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HAPPY FEET TWOMovie Reviews
Animated family comedy about dancing penguin Mumble, whose son runs away because he is afraid to dance. Cast:Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Alecia Moore, Hank Azaria, Pink, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Sofía Vergara, CarmenDirector:George MillerRelease Date:November 18, 2011DVD Release:March 6, 2012From:Warner Bros.Rating:PGLength:1 hr 45 minIn 3D
Happy Feet Two played to good not great reviews. • James Rocchi wrote for MSN Movies, "...may not be blazing a trail as smoothly and distinctively as the original film did... but you and your kids will find it a pleasant enough journey." • And Rafer Guzman wrote in New York Newsday, "...lacks what little novelty and charm made the original tolerable." More Reviews Below...
Happy Feet Two Positive Reviews (38 Reviews, reviews below)
Michelle Tan, People: WEAK(cg) "...never finds its footing with a meandering plot that revolves around Mumble trying to bond with his son Erik, who didn't inherit Dad's dance skills."(See all of Michelle Tan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 113 words, 11/17/11
Richard Corliss, Time: VERY GOOD "Everything that happens is good-to-great.... George Miller is not content to duplicate the pleasures of his first penguin film; he dares to go bigger, deeper, higher -- happier."(See all of Richard Corliss's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,061 words, 11/18/11
David Germain, Associated Press: VERY GOOD(cg) "...delivers the key ingredients... lovable characters... Pitt's Will the Krill and Damon's Bill the Krill are so engaging they deserve their own buddy-comedy spinoff."(See all of David Germain's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 790 words, 11/17/11
Mara Reinstein, Us Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "It all feels a little too long and preachy. However, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon's plucky crustaceans hilariously riff off each other..."(See all of Mara Reinstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 92 words, 11/17/11
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...displays a new friskiness. Earnest messages about bad climate change and good parenting skills have been replaced by a we-all-share-a-planet sense of fun..."(See all of Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 188 words, 11/18/11
Claudia Puig, USA Today: MODERATE(cg) "Not even the impressive voice talent can rev up this clumsy spectacle.... While the penguins show off their fancy webbed footwork, the story just limps along."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 462 words, 11/18/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "The animation is bright and attractive, the music gives the characters something to do, but the movie has too much dialogue in the areas of philosophy and analysis."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 743 words, 11/18/11
James Rocchi, MSN Movies: VERY GOOD(cg) "...may not be blazing a trail as smoothly and distinctively as the original film did... but you and your kids will find it a pleasant enough journey."(See all of James Rocchi's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 630 words, 11/17/11
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Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: WEAK(cg) "The animation remains impressive, and there are some very funny moments, courtesy of the talented cast. But fans of the original will want to lower their expectations."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 388 words, 11/18/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "Though it features tens of thousands of Antarctic types toe-tapping their way across the screen, it doesn't have a clear idea of what else it wants them to do."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 663 words, 11/18/11
Kyle Smith, New York Post: WEAK(cg) "The story jumps among so many characters that none of them matters much, and everything that was fresh and vivid in the first film has gone stale."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 687 words, 11/18/11
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: MODERATE(cg) "...fails to generate much momentum. I found myself waiting around for the return of Will and Bill (the krill) and Will's yearning for a life outside his immediate biomass."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 483 words, 11/18/11
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: POOR(cg) "...lacks what little novelty and charm made the original tolerable. Loud, chaotic and assaultively ugly... Driven largely by scares rather than laughs..."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 335 words, 11/18/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "The animation is bright and attractive, the music gives the characters something to do, but the movie has too much dialogue in the areas of philosophy and analysis."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 743 words, 11/18/11
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice/LA Weekly: FAIR "...has more morals than a stack of Aesop's Fables... we learn that individualism and breaking from the herd is good, just so long as you return to the herd eventually..."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 183 words, 11/16/11
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...an emotionally darker sequel to the 2006 Oscar-winner about singing and dancing penguins that trades the charm of the original for 3-D trickery."(See all of Linda Barnard's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 622 words, 11/18/11
Jennie Punter, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "...reminds viewers young and old that to make a positive change, sometimes the little guy at the bottom of the food chain needs to stomp his feet."(See all of Jennie Punter's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 651 words, 11/18/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "...it all builds to a spectacular and even moving payoff. At this point, that should surprise no one - such things are practically George Miller's specialty..."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 180 words, 11/17/11
KEY CITIES (10 Reviews)
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: WEAK(cg) "...permeated by a sour sense of obligation that bogs down the whole mood. Even the requisite father-son bonding that ensues feels perfunctory."(See all of Michael O'Sullivan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 526 words, 11/18/11
Sam Adams, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...branches out beyond prefab coming-of-age stories and gimmicky pop-song set pieces. Its dense, deftly woven fabric is made up of many threads..."(See all of Sam Adams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 379 words, 11/18/11
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: MODERATE(cg) "...a muddled sequel about trapped penguins and inter-species cooperation, all in the name of 'adapt or die'.... The songs are weaker... The laughs are fewer..."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 617 words, 11/18/11
Anthony Venutolo, New Jersey Star-Ledger: MODERATE(cg) "How can a movie about dance be so flat-footed?... for all the noise and flapping, the movie, like its heroes, remains flightless."(See all of Anthony Venutolo's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 518 words, 11/18/11
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: POOR(cg) "The movie's bereftness of invention can be measured by how no story element builds on another.... a bunch of disparate things happen, until it's time to end the movie."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 492 words, 11/18/11
Tom Keogh, Seattle Times: MODERATE(cg) "...largely a bore, all but sidelining Robin Williams and straining to offset the monotony of a protracted rescue story with the sour misadventures of a pair of fussy krill..."(See all of Tom Keogh's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 378 words, 11/18/11
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: WEAK(cg) "The best thing you could say is that it doesn't have any product placements or potty jokes.... this charmless Antarctic cartoon is what it looks like when hell freezes over."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 324 words, 11/18/11
Adam Graham, Detroit News: MODERATE(cg) "...disjointed, undercooked... aims to tell life lessons and celebrate pop music, but this would-be toe-tapper is curiously out of step."(See all of Adam Graham's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 312 words, 11/18/11
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (9 Reviews)
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice/LA Weekly: FAIR "...has more morals than a stack of Aesop's Fables... we learn that individualism and breaking from the herd is good, just so long as you return to the herd eventually..."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 183 words, 11/16/11
Mack Rawden, Cinema Blend: WEAK(cg) "It desperately wants to be a good time. In fact it tries over and over again to be fun, but that eagerness to entertain is actually the film's biggest drawback."(See all of Mack Rawden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 892 words, 11/21/11
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...sublimely weird... preaches once again the paradox that you should be true to yourself as long as you are in step with everyone else."(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 165 words, 11/17/11
Stephanie Zacharek, Movieline: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...just too big and overloaded -- too much of an almost-good thing. At least Hank Azaria gives it the soupçon of bad taste it sorely needs."(See all of Stephanie Zacharek's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 621 words, 11/17/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "...it all builds to a spectacular and even moving payoff. At this point, that should surprise no one - such things are practically George Miller's specialty..."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 180 words, 11/17/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "Though it features tens of thousands of Antarctic types toe-tapping their way across the screen, it doesn't have a clear idea of what else it wants them to do."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 663 words, 11/18/11
MOVIE INDUSTRY (5 Reviews)
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: MODERATE "...retains the buoyant musical stylings and splendid visuals that made its predecessor so distinctive... loses its way with a raft of annoying side characters..."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 972 words, 11/13/11
Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: FAIR "...feels like recycled goods... much of the incident and action feels increasingly arbitrary and unmotivated.... the script just isn't very funny..."(See all of Todd McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 886 words, 11/13/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "Though it features tens of thousands of Antarctic types toe-tapping their way across the screen, it doesn't have a clear idea of what else it wants them to do."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 663 words, 11/18/11
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: GOOD(cg) "The 'Happy Feet' animators certainly give the Pixar folks a run for their money, achieving incredible detail... But the film does not have the nuance..."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 783 words, 11/16/11
19.5 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Happy Feet Two's reviews are separated by an average 19.5 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Happy Feet Two (38 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Happy Feet Two's reviews cover 78.0% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 20,001 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 526 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 9.9 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Happy Feet Two's reviews on average broke 9.9 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Happy Feet Two's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Happy Feet Two (38 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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