Movie Info
Movie Name: Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder
Studio: Curiosity Company
Genre(s): Animated/Comedy/Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Release Date(s): February 24, 2009
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Planet Express finds their group shattered when Leela and Amy join eco-feministas to stop Amy’s parents from opening up a giant miniature golf course that that could upset the “eco-system” of space. Meanwhile, Fry learns that Legion of Mad Fellows are trying to stop the “Dark Ones” from destroying all life and that he could be the key to mission since his mind cannot be read. Without realizing they are both on the same side, Fry and Leela are working to save the universe…but could end up accidentally destroying it.
Directed by Peter Avanzino, Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder is the fourth (and final) in a series of Futurama films which are sometimes considered season five of the series. Following Futurama: Bender’s Game in 2008, Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder was broken up into individual episodes for syndication.
Futurama was always on the fringe of cancellation (and actually cancelled a few times). This film represented possibly the last episode of the series before it was saved by Comedy Central. With an uncertain future during the making of the movie, Futurama: Beyond the Wild Green Yonder feels like an ending.
The story is pretty typical of a Futurama story. The writing is smart and reflexive. It isn’t my favorite of the Futurama movies and I do feel that the series works better in the shorter format. Despite this, the movie does keep movie and feels true to the series…but I would have rather just had this be a TV series arc since Futurama sometimes incorporated continuing stories.
The Futurama movies look a bit bigger the TV series. It is obvious that the makers put a lot of work into the four films and the result was a slightly higher quality of picture. If the movie is cut up into pieces, it probably isn’t noticeable, but the movie in its entirety seems to have a grander scale.
Futurama is a series that I didn’t really give much of a chance when it was on TV. I was more interested in The Simpsons or South Park for edgier comedy, and the characters of the series just didn’t grab me as much. Going back and watching Futurama since it has ended however leaves me wishing that I had given it more of a chance. With the end of Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder, the crew of Planet Express soars to an uncertain future through a wormhole…to find out what happens to them however, viewers had to check out Futurama—Season 6.
Related Links:
Futurama—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Futurama—Season 2 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Futurama—Season 3 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Futurama—Season 4 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Futurama—Season 5 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Futurama: Bender’s Big Score (2007)