Futurama - Bender's Big Score (2007)

Great, but as good as Deathday by Eugene Bruce?

Deathday by Eugene Bruce would be better! Maybe, maybe not who knows actually, futurama is far far superior but being an impoverished author i won't apologise for shamelessly promoting my debut novel Deathday by Eugene Bruce - I'd very much appreciate you checking it out that's DEATHDAY by EUGENE BRUCE - I love you America! July 21, 2008

Futurama's Back

Futurama returns to DVD in movie form after two years since being canceled
by Fox TV. Let me say that after being away for two years and returning, they haven't changed a bit. The characters are still as funny and unique as last time and at the start of this movie we're given a very thrilling team roll call.
Futurama has always been known as being extremely funny but mixing comedy with drama. It has the ability to have us in tears of laughter and in tears of emotion and sadness. We are given both feelings in this movie as the story is clever, funny and emotional. Also at the ending we're given one hell of a twist that I genuinely wouldn't have expected.

The story goes that since the team have returned they embark on their first delivery to the nudist planet. While there they're approached by three aliens who we come to know as the scammers who are asked to sign a petition and supply their e-mail address. Also on the nudist planet Leela notices that Fry has a tattoo of bender on his rear which he can't explain but turns out to be more important than we'd first anticipated as it contains the time code.
A few days later the gang start receiving spam e-mails which, one by one scam the team out of money and even bender is scammed when an obedience virus is downloaded to his brain. The scammers come to Earth and Planet Express to reveal that they are now the owners of the company. Upon them also discovering the time code this leads to a whole heap of trouble involving time travel, paradoxes and love.
Oh and Hermes body gets crushed and he ends up as a head in a jar.

Great return of Futurama and I hope this leads to the series being recommissioned by Comedy Central. July 13, 2008

A tad disjointed, but still fun

The story was wild and crazy, I enjoyed it. Although it did feel slightly like the movie was written to be cut up into different episodes, which in the end didn't serve it very well.

Some of the references in the movie didn't seem very well thought-through and just felt plain contrived. I enjoyed the story, as it was a very Futurama-esque story, especially how they tie it all together. Some of the elements they put into it did seem to detract from the overall story though. Sorry, but having a guest cameo from almost all the characters who ever were in the show didn't seem to move the story along as much as the writers might have thought it would.

Overall, it's worth watching if you are a die-hard Futurama fan, but it doesn't seem to be a strong "starting-off" point for the Futurama newbie. July 12, 2008

Futurama: Bender's Big Score Review

The film starts with a reintroducing of each character and making fun of the FOX network for cancelling the series back in 2003. After the introduction of the characters, it shows the Planet Express crew playing limbo in one of the rooms at Planet Express and Hermes (Phil LaMarr) being beheaded by one of the swords on the wall which turns into a revamped Futurama show intro. Once the Planet Express crew arrives at the hospital, Leela (Katey Sagal) first meets Lars (Billy West) and appears to have a love interest, which enrages Fry (Billy West). After going to the Hospital, the Planet Express crew decide it is time to taking a relaxing break on a nude beach. Whilst they are lying out, they are approached by three pink soft skinned aliens that ask the Planet Express crew to sign a petition as well as provide an e-mail. The aliens say whatever needs to be said in order to get a signature and e-mail.

Bender (John DiMaggio), Amy (Lauren Tom), Leela, Zoigberg (Billy West) and The Professor (Billy West) receive spam e-mails and are all suckered into giving personal information to fake causes/prizes. However, Bender downloaded a virus from an e-mail where he thought he could get rich watching porn. Once The Professor signs over the deed for Planet Express, he thinks he will become rich beyond his wildest dreams and this when the film actually starts. The pink soft skinned aliens appear at the front door with the signed deed and Bender (with the iObey virus installed) introduces them as their new masters. The aliens use their sprongers (neck smell/sense glands) to find that Fry's tattoo of Bender is not just a tattoo, but contains a vital binary code that opens a time sphere.

The Leela and Lars relationship seems to grow even stronger the more they see one another throughout the film. Lars seems to truly understand who Leela is and care for her. The aliens decide it is a good idea to vaporize Fry in the fear that using the time sphere will destroy the universe, but before they can, Fry travels back to the year 2000. They instruct Bender to go and assassinate Fry (obvious Terminator Phone Book murderer reference here). Bender succeeds in murdering Fry in 2012, however, in 3007 Fry appears again. A montage explains how Fry lived, moved on from Leela and found his purpose from 2000-2012. Fast forward to the future, Robot Santa Claus tries to kill the Planet Express crew (because they have been very naughty), yet Lars is able to deactivate the bomb and asks Leela for her hand in marriage to which she accepts. Fry fears even more that he is going to lose Leela.

The Planet Express crew as well as hundreds of humans have to relocate to Neptune because Earth was signed over to "The New Owners". Whilst on Neptune, they find Santa who is also powerless to the aliens. Everyone on Neptune teams up including: Zapp Brannigan and Kip, Robot Santa, Kwanzaa-bot and Chanukah Zombie to take the Earth back and a space fight with the aliens ensues. From here I will not tell you anymore as it would not want to spoil the film for you, however, I can say: Fry's life in 2000 is explained, Lars' true identity is revealed, Hermes altercations with his body, wife, and Barbados Slim are hilariously done throughout the course of the film, more action ensues with the aliens, and Bender becomes a hero... Well sort of. I found the ending interesting because it was much like the show's sudden endings, but still funny in Futurama comedic way.
4/5

Picture:
The film is presented in the 1.78:1 (16:9) format. The picture was crystal clear throughout the film. There were only a few instances where the picture became slightly fuzzy for a few seconds, but nothing that is noticeable or that would deter you from watching this film.
4.5/5

Sound:
Even though the film was presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, it sounded more like a Dolby Pro-Logic II Mix. The film sounded no better than the series, due to the fact that the rear left and right speakers were barely used. However, the film made good use of sounds and music, but I just wish they made it a true Dolby Digital 5.1 mix because there were moments when it could have made a big difference.
3/5

Special Features:
The DVD is packed with extra features including: Futurama Returns! (A live comic book reading by the cast), Everybody Loves Hypnotoad, Deleted Storyboard scenes, A Terrifying Message from Al Gore and several others. The only thing I felt was missing was a making of documentary.
4/5


Review Round-Up:
Movie: 4
Picture: 4.5
Sound: 3
Special Features: 4

Overall: 4

Final Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this film and I know it will be a treat for many Futurama fans. The film has several jokes and references to the show which Futurama fans will appreciate and notice right away. I felt that Futurama: Bender's Big Score was worthy of a cinema release. Whilst it was not as good as The Simpsons Movie nor did it have as big a budget, I felt they did a great job. At no time did I feel it was a drawn out episode like I did with Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Colon Movie Film for Theaters. I found it funny, very enjoyable and as I said before a treat for Futurama fans that have been craving more since the series was cancelled. July 11, 2008

Heartbreakingly horrible.

I was so excited to see this. The first few minutes (poking fun at Fox) were giddy glee. Then the "story" began.

It just plain was not compelling. It felt like if you asked a machine to write a Futurama episode. The characters and jokes and themes were all there, but it seemed like a fake sendup of Futurama.

Heartbreakingly horrible. July 11, 2008

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