Space Chimps” is a delightful film from beginning to end. It is a goofy space opera that sends US “chimptronauts” blasting off into outerspace. The film is intended for young audiences and not meant to compete with “WALL*E” in sci-fi, but it still succeeds in its goal of taking viewers to an alien world teeming with eye-popping creatures, not to forget the loveable Kilowatt who gets excited and lights up.
The tale opens with Ham III, a circus performing chimp voiced by Andy Samberg, who happens to be the grandson of the first ever US space traveler…and yes, Ham III’s grandfather was named Ham. Ham III is learning how to be shot out of a cannon and being an underachiever when it comes to landing. On one of his particularly epic fails at landing, he gazes at the beauty of the moon and space while feeling deeply about how he hasn’t lived up to his family’s expectations.
Currently, the United States space program is in a bit of a pickle. One of the probes sent deep into space has vanished into a wormhole. It shows how advanced younger viewers have become that there is no attempt whatsoever to furnish what a ‘wormhole’ might mean. Maybe that’s because at the end of the day, wormholes are only a theory, and if one cannot state that such a thing exists, then how can one explain it?
With all of this going on, Ham III has inexplicably become a part of the crew that is supposed to journey into the wormhole and find out exactly what happened to the space probe. The mission is also assisted by a large chimp called Titan, and the remotely adorable (in chimp view) Luna. Zooming through what seems to be a low budget interpretation of the sound and light fiction in ‘2001’, they arrive at a planet that is inhabited by at best, ugly creatures who are governed by a horrible tyrant known as Zartog.
He has seized control of the original NASA probe, which he uses to freeze his enemies in a super cold bath by punishing them with its extendable arms. The fate is particularly cruel because of the unsightly frozen shells of his victims post freezing, which implies abnormalities in their metabolism as the victims continue to roll their eyeballs.
Of course, the chimps have plenty of escapades, like being chased by a cavity filled monster, which a brave Kilowatt saves them from but not without forever being scarred. Following that, there’s a confrontation with Zartog, and then the brilliant way to blast off again after dealing with the three suns, which only give planet five minutes of night.
During the journey back to Earth, there is a pointless story about a malicious senator wanted by Stanley Tucci who plans on replacing the space program with something far too outrageous to comprehend. However, as outlandish the subplot is, Tucci’s ideas make it somewhat bearable.
I tend to wonder about peculiar stuff when watching movies like this one. For instance, it seems like life comes in only five types on this planet. Zartog, the scenery controlling subjects of Zartog, flying animals, the toothy beast, and Kilowatt makes five. It could be possible to have a planet which only has five species because of evolution, but what do they sustain themselves with? There are no plants or animals, and the surface is flat, sandy and resembles monument valley. Are they all silicon based? Not to mention, if Zartog, the tooth monster, and Kilowatt are all seemingly unique creatures, what do they procreate with? Or do silicon beings even need to procreate? And have they created an hourglass?
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