Space Chimps

Review By: Dan Deevy
DanDeevy@TheCinemaSource.com

Making a successful ‘G’ rated movie, or even ‘PG’ rated one for that matter, is extremely difficult. Adult audiences are much harder to please than they used to be thanks to the proliferation of so many amazing films geared toward them and the finesse of creating situations and characters that appeal to young kids on one level and adults on another is staggeringly difficult. Lion King certainly accomplished it (thanks in large part to being based on the timeless story of Hamlet) and a small handful of other recent films have approached that line of universal acceptance as well like Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and of course the Shrek films. Sadly though, Space Chimps will not be taking its place in this illustrious group.

I know what you’re thinking, ‘How could a movie about Chimp Astronaughts venturing out where no chimp has gone before possibly NOT work?’ It’s crazy, I know, but it’s true. The movie never manages to come together and certainly never masters that duel meaning I mentioned early; which is not to say they didn’t try - there were a few moments that were obviously there just for the parents but they were all so forced it didn’t matter.

The story is simple enough, mankind discovers a wormhole that they think leads to uncharted parts of space and they want to send a ship through to see what’s on the other side. But before they risk sending humans into this new anomaly they send his closest cousin through on an automated mission to see if they return from it alive. Enter Ham III (Andy Samberg) the grandson of the famous Ham I, the monkey who first went into space in the 1960’s. Of course Ham III has no interest in being recruited into NASA as he’s more than content in his current position as a Circus Monkey. After some Department of Homeland Security-type convincing he enters the program. (Translation, he was kidnapped by the government and forced into it.)

Once there he meets his crewmates who are all far more honored to be there than he is, and eventually through the course of the mission they prove they’re not just test subjects being exploited by man, they are real astonaughts! (…sigh…)

The only reason I was remotely interested in seeing this was because of Andy Samberg. He’s hysterical on SNL and I think he could have a hugely successful career ahead of him. That is, if he stops picking the wrong projects! The two movies he’s done so far, this and Hot Rod, have both been beneath his comedic talent. He’s capable of so much more I just hope he’s allowed another shot at