G FORCE
US, 2009, 88 minutes, Colour.
Bill Nighy, Zac Galifianakis, Will Arnett, Kelli Garner, Tyler Patrick Jones.
Voices of: Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Jon Favreau, Penelope Cruz, Steve Buscemi.
Directed by Hoyt Yeatman.
Very entertaining, both for adults and for children (perhaps a bit frightening for some littlies). It has quite a lot going for it.
Everybody knows the name of Walt Disney and the nicer films that have come from his studios. Not everybody knows the name of Jerry Bruckheimer but he has been famous for years for his huge, noisy and expensive action shows (like those starring Nicolas Cage, whose voice is featured here, The Rock, Con Air, National Treasure). The two names seem an unlikely combination but, in fact, the co-production works very well.
Some of G- Force is Disney cute. The central characters are guinea pigs who are a specially trained force under the auspices of the US government – and one is a mole (Nicolas Cage). The voices for the guinea pigs are excellent: Sam Rockwell the hero, Tracy Morgan the blusterer and Penelope Cruz the femme guinea pig fatale of the Force. They are joined by a largish and gawky pet shop guinea pig voiced by Jon Favreau.
Actually, the film moves from real life (well Secret Service etc real life) to animation. Zack Galifianakis (who made such an impression as the odd man out in The Hangover) is in charge of the Force. Bill Nighy is an ambitious techology manufacturer and Will Arnett is a humourless agent who is finally sent to Antarctica where he is described as an FBIcycle!
It has been filmed in 3D, sometimes unobtrusive but quite excitingly used for showing computer screens and information as well as the derring-do of the Force as they try to save the world.
Somehow or other, all this comes together in a plot that keeps the interest and has a surprising plot twist at the end. The characters are well developed and engaging. And the action is Bruckheimer-best.
1.An animated adventure, comic style?
2.Jerry Bruckheimer and the Disney Studios, a strange combination for an animation adventure? The background of James Bond-style thrillers? Action, comedy, parody?
3.The animation style, the guinea pigs, the mole, the visuals? The action? Blending live action and the animation?
4.The situation from a James Bond-style story? Leonard Saber and his empire? His home, the celebration, his electric products, the plans, their computer links? The transformer plot? The revelation of the arch villain?
5.Ben, his working with the animals, getting them to speak, communicate? Helped by Marcie? The animals thinking that they were biologically manufactured and finding they were not? For morale? Their self-image? Small, their abilities, using the insects and their vision for lookout? The team, work together, Hurley supporting Darwin? Juarez and her relationship to Hurley and Darwin? Speckles and his computers? Wanting the science theories? The infiltration of the party, vehicles, dangers and barriers? Infiltrating the computer, getting the files, picked up by Ben? The perils?
6.Speckles as the mole, blind, the controls, his ideas, experiencing the dangers, the files? The files found to be corrupt?
7.The intrusion of the FBI, Kip Killian and his manner, harsh, arrogant, his associates? Wanting to close down the unit? Dominating Ben and Marcie? Ben and his shrewdness, the animals escaping, Marcie holding up the investigation? The search? Darwin and the delay, his success?
8.Finding themselves in the shop, pets, the family visiting, the girl wanting a nice guinea pig, the boy and his wanting to test and torment? Taking the animals home, their life at the home? The mice, the complaining ferret, Bucky? The comedy style? Hiding food, the trapdoor? The talk amongst the animals? The comedy, the escape, Speckles in the garbage?
9.Speckles, his getting out, scooped up by the garbage truck? Surviving?
10.The elaborate plan for escape, the rendezvous, the skateboards?
11.The FBI, astounded at the talking animals, not wanting them to continue? The pursuit, the car chases, the skateboards, the crashes?
12.The appliances, refrigerators etc? The plan, the deadline, their changing into transforming attack vehicles?
13.Saber, not the arch villain, innocent, upset, wanting to have the best appliances, cooperation with the FBI? His links with the Mr Big?
14.Mr Big, the revelation, Speckles the mole, trying to destroy humans, the back-story of his family being destroyed? His change of heart, coming to his senses, helping with the rescue?
15.The final heroics, Darwin and Hurley, Speckles and his having to help, Juarez and her participation? The chases, in the machinery, the falls, the traps? The heroism, destroying the transformers?
16.The happy ending? Ben and Marcie and the animals? Kip Killian and his being transferred to Antarctica? The head of the FBI and his praise of the animals and the G Force? The love element with Juarez? Happy ever after – until the next mission?
