Happy Feet: An embracing of rational thinking and a rejection of superstition.
Of those here who have seen the new movie, did you notice the subtle message (which I enthusiastically endorse)?
The penguins were shown to have faith in a supernatural deity, called the ÏGreat GuinÓ (I think; I only saw the movie once). This Guin was the provider of all good things to penguins, especially the fish that they depended upon for life.
As the movie progressed, in a funny, dramatic, and touching story, the penguins were starving because the fish had disappeared. The little penguin that was rejected by his tribe went out to find out what was causing it (not accepting the supernatural explanation that the Guin was witholding the fish because of their disobedience). He discovered humans, and that humans were overfishing in antarctic waters. Because he could dance, the humans investigated where he came from. He came back in the end and saved his tribe.
So the story was (in a small way) about rational thinking overcoming superstitious thinking. It was subtle, but I think that if movie producers continue this trend, we can look forward with hope toward the future.
This, in my opinion, is a great way to get the idea of rational thinking into the brains of our young people.
