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"SPACE CHIMPS" (2008) (voices of Andy Samberg, Cheryl Hines) (G) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Minor Minor Heavy *Moderate Mild Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None Heavy None Minor Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Minor None None Moderate Moderate QUICK TAKE: Computer Animated Comedy: A circus-performer chimp follows in his famous grandfather's footsteps by traveling into outer space in hopes of finding a missing space probe that's disappeared through a wormhole to a distant planet ruled by a malevolent buffoon. PLOT: Unlike his chimp grandfather who became famous flying into outer space, Ham III (voice of ANDY SAMBERG) toils away in relative obscurity being fired out of a circus cannon while his handler and grandfather's friend, Houston (voice of CARLOS ALAZRAQUI), looks on in disappointment. Ham III isn't looking for much in his life, but the latter changes when the interstellar Infinity Probe -- designed to look for life elsewhere in the galaxy -- is sucked into a wormhole and then lands on the planet Malgor. There, it falls into the hands of cantankerous buffoon Zartog (voice of JEFF DANIELS) who uses its advanced robotic features to intimidate the Malgorians into becoming his slave labor. Back on Earth, the Senator (voice of STANLEY TUCCI) is upset about the missing probe and threatens to shut down the space program if it can't be found. Knowing it's possibly too dangerous to send humans through the untested wormhole, a trio of scientists -- Dr. Jagu (voice of OMID ABTAHI), Dr. Bob (voice of PATRICK BREEN) and Dr. Smothers (voice of KATH SOUCIE) -- decides it would be best if chimps were sent into it first. Luckily for them, they have a group at the ready, including flight commander Titan (voice of PATRICK WARBURTON), Lt. Luna (voice of CHERYL HINES) and young but eager Comet (voice of ZACK SHADA). The latter doesn't get the chance, however, since the Senator wants the mission to be high profile, thus resulting in Ham III filling the last spot. He views it all as a joke and his fight crew thinks the same of him, but soon they're hurtling into outer space, through the wormhole, and onto Malgor. When Zartog learns of this new machine from the sky, he sends his minions to retrieve it, unaware that Titan is still inside, thus leaving Luna and Ham III stranded. As they try to make their way to Zartog's fortress, they must deal with various hazards along the way, some of them introduced by the small Kilowatt (voice of KRISTIN CHENOWETH) whose huge head glows whenever she's frightened. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Younger kids might be interested, especially if they enjoy computer-animated films and/or like chimps. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: G Presumably for not containing material to warrant a higher rating. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: While it's debatable whether kids view non-human characters as role models, here's a quick look at the major characteristics that are on display. HAM III is the carefree, reckless, and always goofing around grandson of a famous space chimp. He gets the chance to prove he's something more than a circus performer when the space agency recruits him to headline an important mission. While he initially gets on the nerves of Titan and Luna (the latter of which he constantly hits on), he eventually proves his worth by helping save the day and the mission. LUNA is his far more serious fellow crewmember who barely puts up with his shenanigans, but grows to like him as they endure various perils and complications on their mission. TITAN is the bombastic and self-centered flight commander who loves puns but otherwise acts seriously, but only in a self-important way. He initially clashes with Ham III as well. ZARTOG is the cantankerous buffoon who uses the probe's robotic features to intimidate the Malgorians into becoming his slave labor. While his favorite pastime is dunking some of them in a substance that encases the victim in a hard shell, he lets his power hungry greed get in his way of complete success and domination. HOUSTON is the old chimp and former friend of Ham III's grandfather who now serves as the young chimp's handler and sometime mentor. KILOWATT is a small extraterrestrial with a huge head that lights up whenever she's frightened. She learns to overcome that while helping Ham III and Luna. COMET is a young and eager chimp who's disappointed that he's bumped from the rescue flight mission, but helps save the day from back on Earth. THE SENATOR is the angry politician who isn't happy with most any aspect of the space program and constantly threatens to shut it down. DOCTORS JAGU, BOB AND SMOTHERS are the three nerdy scientists in control of the probe and subsequent rescue mission. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a brief summary of the content found in this G-rated computer-animated comedy. A few religious and various colorful phrases are present as are a few comments that some could construe as being somewhat sexual in nature. Violence consists of attempts on others' lives (spears and spikes thrown and shot at them) in an action/comedy context, a monster eating one character (who later turns out okay), and all sorts of slapstick style material. Some of that and some moments of potential peril might be unsettling, suspenseful and/or maybe even scary for some younger viewers, but probably no one else. Bad attitudes are present, as is some behavior that might be enticing for some kids to imitate. A little bit of crude humor occurs, while there's a brief verbal and gestured drinking reference. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, we see quick spinning camera movement as the point of view of Titan and Zartog as they're spun around on the probe. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Upon meeting Kilowatt and hearing her very long, extended name, Ham states, "Great, it's drunk." Moments later, he makes a drinking gesture with his hand, but he's making an incorrect/sarcastic assumption. BLOOD/GORE In flight in outer space, Ham announces he has to pee. Moments later, he comments about the suction, but then states he lost the toilet paper (which we then see floating outside the ship). Ham and Titan briefly bandy insults, with one calling the other a "poop thrower." When asked how Kilowatt survived being eaten by a beast, she says that fortunately it doesn't chew, but adds that they don't want to know about the rest. We then see a flashback showing the glow of her inside the beast, traveling down toward its rear (we don't see the exit). In flight, Titan says he's going to be sick and holds his hands over his mouth, but nothing happens. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Zartog is mean and nasty toward the Malgorians, and that gets even worse when he gains control of the space probe. He then proceeds to use the Malgorians as slave labor and dips many of them in some sort of quick drying liquid that leaves them alive but stuck inside a hard shell in the shape of their bodies. The Senator is only looking out for his own interests and orders various directives only because he thinks they'll serve him in some fashion. Ham is full of himself and immediately hits on Luna upon first meeting her, saying, "Yeah, I'm a hottie" and he later asks her what they should name their kids. Ham and Titan don't initially get along, with both delivering putdowns aimed at the other. Zartog informs the Malgorians that he's redirected the output of a volcano that's about to erupt away from his area and into that of the Malgorians. Upon meeting Kilowatt and hearing her very long, extended name, Ham states, "Great, it's drunk." Moments later, he makes a drinking gesture with his hand, but he's making an incorrect/sarcastic assumption. After ordering the space program shut down, the Senator responds to a question about Houston and Comet's future by saying they'll be used for animal testing (that doesn't occur). FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed here and under "Violence" might be unsettling, suspenseful and/or scary to younger viewers but probably no one else. After hearing that the trip through the wormhole could be perilous and even cause death, we see Titan, Luna and Ham in a spacecraft headed for that space anomaly (kids might worry about them). Ham panics as their ship hurtles toward Malgor and both Titan and Luna are passed out from the g-forces. The ship then deploys huge, padded balloons for a bouncy landing, with Ham consequently being bounced around the inside of the ship off the walls, etc. Luna reacts as Ham removes his helmet on Malgor before testing the air quality. He then acts as if it's poisonous, but all but the youngest of viewers will immediately recognize he's just play-acting. A small flower turns into several huge, seemingly carnivorous plants (with sharp teeth, etc.) that tower over Luna and Ham, but the chimps are unharmed. Under directives from Zartog, Malgorians throw spears at Ham and Luna, followed by spikes shot from flying beasts ridden by the Malgorians. Ham and Luna flee, but end up in some substance in which they start to sink, but Ham gets them out, followed by more spikes being shot at them. Ham and Luna end up swinging on vines, but just as Luna gets the hang of it, she slams into a tree. They then realize the vines they're swinging on have mouths with sharp teeth on the end. The two avoid that, with Ham swinging up to some of those Malgorians on the flying beasts, but we don't see the impact as the vines' mouths presumably impact the Malgorians. Ham and Luna then end up falling off a cliff, with Luna landing softly on a huge mushroom, but Ham hits the ground hard and is then unresponsive for a few moments (younger kids may worry that he's dead, but he's okay moments later). Kids may worry when it's stated that the spaceship is programmed to lift off 24 hours after landing, thus potentially stranding the chimps on the planet. Kilowatt tells Luna and Ham that they'll have to pass through the Valley of Very Bad Things. Ham, Luna and Kilowatt flee from spikes fired at them by flying creatures ridden by Malgorians. Kilowatt then tells Luna and Ham that they'll have to head through the Cave of the Flesh Devouring Beast. They run in there, but end up sliding down a slope, screaming along the way. Inside the dark cave, they then see the huge, rotund beast that slithers/crawls through the passages with sharp teeth and a frog-like tongue that zips out at them. The fact that Kilowatt's head glows when she's scared gives away their position, and they nearly make it out the other side of the cave, but the beast cuts off their exit. Kilowatt then runs off to allow Ham and Luna the chance to escape, and we see the beast zap the little creature with its tongue and swallow her whole (she's later seen okay). Zartog threatens to dunk Titan in the quick drying substance, and slowly lowers him toward that. Ham and Luna, however, arrive on flying animals and rescue Titan. Some kids may worry about the crew as they lift off in a makeshift spaceship (being thrust out by a volcano where the "lava" nearly flows down onto the Malgorians, but is barely contained), head through the wormhole, and then reenter Earth's atmosphere, but lose control doing the latter. Close to the surface and with a stabilizer fin coming loose and wobbling, Luna climbs on top of the ship and fixes that, but then tries to hold onto the fin and then slips off. After a rough landing, Ham sees Luna lying motionless on the runway, but after a few moments, she comes to and is okay. GUNS/WEAPONS Under directives from Zartog, Malgorians throw spears at Ham and Luna, followed by spikes shot from flying beasts ridden by the Malgorians. More such spikes are later shot at them and others. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Let's light this candle," "No monkey business," "Brainiacs," "Chimp nerds," "We're super cool," "You ain't no spring chicken either," "Yeah, I'm a hottie," "Houston, we have a problem," "Don't and care," "Hello, lady chimp," "Yada, yada, yada," "I gotta bounce," "Let's get this party started," "So easy a human can do it," "Sweet," "You're missing a link," "Awesome," "That's gotta hurt," "Oh, that's not good," "He's a joke," "No hands, no feet, no tail," "Listen and learn, cannonball," "You're a dork," "It's go time, cannonball," "Circus freak," "Easy on the fur, furious George," "Poop thrower," "This is a billion dollar disaster," "Whoa," "Commander coma," "There is no sign of intelligent life," "It's not the size of the beast, it's what you do with it," "Clown," "I think these guys are gonna be super chill," "The show ain't over 'till the bearded lady shaves her back," Release your inner chimp," "Idiot," "Cool," "Bust out the scissors cuz this rug isn't going to cut itself," what sounded like "Bastard's gaining on us," "Welcome to triple sun day," "We're spam in a can," "It's party time," an incomplete "What the..?" "Oh, crudehar" (or something sounding like that), "We kicked his butt," "Is that a banana in your pocket," "Would you evolve?" "We'll have to chimprovise," "Let's chimp this ride," "What, are you nuts?" "Bring this bird home, hot-shot," "Holy out-of-controlly," "I picked a bad week to quit eating bananas" and "I guess I'm just a chimp off the old block." Some kids might be enticed to copy Ham's goofy/playful antics and behavior, including exaggerated screaming upon lift-off, several scenes of him dancing, doing goofy poses for camera shots, and a visual trick where it appears his thumb is present and then missing, and then back again, etc. Ham throws a banana peel over to Titan's treadmill, causing the latter to slip, hit the moving tread, slam into the back wall, bounce back to the tread, and then repeat that process. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A heavy amount of suspenseful, ominous and adventurous music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 3 uses of "Oh Lord" and 1 use of "Oh my God." SEX/NUDITY Zartog covers his crotch when the Infinity Probe's lasers scan his body, including that particular region. After Zartog reacts adversely to the news that a bigger "metal beast" (the spaceship) has landed on their planet, one Malgorian states, "It's not the size of the beast, it's what you do with it." Some viewers might note the similarity of that to a standard male genital size saying. The same holds true later in the film when Ham playfully asks Luna about a banana-shaped communicator, "Is that a banana in your pocket?" Goofing around, Ham does a demure type pose (crossing his legs and partly turning sideways) while stating, "I've been naughty." SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES None. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The use of monkeys and chimps in the early days of the space program. Doing something with one's life rather than simply gliding along. Living up to the standards set by one's parents or grandparents. Whether life exists on other planets. VIOLENCE As part of his normal circus act, Ham is shot way up into the sky from a cannon. Due to him doing acrobatics in the air, however, he's off course on his way down and lands hard on a band's drum (but is okay). He does this again later. Electrical charges zap, grab hold of, and pull an unmanned space probe into a wormhole. Zartog opens his hut door hard, smashing a butterfly against the wall. The Infinity Probe crashes into and destroys Zartog's hut. The Infinity Probe catches and restrains Zartog while scanning him. When he sits up, he hits his eye/head on the machinery. Ham slams into and then slides down a thick window. Zartog chases after the Malgorians in the space probe, knocking over many of their big mushroom-shaped structures. He then grabs one and dunks him into a substance that supposedly freezes its victims forever, but really just encases them in a quick drying shell in the shape of their body (with them still alive inside that). Ham throws a banana peel over to Titan's treadmill, causing the latter to slip, hit the moving tread, slam into the back wall, bounce back to the tread, and then repeat that process. Ham loses control of his jet backpack and flies up into the bottom of a helicopter. He then zips all over the place, eventually smacking into a rocket that then falls against another and so on, creating a domino effect. His jet backpack eventually runs out of fuel, with him then falling a long way to the ground below that he hits hard. Zartog jumps down onto the back of one of the Malgorians as a step of sorts. The crew's ship is hit by electrical charges that grab and pull it into the wormhole. Ham panics as their ship hurtles toward Malgor and both Titan and Luna are passed out from the g-forces. The ship then deploys huge, padded balloons for a bouncy landing, with Ham consequently being bounced around the inside of the ship off the walls, etc. Ham bounces down the lander's stairs after landing on Malgor. Zartog dips another Malgorian into the quick drying substance, trapping them in the hard shell. Under directives from Zartog, Malgorians throw spears at Ham and Luna, followed by spikes shot from flying beasts ridden by the Malgorians. Ham and Luna flee, but end up in some substance in which they start to sink, but Ham gets them out, followed by more spikes being shot at them. Ham and Luna end up swinging on vines, but just as Luna gets the hang of it, she slams into a tree. They then realize the vines they're swinging on have mouths with sharp teeth on the end. The two avoid that, with Ham swinging up to some of those Malgorians on the flying beasts, but we don't see the impact as the vines' mouths presumably get the Malgorians. Ham and Luna then end up falling off a cliff, with Luna landing softly on a huge mushroom, but Ham hits the ground hard and is then unresponsive for a few moments (younger kids may worry that he's dead, but he's okay moments later). Titan accidentally knocks Zartog down some steps. Zartog uses the probe's huge claw to pick up Titan by his head. Ham, Luna and Kilowatt flee from spikes fired at them by flying creatures ridden by Malgorians. Kilowatt then tells Luna and Ham that they'll have to head through the Cave of the Flesh Devouring Beast. They run in there, but end up sliding down a slope, screaming along the way. Inside the dark cave, they then see the huge, rotund beast that slithers/crawls through the passages with sharp teeth and a frog-like tongue that zips out at them. The fact that Kilowatt's head glows when she's scared gives away their position, and they nearly make it out the other side of the cave, but the beast cuts off their exit. Kilowatt then runs off to allow Ham and Luna the chance to escape, and we see the beast zap the little creature with its tongue and swallow her whole (she's later seen okay). Luna and Ham fall from a cloud of sorts and land hard on the ground. Zartog is thrust high up into the air and then lands in the quick drying substance, encasing him in a crust of that. After reentry and during their approach to land, Luna climbs on top of the ship and fixes a broken stabilizer fin, but then tries to hold onto the fin and then slips off. After a rough landing, Ham sees Luna lying motionless on the runway, but after a few moments, she comes to and is okay. On several occasions, Dr. Jagu faints, but we don't see the impact with the floor below him. Reviewed July 12, 2008 / Posted July 18, 2008

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