Good concept, poorly executed.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Don Bluth continues with his weird obsession with animals, bizarrely dark undertones and musical numbers that in no way enhance the story. Plus with stories that make no sense whatsoever, but which take themselves way too seriously.So in this case we have penguins approaching the mating season. And it just so happens that apparently the boy penguins have a custom of gifting their intended with beautiful pebbles. Unfortunately Hubie, the scruffiest penguin who ever penguined, is forced to fight for his girl with a steroid-abusing macho penguin named Gaston- I mean Drake. Played by Tim Curry, because who else. But then a meteor strikes the Earth, almost killing Hubie.If you haven't caught on already, it's weird. It's so weird that it almost makes Bluth's other films seem normal by comparison. Almost. Not helping the matters is the involuntary road trip Hubie ends up taking, taking him all across the southern seas. Along the way we get beaches, songs, ships, songs, water, songs, a lunatic penguin named Rocko, songs... and oh yeah, more songs! I mean, by heavens, how many songs can a film have? Well, in this particular goes, way too many. It seems like every single scene ends with a brief song number. Are they any good? Well, there's a catchy tune here and there, but not really, no. They're forgettable more than anything. They're not offensively bad like in some other Bluth productions, but neither are they any good.So... is it worth watching? Well, it is pretty to look at and there is something about Bluth's style of story telling that is at least fascinating if not exactly good in the strictest meaning of the word. And quite honestly while this has probably the blandest main character out of all of his films, it at least has a semi-coherent plot, even if it is weird beyond belief. If you've liked his other films, this might interest you.

I had seen a short trailer for this animated film a number of times, I found out much more about it before watching it, like it being directed by Don Bluth (An American Tail, The Land Before Time, Anastasia), and featuring songs by Barry Manilow, so despite a low rating I was still up for watching it. Basically in the frozen lands of Antarctica, there is an ancient ceremony where a penguin must find the perfect pebble to give to his future bride, shy, gullible but kindhearted penguin Hubie (Martin Short) is in love with beautiful Marina (Annie Golden), but is bullied by vain and cruel rival Drake (Tim Curry), and struggling to find a pebble to propose with. He wishes on a star to make his dream come true, and this magical star turns into a large emerald, the perfect pebble, he rushes to give it to Marina, but Drake demands he give it to him, and refusing Hubie is thrown into the water and drifted out to sea, to be picked up by humans on a ship transporting various penguins to a zoo. Grumpy, streetwise but good hearted rockhopper penguin Rocko (James Belushi) and Hubie break out their cages, they lie low for a little time on a beach, Rocko has a desire to fly and he only agrees to help Hubie get back to Antarctica because he has lied that he knows a flying penguin already, meanwhile Drake is trying to force Marina to accept his proposal, she would be breaking tradition if she refuses. Despite finding out he lief to him Rocko praises Hubie's determination to get back to Marina, she meanwhile is worried about him, he and his new companion meanwhile run into a hungry leopard but escape it, and then they are attacked by a killer whale, causing the pebble to get lost and Rocko seemingly perish. Hubie reaches home and confronts Drake, he is able to fight him with the techniques friend Rocko taught him, after a fight where the villain falls Rocko returns safe and sound, Hubie finally proposes to Marina and she accepts, returning Drake is finally defeated being crushed in a rock fall, Rocko achieves his dream to fly, the found emerald is loved by Marina, and time goes by and she and Hubie have had children. Narrated by Shani Wallis, also starring S. Scott Bullock as Chubby and Gentoo, Pat Musick as Pola and Chinstrap 1, Louise Vallance as Priscilla and Chinstrap 2, Angeline Ball as Gwynne and Chinstrap 3 and Kendall Cunningham as Timmy. The voice acting is not all that great, the story is full of rubbish sentimentality and silly action sequences, the colourful animation is good but patchy, and the songs by Barry Manilow are I agree dreadfully cheesy, this may be based on the real courtship ritual of the Adeli penguins, but as a children's film it is a dull and boring animated family musical comedy. Adequate!

Looking back at Bluth's previous entries from the 90s, I was beginning to think about what I think about this one. Well, just say that when I was a little kid, I seemed to enjoy it, but as a young adult, I'm gonna call this movie decent. So, some of you are wondering why a 80%? Here's the reason why.Here are some letdowns.Letdown #1: The story was just... weird for a movie about penguins despite it's credit for a romance between two main characters. There were some things that were unexplained like "Why do penguins have clothing and hands to begin with?" and "Where did the three non-penguin birds came from?".and Letdown #2: The songs made by Barry Manilow (despite it's decent music score from Mark Watters) weren't that bad. "Now and Forever" (pop song included), "Sometimes I Wonder" and reprise, which was hear-rendering, and "Don't Make Me Laugh" were enjoyable, but "Good Ship Misery" was badly sung, although "Looks Like I Got Me A Friend" has a decent melody.That's it for the letdowns. Now for the highlights. The animation is very good, the character designs aren't that bad, and the voice acting is entertaining with the likes of Martin Short, Annie Golden, James Belushi, and Tim Curry. The characters are likable too. Hubie is great and his romance with the beautiful Marina was so sweet and cute altogether. Rocko never fails to amuse me with his comedic moments and his comic-relief voice and the villain named Drake is great and I think that he totally frightened me the first time I saw him as a kid.So, is this movie weird? Well, kind of, but once you compare it to A Troll In Central Park, it's not a bad movie. It's just a decent and very cute penguin movie and it's worth watching for kids who like decent entertainment.8/10

I might only be 19, which isn't considered an age when one knows a lot of things about life. But young as I am, I already know what nostalgia is. And that might just be the word to describe this movie.I saw this movie more than 10 years ago, in my original language (which is dutch). After years of forgetting this movie, I saw it again, in English this time, but all memories of it came back nonetheless.First I should explain this story in short. It's about Hubie, a penguin who is in love with Marina, a beautiful female penguin. Problem is, he's very shy and he thinks the only way he even has a chance is to find her a nice pebble. Luckely for him, divine intervention delivers him one. But he has another problem in the form of the gigantic (buffed up with steroids probably) penguin named Drake, voiced by Tim Curry(!!). He wants Marina as well and he gets rid of Hubie. Now it's up to Hubie to get back home and rescue his girl. On the way, he gets to know Rocko, a rock hopper who is tough as nails but a real nice guy when you get to know him (just don't mention anything about flying).The movie is well animated, the backgrounds are nice and the colors are pretty. Alright, you can't compare it to the Disney classics, but then, what can be compared with those? The story is simple but it is interesting enough and the pacing is just right. Some songs are catchy, some are just OK, only Drake's song is awesome! The voice acting is great as well. Rocko sounds exactly as he should, marina's voice is lovely and Drake... well you can't go wrong with Tim Curry doing the voice acting can you? God I love that guy. Only problem is, Hubie sounds terrible. His voice in dutch was annoying but bearable. The English one is just terrible. Hubie is a adorable character though, even if so many don't like him. So is Rocko, just cause he is bad ass. And I wish we had seen more of Drake cause we just get to see him as he is bugging Marina, either through threats or singing. There are some awesome scenes, like on a ship called the "misery". Some call it disgusting, I call it brilliant. Or the scene in which Rocko discovers he has been lied to. Violent but very enjoyable to watch. There wasn't much that bothered me about this film that I haven't covered already, except for the ending. It is kind of sweet, but there are some things that are illogical and just annoying. You'll have to see for yourself.Overall, a great movie for little kids and adults alike, with solid animation and some great voice acting and songs but unfortunately some major setbacks. Still this is an hugely underestimated movie by an underestimated director, Don Bluth.