Film reviews
Men In Black 3
It’s not a sequel that needed to be made, but thanks to the charm of its leads and a tone that harks back to the wit and humour of the original, it’s a pretty enjoyable trip.
Bel Ami
The excellent female support cast saves this patchy effort, which is let down by its leading man and a flat screenplay.
The Dictator
A disappointing, often repulsive and mean-spirited mess of a film with seemingly only one real criterion on its agenda: to shock and offend.
The Woman In Black
Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.
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Happy Feet 2 3D (Film)
Rating: G
Running Time: 100
Country: USA, Australia
Director: George Miller
Cast: Magda Szubanski, Robin Williams, Elijah Wood
Distributor: Warner
Release Date: December 26, 2011
Film Worth: $16.00
FILMINK rates movies out of $20 - the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worthIt doesn’t match the exuberant heights of its predecessor, but the top-notch voice cast ensures it’s a terrific ride underpinned by an essential message.
It's not as exuberant as its predecessor - and it's darker in tone - but George Miller's second trip to the Antarctic is quite an exciting ride. The animation is amazingly detailed (you can see just about every hair follicle), and the voice cast is the stuff of dreams. Miller keeps his eye on the characters as much as the images, but his real agenda here is to send a powerful visual message about a disintegrating environment.
Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood), the little tap-dancing Emperor penguin star of 2006's original Happy Feet, is all grown up and now a father. Son Erik (Ava Acres) is like Mumble once was - the kid doesn't fit in. But the greater story is about the penguins' icy home. It's melting, and they're about to find themselves trapped. It's a matter of life and death in Emperor-Land...
The bigger-faster-louder Hollywood-styled musical numbers are brilliantly executed and sound fantastic, but they're not quite as memorable this time round. The film itself, however, is memorable, and it's the characters that stay with you - Erik is happily overloaded with cute, while Lovelace and Ramon (both voiced by the irrepressible Robin Williams) are tremendous fun. It's exceptional voice work - songster Pink is impressive as Mumble's mate, Gloria, while Brad Pitt and Matt Damon are hilarious as Will and Bill, two comic krill that argue evolutionary theory as they "swim against the swarm." Hank Azaria, Hugo Weaving, Anthony LaPaglia and Magda Szubanski are also superb.
The storyline may be a little disjointed - the first half is more a series of vignettes than a continuous whole - but it comes together in a spectacular finale. Miller, the man behind Mad Max and Babe, has always been an inspired and inspiring filmmaker, and Happy Feet Two changes nothing. Whether we need a Happy Feet Three, however, is open to debate...
