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Movie Reviews, & Film Industry Commentary
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2006 – PG – 108 min.
Director: George Miller
Primary Cast: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Brittany Murphy, Hugo Weaving, Johnny A. Sanchez, Carlos Alazraqui, Lombardo Boyar, Jeff Garcia, Fat Joe
Stars *** 1/2 (of 5)
Popcorn *** 1/2 (of 5)
Film Type(s): Musical, Comedy, Family
Synopsis: Mumble (Wood) has always been different. Although his parents (Kidman, Jackman) were considered to be the best singers in Emperor Land, he can’t sing a note on key, only tap his feet. This unfortunately leads him to be considered an outcast among his fellow Emperor Penguins. When he’s older and still carrying his adolescent feathers, though, he encounters Ramon and his friends (Williams, Sanchez, Alazraui, Boyar, Garcia), who show him around their foreign land filled with other Adelie penguins that dance and introduce him to their leader, the ever talkative Lovelace (also Williams). When Mumble tries to win over the beautiful Gloria (Murphy) they try to help, but instead the elder penguins blame his tapping for the fish shortage. Mumble vows to find the ‘real’ reason for the fish shortage that he already suspects has something to do with the ‘Aliens’ he had heard about in his travels. But will the ‘aliens’ help him?
Review: In this family friendly, Moulin Rouge! Style pop musical, we follow Mumble (Wood), a young penguin who has the gift of dance. The only problem is that his fellow Emperor penguins sing to attract a mate. Not only that, but until each penguin has found his “Heart Song”, they aren’t even allowed to graduate and go to the sea for fish. Overall this film has heart and soul, but has trouble getting started. We are first introduced to Mumble’s parents as they meet; his parents are overt pop references themselves with Kidman playing his Mom, Norma Jean, as a sultry Marilyn Munroe impersonation and Jackman the Dad, Memphis, a hunka-hunka talkin’ Elvis Presley-type. Although there are some fun jabs at ‘Alien Abduction’ (the Aliens being humans) and the ‘I-Don’t-Fit-In’ story archetype, it’s not until Mumble’s hooks up with Adelie penguin Ramon (Williams with a Spanish accent) and his Amigos that things get moving and become more fun. Williams is great to watch playing both Ramon and the Barry White / Billy Grahm-like Lovelace (a character that also serves as narrator), and aside from some obvious impersonations the rest of the cast fills out the film very well. Some of the scenes about orthodoxy and ‘The Great ‘Guin’ are a little dense for this kind of film and the environmental message is heavy handed, but the film redeems itself with it’s musical numbers. We see the film open with Norma Jean singing “Kiss” (by Prince) and Memphis doing “Heartbreak Hotel”. From there we hear a lot of Stevie Wonder (“I Wish”), Beach Boys done in the style of Busby Berkley, Various Reggae songs, “Somebody to Love”, and a melancholy rendition of “Leader of the Pack”. The songs that really strike a chord, though, are the fun mix of songs leading into “Boogie Wonderland”, Williams Spanish ‘mui gusto!’ version of “My Way”, Fat Joe’s Puff Daddy impersonations, and the original “Song of the Heart” written by Prince for the film (stay for the credits on this one). Vocal cameos include the late Steve Irwin (aka. The Crocodile Hunter, to whom the film is dedicated) and Anthony LaPaglia. Original music was written by composer John Powell and the motion capture for Mumble was done by tap-dancing great, Savion Glover.
Awards Likely: Golden Globe and Oscar Nominations for Best Animated Feature.
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