| |
|
 
|
FUTURAMA:
THE BEAST WITH A BILLION BACKS |
 |
 |
| Actors: Billy West, Katey Sagal, John Di Maggio, Phil LaMarr, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom |
| Director: Peter Avanzino |
|
Distributor: 20th Century Fox |
| DVD release: 24 June 2008 |
|
Feature runtime: 89 minutes
(1 disc) |
| Format: AC-3, Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC |
| DVD Features: Audio tracks (Dolby 5.1 Surround - English), Subtitles (English, Spanish, French), Futurama: The Lost Adventure, Commentary by cast and crew, Storyboard Animatic, Deleted Scenes, David Cross featurette, Blooperama, 3D Models with Animator Discussion, A Brief History of Deathball, Bender's Game |
|
As a big fan of the Futurama television series, I was disappointed when its original run was canceled. But we power nerds were granted a reprieve when it was announced that there would be three additional movies in production. So how have these movies turned out? This review will focus on the second of these movies (and 'ware mild spoilers).
In Futurama, our brave crew wins the chance to explore the rip in space that was created at the end of Bender's Big Score . Sending everybody's favorite alcohol-powered robot, Bender, they realize that only organic beings can cross the barrier. Meanwhile, back on Earth, Fry is feeling depressed as a result of another failed relationship. He decides to stow away on a military expedition to the space anomaly. He successfully sneaks across the barrier and runs into a planet-sized tentacle being. The tentacle being begins to force its way through the rip in space and attack Earth.
Just when things are about to get tense, Fry appears and convinces the populace that the tentacle is a way to experience bliss. After some resistance, pretty much everybody on Earth has come to appreciate this, and a new wave of peace and happiness is washing over the planet. Bender and the rest of Earth's robot population are left out in the cold when the people of Earth leave it for the Alien's home universe. Eventually jealously and loneliness convince Bender to mount a rescue of sorts. Chaos and confusion ensue, and Bender gets his friends back.
While I enjoyed this movie, I cannot recommend it to others unless they are fairly knowledgeable about the series in general. The first movie has an intro of sorts and introduces the main characters and a few key relationships. In this one, we meet a lot of returning characters from the series. However, that's part of the problem - this one gets up and moving pretty quickly, and most people who are not familiar with the series may get lost. There are a LOT of references and cameos from these returning characters. I'm sure it will suit a fan of the series, but it seems to me spent a little more time thinking of a better way to escape a situation then to bring back a character from a single episode five years ago (looking in your direction, Pazuzu).
Don't get me wrong - half the fun of the movie is spotting these references and cameos. As I dedicated fan of the series, I feel it's a great addition. Just don't have this movie be your introduction to "THE WORLD OF TOMORROW."
|
|
|
