Movie Review
The Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters
2007
Director: Matt Maiallaro, Dave Willis
Cast: Carey Means, Dana Snyder, Dave Willis
D+


here’s a film concept at least two years late in the making. Maybe it’s my own perception on the issue, but I can’t help feeling the whole Adult Swim fad has begun to fade. The newer shows have grown too incomprehensible to appeal to even the most stalwart stoners, and the old standbys have either disappeared entirely or deteriorated to a decrepit remnant of their former glory. That’s why I couldn’t for the life of me determine an acceptable explanation for the release of the gaudily titled Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters. If you think the ostensible humor of that title marks a desperate and drawn out attempt at laughs, wait until you see the movie itself.

Truth be told, it starts out promisingly with a parody of the “Let’s go out to the movies” cartoon turned inside out by a group of malicious anthropomorphized snack items wielding guitars and spouting a lyrical barrage of sentiments I’ve often felt inclined to express to fellow moviegoers from films past. Beyond that the film settles into something of a plot involving the Insanoflex, an impressive workout device (kind of like the Broodwich from a previous episode) that must never be assembled. Of course, without forewarning of the machine’s apocalyptic design, the Aqua Teens assemble it so that Master Shake and Karl can pump up in order to pick up women. Upon completion of the Insanoflex’s assembly, it morphs into a gigantic robot that attacks downtown and…


…. But why the hell am I bothering to explain the plot anyway? The television show made no apologies for its incoherent structure, at times bludgeoning the viewer with an array of oddly irreverent sight gags, incomplete narratives, and perplexing characters that ran the gamut from hilarious to downright grating. I daresay it was the most brilliant show the Williams Street team ever created. With that in mind, it would be sacrilege to even attempt to force a plot into the movie. It just goes against its nature. Unfortunately, while a 10-minute free-form blizzard of humor seems about right for this material, a feature-length film just gives the audience enough time to deconstruct the humor and realize just how boring it can truly become.

Sure, it may be enjoyable to see the cameos from Space Ghost and ATHF villains from episodes past (though some of my most favorite characters—Ol’ Drippy and the Spore, for instance—are conspicuously missing here), and filling in the connection between Dr. Weird and the Aqua Teens has its charm, but ultimately no amount of appeal could justify the price of admission or the time wasted viewing this. Besides, there’s plenty of entertaining episodes to revisit still. Hey, watch a whole season of them if you want. It would be roughly the same amount of time and a hell of a lot more entertaining.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters is currently playing in wide release.



By: Dave Micevic
Published on: 2007-04-20
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