Space Chimps

Space Chimps is a 2008 American 3D computer-animated science fiction comedy film about three chimpanzees that go into space to an alien planet. It was directed by Kirk DeMicco and written by Kirk 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. 20th Century Fox theatrically released the film on July 18, 2008. The film grossed $64.8 million on a $37 million budget. It received a Artios Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Animation Feature.

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released Space Chimps on DVD and Blu-ray on November 25, 2008. A video game based on the film was released in 2008. A direct to video sequel, Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back, directed by John H. Williams, was released in 2010.[2]

Plot
The film begins with Ham III, grandson of the first chimpanzee in space, being a cannonball at his circus and later being criticized by his grandfather's friend Houston. Meanwhile, an unmanned NASA space probe called the Infinity is dragged into an intergalactic wormhole, and crash-lands on an Earth-like planet on the other side of the galaxy. Zartog, an evil-minded inhabitant, accidentally discovers how to take manual control of the on-board machinery and uses it to enslave the population.

Faced with the loss of the probe and probable loss of their budget, the scientists have to find a way to regain contact with and retrieve the probe. Technical genius chimp Comet hacks into NASA's computers and gets the scientists to pick them as astronauts to explore the planet and get the probe back, with the help of the fearless Lt. Luna, and their bombastic commander, Titan. The Senator likes the idea, but wants something extra special to grab the attention of the media, and picks Ham. Ham is uninterested in the mission, but he falls for Luna (though he is unaware that Luna was doing the same thing for Ham).

They go through the space training. Ham doesn't take the training seriously and he keeps being immature during the training which angers Houston, Luna and Comet. The three go in a gravitational probe, having Luna and Titan screaming, but Ham's internal structure can stand the pressure, forcing him to ask Luna to help him move next week. Comet wants to go through the training; however, the scientists only want Ham, Luna, and Titan, not Comet. Comet is upset about it. Houston comforts Comet.

Before the mission begins, Ham tries to use the jet pack to escape; however, he crashes at plane causing a disaster. He goes out cold and put in the rocket as a punishment. The three chimps enter the wormhole, where Titan and Luna pass out from the pressure, leaving Ham with the task of getting the ship out and landing it. This is done, and Ham and Luna explore the planet, during which their ship, along with Titan, is taken by a group of aliens sent by Zartog. Ham reveals that he believes that his grandfather and the space chimps are a joke to him.

Luna gets angry at Ham for saying that. Ham and Luna begin their journey to Zartog's palace, and on the way they meet one of the inhabitants, known to them as Kilowatt. Kilowatt offers to lead them to the palace, but soon after they encounter a flesh-eating monster in a cave. The monster blocks the exit, but Kilowatt distracts it, sacrificing herself so Ham and Luna can escape. Ham reveals to Luna that he feels that he sees himself as a joke the whole time not his grandfather.

The two chimps finally reach the palace, where they discover that Titan has been teaching Zartog some of the probe's features. They rescue him and are able to board their ship. After getting back in the "Horizon", the controls are lent to Ham, but it doesn't start, making them open the hatch, and all they find are a bell and a whistle (making them realize that Ham was right about the whole thing being a hoax). Ham says that NASA wanted to see if their brains still worked after going through the wormhole, and that they are nothing more than guinea pigs (Titan points out that the guinea pigs are actually on the Mars Mission) and Luna realizes that the ship was on autopilot the whole time and Ham was right all along about the humans not respecting the chimps.

Ham says that he didn't want to be right and Titan starts crying. Just as they are about to leave, Ham glances outside and sees Zartog torturing some of the other aliens. He then tells Titan and Luna that they indirectly sent the probe there, and that they owe it to Kilowatt to help save the planet. The three of them exit the ship, which blasts off set to autopilot, but as they are trying to think of a plan, Zartog attacks them with the probe. Just as they are about to get destroyed, Titan tricks Zartog into triggering an ejection mechanism in the probe, which in turn leads to his defeat.

The chimps then discover that Kilowatt has survived, and they are able to make contact with Comet and Houston back on Earth through a "Banana-berry". Houston reminds them that if they can redesign the probe, then they can use it to get back to Earth. They manage to do this with help from the planet's inhabitants and they use an erupting volcano to get the thrust they need to escape the planet's gravity. They go into space, and just as they are about to re-enter the wormhole, Titan hands the controls over to Ham, since Ham is the only one who can withstand the pressure, and thus, the only one who can pilot the ship home. Titan and Luna once again pass out. Ham is unsure if he is up to the task until he has a mental conversation with his grandfather, who tells him to believe in himself and to just do things his (Ham's) way.

Ham manages to maneuver the ship back to Earth and land it with Luna's help and Luna says that they were on their date throughout the whole movie, and the Senator, under pressure from the press, decides to dramatically increase the space program's funding. The scientists tell the press that they're going to have another mission to see if there is any aliens. The film ends with a celebration being held for the chimps' return.

After the credits, the frozen Zartog is shown to be in the center of a garden as a statue where a dog comes near his feet and urinates on them much to the alien's dismay.

Cast

 * Andy Samberg as Ham III, Ham I's grandson and a circus chimp who loves his job. He does not take the astronaut one seriously. During training, he picks on Titan.
 * Cheryl Hines as Luna, Titan's lieutenant; fearless, intelligent and beautiful, Ham has an obsessive crush on her
 * Jeff Daniels as Zartog, a real-estate-developing alien. This is also Jeff's first voice over movie role.
 * Patrick Warburton as Titan, the pompous commander of the expedition
 * Kristin Chenoweth as Kilowalawhizasahooha (Kilowatt), a tiny but sweet alien who befriends Ham and Luna; her head lights up when she is frightened, hence her name
 * Kenan Thompson as Ringmaster, the owner of the circus where Ham III worked
 * Zack Shada as Comet, a technical genius chimp
 * Carlos Alazraqui as Houston, friend of Ham's grandfather and Ham's confidant
 * Omid Abtahi as Dr. Jagu
 * Patrick Breen as Dr. Bob
 * Jane Lynch as Dr. Poole
 * Kath Soucie as Dr. Smothers
 * Stanley Tucci as The Senator

Release
Space Chimps was originally going 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 the2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike.[3] The premiere was held on July 13, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.[4]

Critical response
Rotten Tomatoes reported that 34% of professional critics gave positive reviews based on 92 reviews, giving it a "rotten" rating overall. The consensus states: "Space Chimps ' cheap animation and overabundance of monkey puns feels especially dated in a post–WALL-E world."[5]

Roger Ebert gave a positive review of 3 stars and saying in his review that "Space Chimps is delightful from beginning to end."[6] The New York Times said that Space Chimps was "hilarious".[7] Lael Loewenstein of Variety called it "fairly fatuous but enjoyably slim family entertainment".[8]

Box office
The film opened with $7.1 million in 2,511 theatres, with an $2,860 average.[1] The film has grossed $30.1 million in the United States, and $34.7 million in other countries, totalling $64.8 million worldwide.[9]

Home media
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released Space Chimps on DVD and Blu-ray on November 18, 2008.[10]

Soundtrack list

 * Sexy Reggae – Performed by Curt Sobel and Gary Schreiner
 * Axel F – Performed by Rufus Waterlow
 * Macarena – Performed by Blue Man Group
 * Pops Got The Measles – Performed by Curt Sobel and Gary Schreiner
 * Do You Want To Rock – Performed by David A. Stewart, Neil Case, Ned Douglas and Blue Man Group
 * Another Postcard – Performed by Barenaked Ladies
 * All Music - Composed by Chris P. Bacon and Blue Man Group

Video game
Main article: Space Chimps (video game)

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

Trivia

 * Jane Lynch, the voice actor of Dr. Poole, also played Sgt. Calhoun in Wreck-it Ralph, Ilene in Jungle Master, Female Flamingo in Delhi Safari, Sue in Dino Time, Margaret Knowhow in Abominable Christmas, Gloria in Sunshine Barry and the Disco Worms, Alice in Rio, Lucy Bobby in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and Paula in The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

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.