By Melissa Antoinette Garza
I love INVADER ZIM (2001). It’s such an amazing show! It’s hilarious and ridiculous and insane. I hated when it ended. It was one of the few things on TV that I really connected with in the last twenty years. I still watch it and laugh my ass off every time. Years ago, I introduced my nephew to the show when I babysat him. I’m happy to say he’s a teenager and still loves this shit so I did my job as an amazing aunt.
When I heard a ZIM movie was in the works, I was so psyched. I’ve been waiting years for the tiny alien with an anger management problem and his perfect little crazy and cute robot GIR to come back and raise a little hell on NICKELODEON. God knows, it fucking needs it!
Well, NICKELODEON wasn’t in the cards and instead INVADER ZIM: ENTER THE FLORPUS (2019) was sold to NETFLIX. Hey, at least it wasn’t cancelled! That is good enough for a Missy. I’m not greedy – much.
I was actually talking about this flick with my buddy Hunter on Twitter a few days ago. He’s a very cool dude and sent me a direct message to remind me about this baby so Imma dedicate this review to him. Hey Hunter, what’s up buttercup? The movie was fabulous, but keep reading this review anyways!
Anyways, this cartoon film starts with Dib (Andy Berman) who has been locked in his bedroom ever since Zim (Richard Steven Horvitz) disappeared. His dad Professor Membrane (Rodger Bumpass) is worried about his kid’s obsession and tells Dib’s sister Gaz (Melissa Fahn) to go get him. When she does, she realizes he’s in horrible shape. He’s stuck to his computer chair and hasn’t bathed or moved at all. She tries to reassure him that Zim is gone forever, but she’s immediately proven wrong.
Zim and the marvelously wonderful GIR (Rikki Simons) have reemerged and are ready for Phase 2! Dib wheels himself over to Zim and the two exchange some words. Seeing his arch-nemesis in such bad health, makes Zim even more confident in his capabilities. He phones his superiors, Almighty Tallest Red (Wally Wingert) and Almighty Tallest Purple (Kevin McDonald) to brag. The leaders are dismayed to see Zim still alive, because they’re assholes.
Soon, Zim realizes that Earth was never on the flight-plan of the Almighty Tallest and that they never planned to visit him. As someone who is vertically challenged, fuck the Almighty Tallest. Imma Team GIR and Team Zim (in that order) for life! Nothing’s ever gonna change that fact.
Zim becomes depressed as Dib gets back into shape. He’s determined to take down our fun little green friend. Dib asks Professor Membrane to believe him, but the science man has no time for it. He wants his son to be more like-minded and get off the sci-fi kick. He doesn’t believe Zim is an alien and doesn’t want Dib to either. Membrane can be a dick.
When Dib goes to fuck up Zim, he sees that his rival is a wreck. GIR is still happy though and I love GIR so much. Despondent Zim agrees to be captured by Dib and brought in front of a huge event that Membrane is planning. This makes Dib fantasize about everyone finally knowing he’s right and thus earning his dad’s respect. As usual, things don’t go well for Dib.
Membrane, meanwhile, is looking forward to introducing his new invention at his ceremony. It’s some sort of smart bracelet which harnesses a child’s energy. The plan is to have all the kids join hands while wearing the new device and that their combined energy will bring about world peace.
Of course, Zim has other plans. He uses the bracelet to teleport earth directly in the line of the Almighty Tallest’s ship. This has horrific side effects including the possibility of multiple parallel universes colliding atop one another until all of the planets in the vicinity are destroyed. Zim has tunnel vision and doesn’t give a fuck. He wants to prove to his bosses that he’s a success by any means necessary.
To stop Zim, Dib and Raz must escape the friendly, intellectually-challenged clone of their father and free the real Membrane from space prison. They need his scientific know-how and just really want their dad back. You can’t blame the siblings. The professor is a dick, but he loves his kids. Honestly though, Imma love the clone more. He’s so cute and he makes pudding – bad pudding, but pudding.
The showdown at the end is spectacular and fun. It’s witty and silly and stupid and smart all at the same time. It’s also fab colorful and has some wicked and unexpected animation style changes in the end that are quite a kick to watch.
The whole production is terrific. It feels like no time has gone by at all. There is definitely room to make more of these and I DEMAND it! Please! Please! Powers-that-be, we sooooo need INVADER ZIM right now. He makes me happy! The whole show makes me happy! It’s snarky and sarcastic and everything that makes me smile. It’s only purpose is to be hilarious– and it more than succeeds. It felt like an old friend had come home and I’m so grateful. I want more! Remember that thing I said earlier about not being greed. Imma lied.
This is on NETFLIX right now. Go watch it and make it super fucking popular so I…. I mean WE… get another one.
Scared Stiff Rating: 10/10 Imma give it a perfect score. I fucking love GIR. Fight me, bro.
