Happy Feet Two Movie Review | Common Sense Media

Home » When Did Happy Feet 2 Come Out » Happy Feet Two Movie Review | Common Sense Media

Maybe your like

Skip to main content
  • For Parents
  • For Educators
  • Our Work and Impact
Language: English English Español (próximamente) - volver al inicio
  • Movies
    • Movie Reviews and Lists
      • Movie Reviews
      • Best Movie Lists
      • Common Sense Selections for Movies
    • Marketing Campaign

      • 50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

    • The Common Sense Seal

      • Common Sense Selections for Movies

  • TV
    • TV Reviews and Lists
      • TV Reviews
      • Best TV Lists
      • Common Sense Selections for TV
      • Video Reviews of TV Shows
    • Marketing Campaign

      • Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

    • Marketing Campaign

      • Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

  • Books
    • Book Reviews and Lists
      • Book Reviews
      • Best Book Lists
      • Common Sense Selections for Books
    • Article About Books

      • 8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

    • Marketing Campaign for Books

      • 50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

  • Gaming
    • App Reviews and Lists
      • Fortnite
      • Minecraft
      • Roblox
      • All Game Reviews
  • Social Media
    • Podcast Reviews and Lists
      • Social Media
      • Snapchat
      • Instagram
      • TikTok
  • Parents' Guides
    • By Age & Stage
      • Preschoolers (2-4)
      • Little Kids (5-7)
      • Big Kids (7-9)
      • Tweens (10-12)
      • Teens (13-15)
    • By Topic
      • Digital Parenting Anxiety
      • First Phones
      • Social Media
      • Parental Controls
      • AI Companions
      • Generative AI
    • What's New

      • Parents' Ultimate Guide: How to Set Parent Controls on Roblox

      • All Parents' Ultimate Guides
  • Tips & FAQs
    • Column 1
      • Family Tech Planners
      • Digital Skills
      • All Articles
    • Column 2

      • Carpool Conversations

    • Column 3

      • Two Truths & AI

  • Celebrating Community
    • Menu for Latino Content
      • Latino Culture
      • Black Voices
      • Asian Stories
      • Native Narratives
      • LGBTQ+ Pride
      • Jewish Experiences
      • Best of Diverse Representation List
    • FACE English Column 2

      • Multicultural Books

    • FACE English Column 3

      • YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

    • FACE English Column 4

      • Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

  • Donate

Parents' Guide to

Happy Feet Two Movie PG 2011 100 minutes Happy Feet Two Poster Image
  • Common Sense Says
  • Parents Say 12 Reviews
  • Kids Say 22 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Sandie Angulo Chen By Sandie Angulo Chen , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 5+

Penguin sequel has fun musical numbers, a few mild scares.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this sequel to 2006's Academy Award-winning animated adventure Happy Feet features many of the same environmental and family lessons for audiences. Global warming's impact on the penguin characters is again addressed; the peril that comes with…

 Why Age 5+? Products & Purchases

Nothing in the actual movie, but merchandise tie-ins are available in stores.

 Violence & Scariness

An iceberg traps the penguins in a snow valley that they can't climb out of,

 Language

Insults/language like "loser," "idiots," "sucks,"

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Penguin mates Mumble and Gloria embrace. Ramon is smitten with the beautiful Ade

 Drinking, Drugs & Smoking Not present Any Positive Content? Positive Messages

Like the original, the sequel features a strong environmental message and also e

 Positive Role Models

Mumble and Gloria are kind, encouraging parents who want Eric to live up to his

Educational Value

Kids are likely to pick up on the movie's environmental message about the da

  • Parents Need to Know

    Parents need to know that this sequel to 2006's Academy Award-winning animated adventure Happy Feet features many of the same environmental and family lessons for audiences. Global warming's impact on the penguin characters is again addressed; the peril that comes with natural disasters may frighten the youngest of viewers -- as could some scenes with large/menacing elephant seals and predatory skua birds. There are also a few mild innuendos from the penguin voiced by Robin Williams, and some viewers may interpret the relationship between two male krill as having gay undertones, particularly when Bill suggests they start a swarm of their own. But ultimately this is a tale of family, friendship, and what it means to find your individual voice -- your own special gift.

    To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

  • Products & Purchases

    a little

    Nothing in the actual movie, but merchandise tie-ins are available in stores.

  • Violence & Scariness

    a little

    An iceberg traps the penguins in a snow valley that they can't climb out of, and a couple of times the situation looks dire for them. The krill are eaten by whales and other fish, so Will and Bill realize that they're at the bottom of the food chain. A huge elephant seal looks poised to harm Mumble, Eric, and their pals but then falls off a cliff and requires assistance. Two male seals battle for dominance. The predatory skuas try to peck at the penguin chicks.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Language

    very little

    Insults/language like "loser," "idiots," "sucks," and "bottom feeders."

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Sex, Romance & Nudity

    very little

    Penguin mates Mumble and Gloria embrace. Ramon is smitten with the beautiful Adelie penguin Carmen and calls out to her "You, me, egg, now!" in a suggestive way. They flirt throughout the movie.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Positive Messages

    some

    Like the original, the sequel features a strong environmental message and also encourages parents to let their children believe in possibilities and follow their passions. Kids will also learn the importance of helping others and how every individual can make a huge impact.

  • Positive Role Models

    some

    Mumble and Gloria are kind, encouraging parents who want Eric to live up to his potential. Eric himself is sweet and believes in others, even though he's not confident at first about his own abilities. A mama penguin thinks of obstacles as challenges to overcome, so her daughter is a fearless young penguin. Bill and Will each go on their own journeys of self discovery that eventually lead them both "home."

  • Educational Value

    a little

    Kids are likely to pick up on the movie's environmental message about the dangers of global warming, as well as the importance of finding your own voice and encouraging your family and friends.

Where to Watch

  • Happy Feet TwoMovie Review 2:12
  • Happy Feet Two Trailer Happy Feet Two

Happy Feet Two

Parent and Kid Reviews

See all
  • Parents Say (12)
  • Kids Say (22)
age 5+

Based on 12 parent reviews

See all 12 parent reviews age 6+

Based on 22 kid reviews

Kids say that the animated sequel to the original film provides enjoyable music and introduces lively characters, but opinions vary widely on its quality. While some viewers find it a fun family movie with positive messages, others criticize it for being cheesy or containing inappropriate themes for younger audiences.

  • entertaining sequel
  • good music
  • positive messages
  • mixed reviews
  • inappropriate themes
  • cheesy moments
Summarized with AI
See all 22 kid reviews

What's the Story?

In this follow-up to 2006's Happy Feet, Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood) and Gloria (now Pink, since Brittany Murphy died in 2009) are the parents to penguin chick Eric (Ava Acres), who can neither find his "happy" dancing feet nor his singing voice -- a rite of passage for all penguins. After Ramon (Robin Williams) decides to leave the Emperor penguins and return to Adelie land, Eric and two young friends follow, so Mumble must go retrieve the young 'uns. Meanwhile, a melting iceberg hits the Emperor penguins' natural habitat and traps them in a snowy valley they can't climb out of -- leaving Mumble the only adult to brainstorm a rescue. Mumble enlists the Adelies -- who have a mysterious flying penguin visitor named Sven (Hank Azaria) -- to come catch fish for the stranded Emperors. And just when it seems like all might be lost, help could come in a very unexpected form.

Show more

Is It Any Good?

Our review: Parents say (12 ): Kids say (22 ):

Animation wise, HAPPY FEET TWO is a stunning achievement. The underwater sequences and the iceberg disaster are particularly impressive, but all of the animation is top notch. Director George Miller has also mastered the art of the elaborately choreographed animated musical number: The sequel seems to feature even more show-stopper performances (usually led by Pink) that the original, each of which was planned by a team of famous choreographers, including tap dancer Savion Glover (who's responsible for all of Mumble's moves thanks to motion-capture technology).

Story wise, however, the movie is a bit cluttered with extra characters. Although it's a hoot to hear Brad Pitt and Matt Damon voice Will and Bill the krills -- who are separated from their swarm and wind up having existential crises about their purpose in the world -- there are just too many secondary characters detracting from the central storyline between Mumble and Eric. In particular, the flirtatious banter between Ramon and Carmen (Sofia Vergara) is forced and forgettable, and the audience doesn't have a chance to fully connect with Eric's young pals. Overall, the musical numbers and the 3-D animation are fantastic, but the actual story isn't as cohesive as the original's coming-of-age tale.

Show more

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's messages about independence and environmental awareness. How do Will the Krill and little Eric struggle with the same sort of issues? How do they each achieve their goal of uniqueness?

  • Why do some people think that everyone should conform and "fit in"? Has there ever been a time when you didn't feel like you fit in? How did that make you feel?

  • How does the sequel compare to the original? What are some similarities between Mumble's journey and Eric's? Which movie do you prefer?

Show more

Movie Details

  • In theaters : November 18, 2011
  • On DVD or streaming : March 13, 2012
  • Cast : Elijah Wood , Hank Azaria , Robin Williams
  • Director : George Miller
  • Studio : Warner Bros.
  • Genre : Family and Kids
  • Topics : Adventures , Arts ( Music and Sing-Along ) , Animals ( Ocean Creatures , Wild Animals )
  • Run time : 100 minutes
  • MPAA rating : PG
  • MPAA explanation : some rude humor and mild peril
  • Last updated : September 30, 2025
Show more

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Happy Feet Two

Suggest an Update

Your privacy is important to us. We won't share this comment without your permission. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. See our privacy policy . Happy Feet Two Poster Image

What to Watch Next

See all

Best Animated Animal Movies

See all

Children's Books About Animals

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

  • Adventures
  • Arts
  • Music and Sing-Along
  • Ocean Creatures
  • Animals
  • Wild Animals

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate

Tag » When Did Happy Feet 2 Come Out