Four out of
Five stars
Running time:
88 mins
Hugely enjoyable, fast-paced action-adventure with a witty script, likeable characters, great action sequences and terrific special effects.
What's it all about?
Directed by Hoyt Yeatman Jr and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, G-Force stars Zach Galifianakis and Kelli Garner as Ben and Marcie, whose covert government program to train animals and insects to be secret agents is about to be shut down by new FBI manager Killian (Will Arnett). However, the members of G-Force – guinea pigs Darwin (Sam Rockwell), Juarez (Penelope Cruz) and Blaster (Tracy Morgan), mole Speckles (Nicolas Cage) and fly Mooch – aren't about to go quietly, especially as they've just uncovered a sinister plot to take over the world.
The Good
The voice cast are superb, particularly Penelope Cruz, who gets several funny lines (the way they dodge the love interest issue is a nice touch). Similarly, Rockwell and Morgan are both excellent, while Nicolas Cage gives his best performance in years as the tech-savvy Speckles.
There's also strong support from the live action cast: The Hangover's Galifianakis scrubs up nicely as Ben and Arnett is suitably slimy as the unimpressed Killian, while Bill Nighy uses a dodgy accent to subtly suggest both Bill Gates and Rupert Murdoch as the megalomaniac-in-waiting.
The Great
The blending of live action and animation is both seamless and extremely impressive, while the transforming robots (part of the world domination plot) are better than in Transformers. In addition, the 3D effects are the best of all the recent animated 3D features; they're used imaginatively and creatively throughout, especially during a brilliant snake attack scene.
The script is excellent, containing enough adult jokes, witty lines and film references (e.g. “Yippee-ki-yay, coffee-maker!”) to keep grown-ups happy, while piling on the action and keeping the fart jokes (courtesy of domestic guinea pig Hurley, voiced by Jon Favreau) to the bare minimum for kids. Actually, even the fart jokes (there are two) serve a purpose in the script and aren't just there for cheap laughs.
Worth seeing?
Imaginative, fast-paced, frequently funny and well acted, G-Force is a huge amount of fun for both adults and kids alike, thanks to likeable characters, a strong script and terrific special effects. Transformers, take note.