If there’s one thing that hasn’t changed in the last 20 years since it was on TV, it’s that “Invader Zim” is still gross. Weird purple and green color schemes clash with grotesque blobs and ooze at every corner of the screen. Even the cutest of objects in the show have a bizarre menace to them thanks to the prevalence of extreme closeup angles and overly ominous musical cues.
That may sound like a negative, but the fact that the Nickelodeon/Netflix TV movie “Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus” keeps those artistic choices constant is a blessing. In fact, everything about “Enter the Florpus” is complete and utter gold for those already initiated with Jhonen Vasquez’s tiny green alien invader.
From the first frame of this 75-minute-long special, it’s clear that the sense of humor that fans so badly desired is completely intact. While it isn’t as dark as some of Zim’s earlier episodes (looking at you, “Dark Harvest”), the bizarre plot and humor are still undeniably the same. GIR still drinks a soda called Poop and everyone around the main cast are still extreme idiots and it all still effortlessly walks a tightrope, neve falling into Newgrounds edgy-ness or squeaky-clean self-sanitization.
Richard Steven Horvitz (“The Angry Beavers,” “Psychonauts”) returns to voice Zim without any compromises. The screaming and adorable little alien menace is just as unhinged as he’s ever been. There’s actually a surprisingly large spectrum of emotions he goes through in the special, allowing Horvitz to showcase more of his range than before.
The rest of the cast keeps the high level of voice acting excellence from the original series; Rikki Simons as GIR, Melissa Fahn (“Cowboy Bebop”) as Gaz, and Rodger Bumpass (“SpongeBob SquarePants”) as Professor Membrane. Andy Berman (“Psych,” “Rosewood”) as Dib stand out. Like Horvitz, his character is taken through an emotional journey unlike anything he’s been through in the show, allowing for a larger and more impressive vocal range.
Thankfully, unlike specials like the previously released “Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling,” “Florpus” is not content with simply being an elongated episode. Rather, things go so far into left field plot-wise, that it seems like this could have potentially been a theatrical release at some point. The creative leaps that the team employ during the third act show some just how much Nickelodeon cared about this project and even flexes some major budget muscles.
The updated animation style may be off-putting to some, though. Whereas the “Rocko” special had consistent animation throughout, some sequences here are animated in exactly the same way as the original series, contrasting other scenes which feature smoother animation. Neither are bad, but they both seem jarring next to each other. It doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of the physical humor or glorious art-style though.
It makes for a satisfying viewing experience for those already indoctrinated. Unfortunately, for anyone who has never seen the series, they may find themselves lost. A brief description at the special’s beginning helps, but this is clearly something meant to be absorbed and enjoyed by the fans first and foremost.
“Enter the Florpus” is a perfect recreation of a cult classic series. It has all the humor and style of the original, coupled with still fantastic voice work. The larger scope means this is a full one movie experience and it delivers on everything it sets out to show. Zim is back in full form. Full, terrifying, disgusting, horrifyingly moose-infested form. 5/5
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