ZIM discovers his almighty leaders never had any intention of coming to Earth and he loses confidence in himself for the first time in his life, which is the big break his human nemesis, Dib has be...
Invader Zim: Enter The Florpus made me want to roll around in layers of pizza, laughing joyously through nostalgic eyes. Invader Zim was probably the core essence of my childhood, and notably being one of Nickelodeon's best intellectual properties. Watching Zim's countless plans for world domination fail whilst innocent Gir, a robot with the mentality of a one-year old, yearns for cute fluffy teddies and an endless amount of nachos. Oh, and Dib trying to reveal Zim's true extraterrestrial identity.
Yes, it was my life, and seeing the show cancelled all those years ago left a dark pit within my soul (which is already pretty empty). So much to my surprise, I browse Netflix to see what's trending and I'm presented with Zim's maniacal smile. Enter The Florpus. A special return for these characters who attempt to destroy/save Earth from Zim's mindless plan which sees the planet transported across the universe adjacent to a reality-bending hole in space known as a "Florpus".
Vasquez' hyperactive, exuberant and colourful return is welcomed with open arms. Initially acting as an elongated episode, the majority of the first act comprises of backstory reminders for newcomers of the series. Characters would declare their relationships, personalities and motives almost instantly, essentially turning the introductory fifteen minutes into a rushed segment of pointless information, especially for fans such as myself. Just over an hour isn't particularly long for a comeback, but once the actual plot commences with Zim exhuming his inner Steve Jobs at a Keynote convention, Vasquez' zany creations come back to life in full force. And God frickin' damn have I missed them!
Zim shouting at the top of his alien lungs constantly. Gir consuming pugs and launching them into space. Chairdib.jpg burning off the calories to fight his nemesis again. It's as if the show never left! The energy that is brimming from this animation, which I must say looks exceptionally crisp, is outstanding. Honest heart, hilarious humour and hyperbolic ham foreshadowing. The visual comedy alone made me laugh more times than I could count. Sure not all of the gags hit as some are too childish to make any emotive response, such as a alien prisoner exclaiming "that's crazy y'all!" as if the writers were trying to get down with kids, bro. But then you get Gir's childish dialogue and it's the perfect recipe for a pudding mixed profusely by a cloned dad. Oh, and the reality-bending sequence, although executed before on various shows such as 'Family Guy', still had me chuckling over the different styles of animation that were used.
As a continuation of the show, the consistent continuity with several nods served frequently for fans to enjoy as well as the equalled voice acting talent that brings these characters to life, it's a damn decent film that stands well by itself. The uninspired first act, although welcoming for newcomers, will leave many fans wishing the film was a tad longer though. Perhaps a sequel? Fingers crossed for a bright future, the series deserves it!
