Space Chimps

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This article is about the animated film. For chimpanzees who went to space, see Monkeys and apes in space.

Space Chimps
Space chimps.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byKirk DeMicco
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJericca Cleland
Edited byDebbie Berman
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
  • July 18, 2008 (2008-07-18)
Running time
81 minutes[3]
Countries
LanguageEnglish
Budget$37 million[2]
Box office$64.8 million[2]

Space Chimps is a 2008 computer-animated comic science fiction film directed by Kirk DeMicco in his directional debut, and written by DeMicco and Rob Moreland. It features the voices of Andy Samberg, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Daniels, Patrick Warburton, Kristin Chenoweth, Kenan Thompson, Zack Shada, Carlos Alazraqui, Omid Abtahi, Patrick Breen, Jane Lynch, Kath Soucie, and Stanley Tucci.

The film follows three chimpanzees who go into space to an alien planet. 20th Century Fox theatrically released the film on July 18, 2008. The film grossed $64.8 million on a $37 million budget. It received an Artios Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Animation Feature. A video game based on the film was also released in July 2008.

A direct-to-video sequel, entitled Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back, was released in October 2010.

Plot[]

In outer space, an unmanned, intelligent life-searching NASA space probe, Infinity, is dragged into an intergalactic wormhole and crash-lands on the other side of the galaxy. It lands on the Earth-like planet Malgor, populated by colorful alien beings. Zartog, an evil-minded inhabitant, accidentally discovers how to take manual control of the onboard machinery and uses it to enslave the population. Faced with the possible extinction of Infinity and their budget, the scientists hire multiple chimpanzees as astronauts to regain contact with the probe and retrieve it: technical genius Comet, lieutenant Luna, and commander Titan. For media attention, the Senator adds to the team Ham III, grandson of the first chimpanzee in space, who works as a cannonball at a circus. Ham is uninterested in the mission, but he is launched into space despite his best efforts to escape the scientist's training facility.

Ham, Luna, and Titan enter the wormhole, where the latter two pass out from the pressure, leaving Ham with the task of getting the ship out and landing it. The ship and Titan are taken by Zartog's henchmen, and Titan teaches Zartog about the probe's features. Ham and Luna journey to Zartog's palace, receiving guidance from inhabitant Kilowatt. Kilowatt then sacrifices herself by getting eaten by a monster in a cave so Ham and Luna bypass it. Once at the palace, they rescue Titan and plan to leave. However, Ham and Titan alter their course of action after noticing Zartog torturing the inhabitants, feeling they owe it to Kilowatt to rescue the planet.

Zartog then attacks the chimps with the probe. Just as they are about to get destroyed, Titan tricks Zartog into what he thought could have him dominate the universe, triggering an ejection mechanism in the probe, which in turn leads to his defeat. The chimps then discover that Kilowatt has survived, and they make contact with Comet and Houston, a friend of Ham's grandfather, back on Earth through a walkie-talkie. Since the ship they boarded is not on Malgor as the chimps jumped out during its launch, Comet, Luna, and Titan use a different method to exit the planet. They redesign the probe, with help from the planet's inhabitants, and use an erupting volcano to thrust it off the planet's gravity.

The chimps go into space, and just as they are about to re-enter the wormhole, Titan hands the controls over to Ham, the one who can withstand the pressure and thus pilot the ship. Ham, although initially skeptical, is motivated by a mental conversation with his grandfather's spirit; he maneuvers the ship back to Earth and lands it with Luna's help, and the Senator, under pressure from the press, decides to dramatically increase the space program's funding. The scientists celebrate the chimps' return.

Cast[]

Production[]

In 2002, Kirk DeMicco conceived a film premise of anthropomorphic chimpanzees on a spaceship from viewing The Right Stuff (1983), a fictional depiction of the Mercury Seven program. It included the line, "Does a monkey know he's sitting on top of a rocket that might explode?" which made him wonder what happened if the monkey knew. Just after the lightbulb moment, he saw the famous space chimpanzee Ham on the cover of a 1961 issue of Life magazine; the chimpanzee's smug expression gave him the idea of a self-centered protagonist going on a dangerous space mission.[4] Using the Life magazine issue with him, DeMicco pitched his ideas to John H. Williams, comparing the plot to that of Tommy Boy (1995). Williams was instantly hooked and began working with him from there.[4] They later decided on "a great sci-fi adventure" for children that was also a mocking of science fiction media in the same way the Shrek films, which Williams also produced, parodied fairy tales.[4] De Micco wanted the planet to have the vibe of the Mos Eisley cantina of the Star Wars series.[4]

The project and its name, Space Chimps, was first publicized in a Variety article on June 7, 2004, announcing it was next in Vanguard's production line after Valiant (2005).[5] The film was produced in two years by Williams' Vanguard Animation studio with a team of around 170, a $37 million budget, and DeMicco as director.[4] For the film, a new pipeline was created, as well as a studio constructed in Vancouver.[4] Chris Bacon was chosen as composer, who was recommended to DeMicco by James Newton Howard. The limited budget meant creative choices had to be made for the music to sound interesting; according to DeMicco, beds were occasionally used alongside the orchestra, and the Blue Man Group played PVC pipes.[4]

Release[]

On April 11, 2006, 20th Century Fox signed a deal with Vanguard minority owner IDT Entertainment to distribute four films, the second in line being Space Chimps.[6]

Space Chimps was originally set to be released on May 2, 2008, but on December 19, 2007, the movie's release date was changed to July 18, 2008. This was mainly because of the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike.[7]

Reception[]

Critical response[]

Rotten Tomatoes reported that 33% of professional critics gave positive reviews based on 92 reviews. The consensus states: "Space Chimps' cheap animation and overabundance of monkey puns feels especially dated in a post WALL-E world."[8] On Metacritic, the film holds a 36/100 based on 16 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[citation needed]

Roger Ebert gave a positive review of three stars and saying in his review that "Space Chimps is delightful from beginning to end."[9] The New York Times said that Space Chimps was "hilarious".[10] Lael Loewenstein of Variety called it "fairly fatuous but enjoyably slim family entertainment".[11]

Box office[]

The film has grossed $30.1 million in the United States, and $34.7 million in other countries, totalling $64.8 million worldwide.[12] The film was released in the United Kingdom on August 1, 2008, and opened on #7, grossing £563,543.[13]

On its opening weekend, Space Chimps was number seven with a gross of $7.1 million in 2,511 theatres, with an $2,860 average;[2] it was a poor opening for the film, debuting on (at the time) the highest-grossing box office weekend ever in the United States.[14]

Awards[]

List of awards and nominations
Award Category Nominee Result
Artios Award Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Animation Feature Matthew Jon Beck Nominated

Home media[]

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released Space Chimps on DVD and Blu Ray on November 25, 2008.[15]

Video game[]

Main article: Space Chimps (video game)

A video game based on the film was released in July 2008, published by Brash Entertainment and developed by Redtribe, Wicked Witch Software and WayForward Technologies.

Sequel[]

Main article: Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back

The sequel was released in May 2010 to cinemas in the United Kingdom, and premiered direct to video in October 2010 in the United States. It was universally panned by critics, and grossed just over $4 million during its theatrical run.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h "Space Chimps". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Space Chimps (2008) - Weekend Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 11, 2008.
  3. ^ "Space Chimps (U)". British Board of Film Classification. July 10, 2008. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Strike, Joe (July 18, 2008). "The Rise of the Primates: 'Space Chimps' Takes Off". Animation World Network. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  5. ^ Harris, Dana (June 7, 2004). "'Jungle' beat for Vanguard". Variety. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  6. ^ Fritz, Ben (April 11, 2006). "'Chimps' ride Fox's rocket". Variety. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  7. ^ "Space Chimps". boxofficeprophets.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  8. ^ "Space Chimps". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  9. ^ "Space Chimps Movie Review - Roger Ebert". Chicago Sun-Times. July 17, 2008. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
  10. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (July 18, 2008). "Space Chimps Movie Review - New York Times". New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2008.
  11. ^ Loewenstein, Lael (July 16, 2008). "Review: 'Space Chimps'". Variety. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  12. ^ "Space chimps (2008)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 25, 2008.
  13. ^ "Weekend box office 1st August 2008 - 3rd August 2008". www.25thframe.co.uk. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  14. ^ Bensinger, Ken (July 21, 2008). "Box-office records no match for 'Batman'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  15. ^ Gibron, Bill (November 6, 2008). "Space Chimps". DVD Talk. Retrieved February 7, 2016.

External links[]

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