Now, we would certainly never condone the use of illegal substances. We are a family friendly news service, after all.
But "Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters," the barely there film version of the late-night TV cartoon, is probably a lot funnier if you're under the influence of something - even if it's just a high-octane mix of Red Bull and Cheetos.
Trying to determine whether it makes sense misses the point of the show entirely. "Aqua Teen Hunger Force," a cult-favourite fixture of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim lineup, is an intentionally Dadaist, stream-of-consciousness explosion. There is no real beginning, middle or end. An episode starts, stuff happens, and then at some point (around the 11-minute mark) it stops. No resolution, no arc. No pointed pop-culture references (as in "Family Guy") or "Simpsons"-style social satire.
Similar to "Grindhouse," though infinitely shorter, that's part of its allure. Pieces seem to be missing, logic is elusive, things get messy. You just kinda have to go with it.
To analyze the movie's plot would be to assume that it has one; vaguely, it attempts to explain the existence of Master Shake, Frylock and Meatwad, the fast-talking fast-food products who share a run-down tract house in suburban New Jersey.
In its gleefully rampant weirdness, "Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters" (for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan), written and directed by series creators Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis, has an even amount of hilarious individual ideas and moments as well as stretches that just seem gratuitously out-there.
You have to give these guys this much: They remained true to their twisted vision, and that's exciting to see. Pretty much the only concession they made in the name of mass consumption is that the childlike Meatwad (voiced by Willis), a discarded blob of hamburger with a penchant for video games and hip-hop, is slightly more intelligible in the movie than on television.
As a whole, though, it's definitely for devotees only, and is unlikely to earn any new converts. (If you're among the uninitiated and you've even heard of this movie at all, it's probably because of the related advertising campaign that caused a bomb scare in Boston and led to the resignation of Cartoon Network's chief.) Trying to follow it now would be impossible and probably unpleasant.
And so ... how to begin describing a film that has no real structure or story?
Well, among the events that take place, Master Shake (voiced, as always, with wonderful snarkiness by Dave Snyder), Frylock (Carey Means, the voice of reason) and Meatwad battle a diabolical exercise machine. Carl (Willis, again), the trio's hairy-chested, gold-chain-wearing neighbour, gets trapped inside the machine but he also gets freakishly buff.
Various intergalactic beings show up from the past and future to wreak havoc and make out with each other. And the evil Dr. Weird (C. Martin Croker) has converted his mountaintop science lab into lofts, complete with hardwood floors, exposed brick walls and stainless steel appliances - a rare example of "Aqua Teen" making any kind of discernible comment on society.
Two and a half stars out of four.
