate be just as good as plastic circles for containing our six-packs? And wouldn't it be a good idea to ban Antarctic fishing, and let the fish replenish their communities? Fish might exist longer than 2050, the year that is predicted as seeing the total end of fish.

Happy Feet is the most beautifully wrought and entertaining animation to ever yet hit the big screen. Yet, you do realize there is a deeply serious message from Down Under riding the snow slopes along with Happy Feet. This movie is a rollicking and yet revealing and eminently entertaining 5 Stars. Brilliant.