Movie Review: Happy Feet

Kristin and I watched George Miller's Happy Feet last night - it was almost an Australian's patriotic duty to do so with stars like US-based Hugh Jackmann, Nicole Kidman and still-local Magda Szubanski featured in the film.

Several people had told me there were some good messages that come through in the movie, but I am afraid my overarching feeling is a concern about the messages.

I'll start with a small target first: when young Mumble is confronted by his whole colony and then his father about his "happy feet" - which the colony claims will destroy the moral fibre of the colony and bring religious consequences. Mumble says "Dad, don't make me be something I'm not" - or something to that effect. The movie is clever because it makes it clear and emotive to the viewer that Mumble's gift is something he can not change - but I could not help but feel that this penguin movie (penguins being one of many innocent creatures, creations and colours misappropriated by the gay movement) will be used as a call-to-arms for those who claim that being gay is unchangeable, that is, in their nature and having nothing to do with "nurture".

OK, I've lost some of you already. So I might as well go on to the next one: religion. The old religious order, personified by the Scottish-accented leader, is made to look silly. They proclaim that the shortage of fish was due to their god's hand alone, and no physical explainable circumstances were the cause of the shortage. Of course, when poor Mumble manifests something that is popular with the people - somewhat more like Elvis's rock 'n roll than being gay, I think - the religious order invokes it as a reason for their god's anger. I'm happy with religion to be questioned, but I also felt there was no respect for the "unexplained" or "mystical" elements of religion - that is, the movie ends on a note that I believe says "see, belief in a god is silly - everything can be explained, if one or some individuals are trusted as bold enough to find out the truth". Whilst some Christians will try to explain that Mumble is a Christ-like character, I think that will be a stretch. I hold to my primary impression that this movie ridicules religious belief and practice, and upholds belief in human expression and science-over-belief.

If you think I'm being over the top on the religious belief point, let's talk about Lovelace. Here's a guy that is the religious leader of a different order of penguins and as it turns out his "magical" religious adornment is due to his own stupidity, not something conferred by the gods - and his religion is quite clearly the basis to remain on top of the pile and be a philanderer amongst a harem of women.

So, in summary, we see a message taught to children that organised religion is led by people who hold silly beliefs when science can explain, or led by philandering sex addicts who have ulterior motives for being "top dog". Let's not forget, friends, this is an animated musical style Disneyesque movie - not something principally for the adults.

OK, so I'll dismount from High Horse Silver and say some nice things about this movie. The message about overfishing fisheries that provide for native species is a worthy message, and the movie ends on the happy note of mankind acknowledging that they need to stop overfishing for fear of eliminating the native species of Antarctica. There is also a noble message - albeit delivered in a harsh way - when Mumble rejects his one true love for fear that she will suffer living with him. He is most probably right. One of the little penguins says "that was a good thing you did" - and he is right, a very noble thing. When Mumble returns to the colony she has found another man - and again, this is handled well because there is no suggestion that she "really loves" Mumble or wants to leave her husband for him.

Overall, I can not give this movie a high rating because of some of the dangerous undercurrents running through it. I can appreciate attacks on organised religion and those who might abuse it, and I could be convinced these are appropriate themes in a movie for little kids - but I feel something mystical, something explaining that "perhaps there is a God out there" needed to be included, for otherwise Happy Feet runs contrary to the belief of the majority of mankind (ie that there is some form of God). For this movie ends with the penguin colony becoming New (Happy Feet) Age atheists grateful for science's intervention in their lives.

The graphics are great and the movie highly entertaining - but really appropriate for the 15+ age bracket, when a parent can explain why some things are portrayed as they are.

I give it 2.5 / 5 stars.