As attention grabbing wildlife themed titles go, Space Chimps is up there with Snakes on a Plane and Help! I’m A Fish.
And like those movies more thought went into the title than the movie, a sugar loaded barrel of monkey nuts that sacrifices everything decent kids films hold dear (character, story, charm) for non-stop aping.
Three chimps, including Ham III, a circus performing descendant of Ham the first monkey sent into space, are rocketed into another dimension after scientists discover a giant wormhole.
On the planet Malgor they discover the evil dictator Zartog (Daniels) is terrorising cuddly aliens. Ham and chimpess Luna (Hines) must survive the Valley of Really Bad Things to rescue their commander, Titan, defeat Zartog, and restore peace to Malgor.
The animation will dazzle undemanding tots, but the writers must have been paid peanuts for a script that flings around hit and (mostly) miss gags, ranging from fart funnies to Freudianism (!), like so much monkey mess. An adorable little girl lost alien who emits a soprano scream when terrified almost saves the day, but not quite.
The name cast, including Daniels, Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Hines, and Stanley Tucci, presumably came aboard because of producer Barry Sonnenfeld’s involvement, but unfortunately this is more Men in Black II than Men in Black.
More evolved than Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes though.
Rob Daniel
