Futurama: Bender's Game (2008) (V)

Director:

Dwayne Carey-Hill

Writers:

Matt Groening (creator)
Matt Groening (developer) ...

Release Date:

4 November 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The Planet Express crew get trapped in a fantasy world. |

Plot Keywords:

Monkey | Surrealism | Crystal | Club | Soul Transference

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Billy West	...	Philip J. Fry / Frydo / Professor Hubert Farnsworth / The Great Wizard Greyfarn / Dr. Zoidberg / Monster Zoidberg / Farmer / Dwarf / Smitty / Treedledum / Additional Voices (voice)
Katey Sagal	...	Turanga Leela / Leegola (voice)
John Di Maggio	...	Bender / Titanius Anglesmith / Igner / Ignus / Sal / Hood Ornament Thief / Hermaphrobot / Frydo's Reflection #1 / URL / Bellboy Robot / Additional Voices (voice) (as John DiMaggio)
Tress MacNeille	...	Mom / Momon / Turanga Munda / Nurse Ratchet / Linda / Slurm Queen / Ship's Computer / Natalie Maines / Intercom Robot / Rosie the Robot Maid / Swamp Hag / Centaurette / Additional Voices (voice)
Maurice LaMarche	...	Walt / Waltazar / The Scary Door Narrator / Dr. Perceptron / Morbo / Calculon / Mad Hatter Robot / Vending Machine Robot / Killbots / Morcs / Centaur / Additional Voices (voice)
Phil LaMarr	...	Hermes Conrad / Hermaphrodite / Dwight Conrad / Pay 'n' Chew Robot / Nibblonian #1 / Slave Robot / Peaches / Additional Voices (voice)
Lauren Tom	...	Amy Wong / Gynecaladriel / Chinese Boy / Additional Voices (voice)
David Herman	...	Larry / Larius / Turanga Morris / Scruffy / Dr. Ogden Wernstrom / Roberto / Nibblonian #2 / Cook / Redneck / Military Man / Frydo's Reflection #2 / Additional Voices (voice)
Kath Soucie	...	Cubert Farnsworth / Indian Boy / Additional Voices (voice)
Frank Welker	...	Nibbler / Trolls / Tyrannosaurus Rex / Monkey / Polar Bear / Rat / Chickens / Tunneling Horror / Additional Voices (voice)
E. Gary Gygax	...	Himself (voice) (archive footage) (as Gary Gygax)
Rich Little	...	Himself (voice)
George Takei	...	Himself (voice)

Also Known As:

Bender's Game (Australia)
The Futurama Movie 3 (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

UK:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-7 | Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | Argentina:13 | Netherlands:6 | Ireland:12 | South Africa:13L | New Zealand:PG

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

When we first see the Dark Matter mine, a truck comes out. The alien-language phrase written on the side of the truck reads "OBEY MOM".

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: The mailbox of Leela's parents house in the sewer reads "Turanga". Turanga may be Leela's 'first' name, but Turanga is actually the family name - Turanga Leela and her parents Turanga Morris and Turanga Munda.

Quotes:

Professor Hubert Farnsworth: [the Planet Express ship has been seriously damaged in a demolition derby] Yes, she's a wonderful ship, all right - as beautiful now as the day I got botched laser eye surgery.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs "The Twilight Zone" (1959)

Soundtrack:

Chewy Chewy

The best Futurama 'film' so far...

I have been impressed with the other Futurama 'films' (for wont of a better word), yet none of them achieved what this one did, the main thing I look for when watching the Futurama cartoon: laugh out loud comedy. And this has that - though not wall-to-wall, it contains enough clever plot writing to satisfy the most adamant of cartoon fans. The CGI far excels the majority of former episodes, although Futurama has always enjoyed a very shiny veneer of pure 'cool'. The character development was handled with far more maturity than in the previous longer installments, and focused on characters which were previously overlooked. In addition, the popular culture references were intelligent, amusingly accurate and, above all else, integral to the plot. No part of this film felt unnecessary - every moment of the outing felt it was necessary to the overall shape of the piece.

In conclusion, this is by far the best longer-addition Futurama produced to this day. In fact, I'm only sad I saw an advanced viewing, because now I have longer to wait for the next production! The writers have proved they can provide fresh material and give it to the viewers in a non-patronising, intelligent but not pretentious manner.

Bring on the next installement!