"Invader Zim" is back and just as off-the-wall and strange as we remembered it. When Nickelodeon announced that a new Invader Zim Movie was going to grace our screens, old fans of the show crawled out of the shadows to receive it with open, yet slightly hesitant arms. Of course, people we stoked to see their favorite dysfunctional green alien and equally dysfunctional robot run around and cause chaos, but there always is some hesitation when bringing back stories and characters to the screen that have been away for quite some time. Would the creators be able to capture the same magic or leave us wishing that the reboot-Movie never happened in the first place?
I am happy to say, in my opinion as a fan of the original show, that "Enter the Florpus" was an outstanding success. The animation in this movie was outstanding as well as its art direction. For me, the artistic aesthetic was absolutely gorgeous to watch. I love the use of bright and bold colors and this movie executed them perfectly; it made the characters and scenery come alive. On the same subject, the way the animation was directed was lovely to witness as well. There are so many scenes in this movie that really showcase well-thought out animation choreography and movement. As a result, you can definitely tell how much time and care was put into the overall product. If you are at all a fan of cartoon art or of "Invader Zim's" original art style, you definitely will get a lot out of this movie.
However, the film doesn't just stop at creating a visually pleasing product. In fact, the story and characters are also well thought out aspects of the film. The story, centering on Zim's latest attempt in gaining the attention of his leaders, provides a wild chase that fully allows the main characters to express themselves to the fullest. The story was humorous and its jokes were definitely in style with the original show. With the attention to detail found in all of the jokes and character behavior/action, you can definitely tell that the people who worked on this movie had a passion for writing and for the original source material. Everyone acted completely in character and provided a lot of laughs with a fun and wild storyline.
On top of everything, the acting in this movie was absolutely fun to witness as well. The original actors always did a wonderful job at voicing their characters. It was so refreshing to hear them in their original roles once more. They bring a type of energy and life to the film that makes it perfectly clear that they enjoy what they do. I love hearing voice actors who enjoy their job and this film is a perfect example of it.
The movie, as a whole, succeeds in many areas, but I find myself most impressed by how it functions as a revamp of the original series. Often, it is hard to revisit or come back to a story after stepping away from it for a while. Granted, "Invader Zim" still lived on within comics and other forms, but it had been a while since we saw a freshly animated version of the tiny green alien walk across the screen. That is one of the reasons we were hesitant in the first place; would a film be able to recapture the magic of a show that stopped producing new content years ago? However, this film succeeded and went beyond expectations. They not only brought the heat, they amped it up.
For me, this is seen in the effort in the film. The jokes, the story, the humor, were still of the same "Invader Zim" energy, but they were still not afraid to take risks and update. The character designs and art style changed ever so slightly, bringing out a new look for a the characters that worked marvelously. A new energy was brought to the characters which was only exemplified by the way the film chose to handle its humor and story. We got to see our favorite characters doing signature actions, but we also got to see more than ever before. We got to see more of Gaz, more of Dib's relationship with his father, and even Zim coming to terms with reality (even if it were only for a moment). This film promised us a blast from the past, but it ended up taking the past and adding more wonderful things to the overall product.
I, for one, loved the newest "Invader Zim" film and I hope to see this type of love and dedication in future Nickelodeon productions.
