Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm

I enjoy these characters as much as anyone, but this movie was way too conventional. The appeal of the show is that it can go in so many nonsensical directions in just an 11 minute runtime. For this film, it seems like they thought they needed to keep a linear narrative going for the 75 minute runtime. I preferred it when things would go off the rails right from the start, and then keep getting more and more out of control. Of course, there are plenty of silly moments and goofy plot points, but compared to what we've been used to, this seems really tame, even as they add in explicit language. I recommend skipping this one--it offers minimal payoff.

ATHF maintained a consistent high quality for 15 years in air, and the recent shorts on YouTube felt just like the old series. So my expectations for this were pretty high. I won't say I'm disappointed, but moreso I got a mixed bag.

What works: First off, the animation is of notably higher quality than the series. Some fans have complained about it, but I enjoyed the higher quality animation. The first movie also had better animation than the series, albeit not to this extent. Speaking of the first movie, this one actually has a plot unlike the first one, and it's actually pretty engaging despite an inconsistent pace. Also, the intro song is amazing.

What doesn't work: The comedy is different. The zany absurdity and rambly, witty dialogue ATHF is know for is still there, but unfortunately it takes a backseat to more conventional and sometimes predictable jokes. Also, while I appreciate the effort to try something (somewhat) new, satire and social commentary is not ATHF's strong suit. The very few times they did it the series fell flat, and that's the same case with the movie.

Also, the Mooninite interruptions are funny at first but they get a little stale and repetitive as the movie goes on. However, the interactive texts are hilarious.

It's not all bad, the characters are mostly the same and there are some laughs to be had. Just not at the same nonstop pace as the series. Also the action sequences in here are brief but genuinely incredible. Plantasm is definitely worth a watch, and while not the strongest ATHF entry, it's something fans can appreciate, and it's relatively friendly to newcomers.

As an Aqua Teen Fan from season 1 all those years ago during college, the nostalgia making me a lifelong fan, I was super disappointed in this film. It felt like an extended episode and not a good one at that. Felt disconnected.

Think about what Family Guy did with their Star Wars parodies, that's great storytelling. Let's be honest the last ATHF movie wasn't the best either. If they do another film I hope they push the envelope, do something really of the box, you're ATHF for crying out loud!

I did like the Neil character, but cannot say the same for others. They felt uninteresting. Not sure if anyone noticed but the guy who does Carl's/meatwad's voice seemed to have some sinus issues going on for some of the voice work. Sounded stuffed up slash nasaly.

I have faith before it's over ATHF will not let me down, you got this!

Admittedly it's not as absurdist as the show or the first movie, it actually tells a concise story. I could have done without all the Mooninite movie interruptions, though they were funny at times. It felt like an extended "villain of the week" style episode of Aqua Teen with Neil being a pretty funny inclusion.

Good to see all of the voice cast return, a few more little cameos would have been cool as it feels almost like a reunion since the show's cancellation. I just hope Carey Means got a better contract deal out of this one., and I really do hope the sequel bait at the very very end wasn't just a goof.

Aqua Teen could stand to return every couple years with something like this, but I would kill for a new season instead.

If you had told me a few years ago that Aqua Teen Hunger Force (or Aqua TV Show Show, Aqua Something You Know Whatever, etc) would come back as a movie in 2022, I would've told you that you were full of it, but now, I'm happy to see the iconic trio and their sardonic neighbor Carl back! As for the movie? Well, we'll get to that in a second.

ATHF was one of Adult Swim's longest running shows at the time of its cancellation in 2015 and for good reason; the surrealist humor and shoestring flash budget made for a charming, funny, albeit very stupid show that was thoroughly entertaining. In 2007, they released a theatrical film "Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters." I'm probably in the minority of fans that thought, despite my love for the show, it was an extremely disjointed and disappointing mess of a movie. The show's formula of surrealist humor and insanity works well for 11 minute vacuums, but not an 87 minute feature film, especially when it feels like they're still working on the same budget.

Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm seems like it learned from the mistakes of Colon Movie and both improves upon it and falters a bit. For one thing, the animation is VASTLY improved. People no longer look like static png's with moving mouths and actually have movement to them. That may not sound like a lot, but it's a huge thing for Aqua Teen. The opening sequence alone sold me on the improvement and even if there's still the occasional animation style here and there, the new animation helps breathe further life into it. The voice actors also feel like they've jumped right back into their roles and like they haven't been gone for nearly 7 years. There's still love for the IP and I'm glad the cast seems like they're having fun.

The story itself is also a massive improvement...as there actually is one somewhat this time around. It feels like the episode of Frylock leaving the gang, only with a bit more stakes to it: the gang is officially split up, Frylock is in a beat up apartment downtown and working for a corporation called Amazin (a not so subtle nod to Amazon), Meatwad is living at a dog shelter bring in dogs that don't even need rescued, and Shake is a homeless bum who refuses to get a job. Frylock becomes buddy buddy with the CEO of Amazin and begins research into cloning that can allow the vertically challenged boss to be taller. However, things go array when a disgruntled employee uses his new research to create plants and usurp the company. With the world in peril, it's up to the Aqua Teens and Carl to settle their differences and save the world from domination.

The story is very straightforward this time around and doesn't feel like a total, shock value filled, disjointed amalgamation and it works well enough for what it is. You're not going to get anything deep or insightful from this film about food products kicking ass, but it's still a pretty fun time regardless...for the most part. While I think it's a vast improvement on Colon Movie, I do still have some gripes. For starters, the movie feels like a giant middle finger to Amazon. I'm all for dragging them through the mud with their unethical work practices, but nothing really new is added to it and the commentary is already know jokes and critiques about Amazon that have been done to death: the CEO who's full of himself and slightly evil, the underprivileged people being paid nothing and working in grueling conditions, the fact that it's pretty much taking over the world, etc. Another thing that is slightly disappointing is the actual Plantasm part, which doesn't even come into play until the third act. It's fun to see the group fight off a large amount of mutated plants, but it feels like it comes in way too late to have much impact.

But by far the most annoying thing about this movie are the Mooninites. Normally they're alright, but here they are an absolute travesty. Their main purpose here is to break the fourth wall (this movie is streaming on HBO Max) and either mess with the timeline of the movie or just flat out insult the audience with a bunch of meta humor and pop culture references. This is a trend that's become very annoying in recent times, especially in shows like Rick and Morty and most egregiously in Velma, and it's no different here. The pacing is pretty decent for the most part, but these segments bring the film to a screeching halt. One grievous flaw in particular is a sequence involving them insulting the audience as they fast forward through the film as a chase scene happens, with Shake, Meatwad, and Carl talking about the insane thing that happened. It's probably the most cliche trope you could do and does not at all feel like Aqua Teen. While I appreciate them toning down the insanity to make the story more streamlined for a movie format, these segments really sour the movie for me and keeps me from wanting to watch it again, hence the 6/10 score.

All in all, it's a decent but flawed return for ATHF. They've apparently announced they're making another season and I'm excited to see what they bring to the table this time around, especially if they keep this style of animation, though I really hope they don't start to go down the Meta route or make it more streamlined.