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Space Aliens is a 2005 American computer animated space comedy film directed and written by Robert Rodriguez the film stars Tony Shalhoub Racer Max Salma Hayek Danny Trejo Elijah Wood and George Clooney the film follows a space alien named Kerp who accidentally loses his child Kweep and he starts a alien invasion to find his son the film was theatrically released on May 16 2005 by Miramax Films under the former Dimension Films banner as their first animated film the film received mixed to positive reviews with praises for it's premise and heart although some criticisms went for it's tone and pacing it is notable for being Robert Rodriguez's first animated film
Plot[]
The film follows a alien named Kerp who's child Kweep accidentally falls off the UFO and wanders around earth now his parents start a whole alien invasion on earth to find this earth
Cast[]
Tony Shalhoub as Kerp
Racer Max as Kweep
Salma Hayek as Mirtha
Danny Trejo as Truncle
Elijah Wood as Gerlatic
George Clooney as Star
Production[]
After the success of the first Spy Kids movie in 2001 Rodriguez wanted to do a family oriented project that was different from Spy Kids he decided that it should be a animated project noting the CGI elements from Spy Kids would be perfect for a animated movie he wanted to do a film about a alien losing his son and having to find his son via alien invasion because he thought it would be relatable much like Spy Kids Tony Shalhoub joined the project being a Robert Rodriguez fan and being a father of two children who Rodriguez felt would be perfect to play the alien father Rodriguez send the script to Miramax Film's Dimension Films who formerly owned by Harvey Weinstein wanted the script wanting Miramax to have a animated film to complete with Disney who formerly owned Miramax at the time
there was a couple of times where Harvey Weinstein tried to get the film to be distributed under the main Miramax Films banner rather than Dimension Films
however Rodriguez decided the film should be a Dimension title instead noting it didn't feel like a Miramax title and it ultimately ended up being a Dimension title
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner who owned Miramax/Dimension at the time felt it would be nice for Miramax Film's division Dimension Films to have a animated film additionally Robert Rodriguez's production company Troublemaker Studios produced the film while Spyglass Entertainment produced and Miramax Films under the former genre film subsidiary Dimension Films ended up distributing
Animation[]
This film is Robert Rodriguez's first animated film he said the reason why is because he felt the premise would work better for a animated film noting that with the premise you can do things in animation you can't do in live action he also stated he wanted to carry the CGI elements from his previous family film Spy Kids to make a completely CGI animated feature film animation and visual effects were done by Industrial Lights and Magic and Troublevision
Music[]
The film score is written by Robert Rodriguez and Danny Elfman who also did the score for his previous family project Spy Kids
Release[]
Marketing[]
While the film is distributed by Miramax due to Miramax being owned by Disney at the time Disney did some promotion for the film this includes it being advertised on Disney channels such as Disney Channel Toon Disney the brand new Jetix etc additionally they also promoted it in front of Miramax's other animated feature Beyblade: Fierce Battle McDonalds also created tie in toys to promote the film
Theatrical[]
The film was released theatrically on May 16 2005 by Miramax Films under the genre film division Dimension Films as part of a deal with Miramax and Pop Secret signed in June 2001 Pop Secret popcorn would be present at theater screenings and as tie in's for video releases for Space Aliens Pop Secret popcorns was in theaters for the release while on home video Pop Secret Special Editions were issued that came with collectibles and tickets to win prizes
Home Media[]
The film was released on VHS and DVD on August 10 2005 by Buena Vista Home Entertainment's Miramax Home Entertainment's label Dimension Home Video the DVD release came with bonus features director's commentary by Robert Rodriguez and the actors and deleted scenes additionally it later came on Blu Ray on June 12 2007 by Miramax Home Entertainment featuring new features it later came on Blu Ray 3D on October 29 2010 by Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Reception[]
Box Office[]
Space Aliens opened theatrically in 3, 103 venues on May 16 2005 earning $26.5 million in its first weekend and ranking first in the North American box office. It held the number one spot for three weeks before being toppled by Madagascar The film ultimately grossed $111.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $35.2 million internationally for a worldwide total of $126.8 million.
Critical Reception[]
The film received mixed to positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes Space Aliens holds a approval rating of 73% based on 131 reviews and an average rating of of 5.3/10 The site's critical consensus reads: ''A intergalatic kinetic movie that holds from Spy Kids director that may appeal to children of all ages'' on Metacritic it has a weighted score of ''67'' Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of B on an A+ to F scale
Roger Elbert gave it 3.5 out of 4 stars stating that ''From Robert Rodriguez the director of Spy Kids he brings a animated adventure that is intelligent funny and sure to please children and adults'' Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote: ''it's entertaining and inoffensive and from the same guys behind Spy Kids Lael Loewenstein of Variety observed ''It has heart fun and humor everything a kids movie needs''
Trivia[]
1: It is Robert Rodriguez/Troublemaker Studios Spyglass Entertainment and Miramax/Dimension Film's first animated feature
2: It is also Robert Rodriguez's fourth family film after Spy Kids: 3D (2003) Spy Kids: 2 (2002) and Spy Kids (2001)
3: The CGI animation was done by Industrial Lights and Magic and Troublevision
4: Harvey Weinstein former owner of Miramax at several times tried to shift the project to the main Miramax banner before it ended up being released under Dimension Films instead
5: In September 5 2005 Spy Kids Spy Kids 2 Spy Kids 3D and Space Aliens was released in a bundle pack by Miramax Home Entertainment's Dimension Home Video label on August 25 2005
6: Robert Rodriguez has stated he has plans for a sequel and is trying his hardest to get it made
7: Disney CEO Michael Eisner appreciated that it was being released under their former subsidiary Miramax Film's Dimension Films banner
8: It is also one of Miramax's only animated films to be a major theatrical release as their other animated films were either english imports dubs direct to video or not owned by Miramax anymore
9: on September 26 2005 The film was released in a bundle pack with fellow Miramax animated feature Bionicle: Mask of Light on DVD on July 20 2005 by Miramax Home Entertainment
10:Like every other animated film from the 2000s A video game based on the film just called Space Aliens: The Game was released on May 17 2005 a day after the film came out on PlayStation 2 PlayStation Portable Xbox GameCube GameBoy Advance and Nintendo DS
11: The opening Dimension Films Spyglass Entertainment and Troublemaker Studios logos all have custom variations where the Dimension Films logo is on space and gets abducted by a UFO meanwhile the Spyglass logo also has the man in the logo get abducted by a alien the Troublemaker Studios has Peppino build the Troublemaker Studios logo in space and than gets abducted by a alien