Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie for Theatres

Man, I love me some Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Some claim there really isn't any plot in most of the episodes and that it appeals to the lowest of the low, or perhaps the 1 a.m. stoners who are still channel surfing. I have to say that if you actually watch the show and can peel back the layers, you'll find one witty and humorous show.

With that being said, I couldn't wait for the movie to be released in theatres and as opening day approached, I couldn't find one listing for the show in London. The movie had such a limited release that I can't believe they wasted the time putting it into the theatres and didn't just go straight to DVD. Perhaps their “Aqua Gate” scandal really put off a lot of people.

If you don't know, “Aqua Gate” came about by a viral marketing campaign were Adult Swim (the Cartoon Network's adult line up) paid a couple of guys to put up flashing Mooninites (characters from the cartoon) up in random places in six US cities. Well, Boston flipped out and thought these little flashing devices were bombs. They were under a terror alert and put the city on hold in some areas. Imagine how dumb they looked after: then they took it out on the people who put them up and the Cartoon Network. Turner Broadcasting had to pay the city an estimated $2 million for the trouble. If you want a more thorough report, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqua_gate

Ok, back to the movie that finally came out on DVD: it was worth the wait. In the movie, Frylock, Master Shake and Meatwad try to assemble the workout machine called the Insanoflex. At the same time, the odd looking (and acting) Plutonians and the Robot Ghost of Christmas from the Future are also looking to assemble the machine. No one knows the trouble the machine will cause when it's assembled, but suffice to say, it makes for one hell of a funny movie.

As a big fan of the show, the movie, as a whole, was basically a stretched out episode. It does keep your attention for the whole 90- minutes, but if you're looking for a deep plot, or satisfying ending (or should I say, closure), you won't find it here…just like the TV show. Without spoiling anything, I just have to say that the first five minutes of this movie features one of the funniest segments I've ever seen. I was laughing so hard that I almost had to shut off the movie to catch my breath. If you love metal music but don't like the show, you have to a least check out the first part of this movie.

As bonus features go, this disc has them packed in. You get to watch a 22-minute version of one of the episodes that Adult Swim aired before the show hit (some) theatres. Here, you get to see clips that weren't in the movie or just made for this particular preview show. Music video, commentary and other featurettes are also included.

If that isn't enough, you get an 80-minute version of the movie that was scrapped. The movie isn't entirely new because it does splice in some of the deleted scenes previously mentioned and the “deleted” movie isn't fully animated at all. There are barely any movements or mouthing animations (and that's saying something for a show that has barely any to begin with). I'm just bickering here but it would have been nice for them to spend a little more time and animate stuff.

Is the Aqua Teen movie right for you? Well, it all depends on your sense of humour. If you like South Park, The Simpsons and Family Guy but haven't seen the show, watch it (or buy it or season 1-4) immediately. Many of the episodes that have come before the movie have been better, but they did a great job of taking a 10-12 minute show and making it last 90 minutes without boring me.