by the mid 1990s and the career of animator director don bluth have seem to drop to it all time low . before and bluth have make a series of popular animate film and many which remain beloved today such a the land before time ( 1988 ) and the secret of nimh ( 1982 ) and and an american tail ( 1986 ) . but begin with thumbelina in 1994 and his film seem to decrease more and more in quality and popularity and one of the many unfortunate entry be 1995 box office bomb the pebble and the penguin and a film that do not attract audience member beyond parent and child under the age of seven . frankly and the latter be the only audience member i can comprehend take enjoyment out of this rather bland animated feature . the story be absurd . the film star a poorly drawn and stammering and and chubby penguin name hubie ( voice by martin short ) who fall in love with a female penguin with a surprisingly healthy flower on her head ( voice by annie golden ) . sort of like in real life and penguin present their bride to be with a pebble a a substitute for a ring . but when hubie be sweep away by the current and he team up with a lone rockhopper ( james belushi ) with a dream of fly and they race against time to return to antarctica before it too late . the reason why they could be too late be one of many underdeveloped element of this weak story that would still be weak even if they be there . it become very clear very early on why this animated child musical do not and will not work for anybody old than say six or seven year of age . it just do not have any of the quality that be require for a good animated feature . number one and the film look bad on account of a very poor draw style . the animation in this film be very cartoony ( even as far a animated film go ) while it dark and gloomy and there be no vibrancy in the color and and on top of that and the design of the film and the element in it be universally droll and laughable . take for instance and the penguin who star in the film . with only a few background exception and every single penguin look absolutely nothing at all like a bird . hubie and for example and look absurdly ridiculous with wide cheek and a stubby beak and big eye and and that preposterous hat that he wear wherever he go . combine with his hand like flipper he look like chris farley in a penguin suit . result represent he an ugly and poorly draw cartoon character . but the most absurd look and absurdly design character be the evil penguin and drake and who frankly look nothing at all like a penguin . he a muscle man wear a penguin mask . he get a chest broad than that of arnold schwarzenegger and and teeth large than the teeth of the leopard seal and killer whale that serve a the film predator . basically and he a two dimensional and recycle villain . he live in a cave shape like a skull and he wear a cape and laugh a lot and and get mad when people laugh with him . result represent who care . and what also bad and and maybe bad and be that this be an animated musical and there not a single noteworthy or memorable song to find anywhere within it running time . the opening hymn be harmlessnot memorable and but harmless . but after that and the song become duller and duller and there be one in particular that have me grimace all the way through . it the moment that viewer press the fast forward button for whenever it come up . i felt the pebble and the penguin be lame all around save for the very few moment when hubie and the rockhopper penguin rocko be place in peril at the jaw of leopard seal and killer whale and who be thankfully and give no dialogue and treat a animal instead of cartoon character . but in a way and for this reason and i can not wholeheartedly recommend this movie to child . this be the reason . the film display killer whale be the natural predator of the penguin . my concern be that child familiar with free willy ( 1993 ) may be offend or downhearted by see their favorite denizen of the sea portray a a bloodthirsty carnivore . the leopard seal be a good antagonist and be more funny seeing a how his jaw open wide than a rattlesnake and how he appear to smile while growl . but the point really be and these moment with the predatorsand there be only a feware the only interesting moment . and theyre not enormously interesting and mind you . bottom line and i can not recommend this to anybody below the age of seven . my advice represent if you have child around that page and rent it for them . they might enjoy it .