The surprisingly watchable rodent adventure, G-Force, is now out on DVD and Blu-Ray, and the family-friendly, silly thrills are put together in a nice package, especially if you can take advantage of the Blu-Ray edition.
As much as this is rather a goofy starting point, the end result is far more… well, I want to say “sophisticated,” but I can’t bring myself to do it. The end result is more mature, and built around a solid, if child-oriented, frame. It’s also put together with a stronger sense of comedy than you’re likely to expect.
Zach Galifianakis, known only as Ben, runs a small research project for the FBI, sort of… or something. His project hopes to communicate with various animals, and get them to perform tasks which would be of incredible value to the government. However, his project has had far more success than anyone would dream possible. He has managed to create gadgets which allow guinea pigs and moles to talk, and has outfitted them with an array of rodent-sized tech which renders them their own class of super spies.
With a funding crunch in the works, Ben feels he has to prove himself, and sends his team to recover some data from the computer of industrialist Leonard Saber (Bill Nighy). Creator of the world’s most popular range of appliances, Ben thinks Saber is up to no good.
Unfortunately, the mission is not a complete success, and Ben has his project shut down. His team of rodents are forced to escape without their equipment, and find a way to survive, get back to Ben, and save the world.
It’s an idea that’s just crazy enough to work, and the voice talent and wild action make for the kind of movie kids of the right age will love.
Special Features -
Same story basically here. This is a good look, but there are other things we might have included apart from one more pat on the back for the effects.
While you might expect this one to offer up a few more bonuses directed at the target audience, this is truly a solid family-friendly film, and a nice package.
Own it on DVD and Blu-Ray today!
Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (National Treasure, Pirates of the Caribbean), G-Force takes audiences on a
deliriously entertaining thrill ride with a whole new breed of hero, featuring a stellar cast including Nicolas Cage
(National Treasure), Sam Rockwell (Moon), Jon Favreau (I Love You, Man), Penelope Cruz (Vicky Christina
Barcelona), Tracy Morgan (“30 Rock”), and Steve Buscemi (Charlotte’s Web), with live performances by Bill
Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End), Will Arnett (Ratatouille) and Zak Galifianakis (The
Hangover). Academy Award®-winning visual effects master Hoyt H. Yeatman, Jr. (1989 winner for Best
Effects; Visual Effects, The Abyss) makes his directing debut.
Destined to be the family comedy hit of the season, and released just in time for the holidays, G-Force
includes a fascinating line-up of behind-the-scenes features, hilarious deleted movie scenes and a collection of
music videos featuring songs from the film. And exclusively for Blu-ray owners, there are three CGI effect
bonus features that will satisfy their quest to join the rodent spy world.
A top-secret, highly trained trio of guinea pig super spies is assigned to stop a dastardly plot to take over the
world in G-Force, a gorgeously rendered CGI adventure from famed producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Squad
leader Darwin (voiced by Sam Rockwell) will do what it takes to guarantee the success of his team, which also
includes Blaster (Tracy Morgan), an outrageous weapons expert with tons of attitude, and Juarez (Penelope
Cruz), gorgeous martial arts pro. With the help of Speckles (Nicolas Cage), a star-nosed mole, and myriad
other members of the animal kingdom, the G-Force tries to derail evil appliance mogul Leonard Saber’s power
grab. It helps when your fly-on-the wall reconnaissance expert is, well, a fly on the wall!
Interviews
HOYT YEATMAN INTERVIEW FOR G-FORCE
What can you tell us about the story of G-Force?
HOYT YEATMAN: G-Force is a movie about animals who are recruited to help save the world it. It’s a film about guinea pigs, gadgets and gizmos!
How did you come up with the idea for the movie?
HOYT YEATMAN: My five-year-old son came up with the initial concept. He brought the class guinea pig home from school for the weekend and while eating breakfast, he told me about the guinea pig’s secret life as a double agent. He explained to me about the various high-tech gadgets, miniature army helmets and top-secret government missions the guinea pig was involved in. I laughed, but something sparked my imagination.
Did you start to write the movie’s story immediately?
HOYT YEATMAN: Well, I thought it was a cool idea. I loved the thought of this guinea pig running around trying to save the world with a little army helmet and a backpack, so I got on the internet and I did some research. I found some really interesting and bizarre stories about animals being trained by the American government for covert activities, including cats, dolphins, sharks and insects. It just lit up our imagination and off we went.
What challenges did you face while making the movie?
HOYT YEATMAN: When we started to come up with the story, we had to look into how a little guinea pig could be an effective spy. How would he get up onto a table and access a computer? He’s going to need special tools to do that. We had to come up with grappling hooks and night vision goggles – and then we started to look at the guinea pig form and found out some interesting facts.
What did you discover?
HOYT YEATMAN: Well, one interesting fact is that a guinea pig can’t touch the top of his head. He physically can’t do that because his head’s really large compared to his body and his paws don’t reach that far. So if you’re going to build night vision goggles and welding goggles, he has to wear a pack where he can hit a button to bring the goggles down to his eye level. He wouldn’t be able to move it there with his paws.
Are they superhero guinea pigs?
HOYT YEATMAN: No, not at all. We’re not saying these guinea pigs are super-genetic where they can leap tall buildings in a single stride like Superman. No, they’re regular guinea pigs who need help to do their job, which is why they have loads of gadgets.
What other challenges did you face in creating the movie?
HOYT YEATMAN: It’s been an amazing adventure to go from a conversation I had with my son around the dining room table to seeing a Hollywood film come to life. I’ve worked in visual effects for many years and I feel comfortable in that area, but it was a challenge to become a director. I had to make sure I was able to tell a good story and to have good characters that have emotional reactions. Directing was a lot of responsibility, but it turned out well. I’m very excited about the end product.
Are the guinea pig characters in G-Force based on real species of guinea pigs?
HOYT YEATMAN: Each character is based on an actual guinea pig breed. For example, Darwin is an American-bred guinea pig. We might move their eyes a little forward and add some color to their iris because we want to be able to distinguish between them all, but they are mostly anatomically correct.
Is Speckles based on a real animal?
HOYT YEATMAN: Speckles is based on a star-nosed mole – and that nose really does exist out there in the real world. Actually, it’s much bigger in real life, but we were asked to make it smaller because it was a little scary. We tried to keep everything else as true to life as possible, though. For example, Speckles’ hands are claw-like and they’re turned outwards, just like a real mole. When he works on his little computer, the keyboard is ergonomically designed for Speckles. It is slanted so that he can actually type on it.
How many recording sessions would an actor like Nicolas Cage have to do for the movie?
HOYT YEATMAN: Nicolas probably did around 10 recording sessions for the movie, although someone like Tracy Morgan or Sam Rockwell had to do more than that. Sam voices the main guinea pig and he would have been involved in up to 20 recording sessions.
How long do the recording sessions last?
HOYT YEATMAN: The sessions can last anywhere between three and five hours. Most of the time, the vocal artists are in the sound booth on their own, but there were two sessions where Sam Rockwell and Jon Favreau – who play Darwin and Hurley in the movie – were in the recording booth together. That’s when the magic would happen. We put boom mikes up around the recording area and let them act out the scenes, rather than have them just talk into a regular, studio mike. When Hurley and Darwin hug in the movie, it actually happened between Sam and Jon when they were recording that scene.
How did Penelope Cruz get involved with the project?
HOYT YEATMAN: Jerry Bruckheimer is expert at putting together the cast, both in front of the camera and behind the camera. It was his choice to come up with Penelope – and I thought it was an excellent one. She was amazing. She had never done voice work for an animated character, so it was a challenge – but she rose to the occasion and she succeeded. It’s actually quite difficult to stand in front of a microphone, void of a set and other actors, and then try to come up with something that works, but she did a great job. She really did.
Were there any characters that didn’t make it into the movie?
HOYT YEATMAN: Originally, there were going to be spiders in the tank that Hurley gets tossed into in the pet store. However, there was a feeling that it was too scary. Originally, we’d planned to have a tarantula in the tank with him.
While we’re talking about animals… Do you have any pets?
HOYT YEATMAN: We do. We have pygmy goats, rabbits, four dogs, cats and we even have rats.
What’s your favorite gadget in the movie?
HOYT YEATMAN: My favorite gadget isn’t in the movie. I put some jet packs in the G-Force video game and they are definitely my favorite. Mind you, the Rapid Deployment Vehicle is really cool, too.
What can you tell us about the DVD extras?
HOYT YEATMAN: We will give viewers a look behind the scenes and there will also be an interview with my son, as well as some out-takes from the movie. Viewers won’t be disappointed!
And finally… What would you like to see happen in a sequel?
HOYT YEATMAN: I don’t know if there’s going to be a sequel, but if it did happen, I’d love to take the action to a whole new level. In the first movie, we alluded to the idea of Bucky being a stealth hamster with a stealth suit, which is technology that’s being worked on at the moment. If you look at the military, they’ve got cloaking suits where you can actually see through people, which is very interesting. I’d also like to see the mice have a bigger role and I’d like to see adventures happen in some new places. Is a sequel going ahead? We’re just going to have to wait and see…
NICOLAS CAGE INTERVIEW FOR G-FORCE
Why did you decide to sign up for a family movie like G-Force?
NICOLAS CAGE: I try to keep my choices eclectic and I like to explore different characters in different genres, so I was really interested in the idea of G-Force when it was pitched to me. I feel that there’s nothing more sacred than the magical world of children and I wanted to work on a movie like this because there’s a need to keep children smiling in the world. Families are tense and people are losing their jobs because of what’s going on in the economy, but I want to make movies that give families something to look forward to. I like the idea of giving a child a smile on their face and I want to entertain them. G-Force has helped me do that.
How would you describe Speckles, your character in G-Force?
NICOLAS CAGE: Speckles is an iconoclast. He is a mole who never really feels like he belongs. He’s a loner who tries to fit in, but he finds it very difficult because of the way he looks and the way he talks. He’s carrying a lot of angst inside because his family was exterminated off a golf course when he was a small child – and he wants retribution.
How did you come up with the voice of Speckles?
NICOLAS CAGE: Voice actor Mel Blanc was a huge inspiration to me. This one man voiced characters including Yosemite Sam, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig – and it takes a great actor to do that. I wanted to try to channel that energy in some way and be creative, but play with it. I didn’t want to do a simple voiceover with my regular voice; I wanted to create a character vocally. I also didn’t want to play a guinea pig. The guinea pigs are the heroes of the movie, so I felt there would be more pressure for me to use my own voice. The mole had a look about him that I knew would allow me to be a bit more bizarre.
There are a lot of spy gadgets in the movie… Are you a fan of technology?
NICOLAS CAGE: I’m not really gadget oriented. I’m not into technology or computers. I’m not good at interfacing with that sort of gear.
But you must own a cell phone at the very least?
NICOLAS CAGE: Oh, sure. I use technology for communication, but I don’t have a Blackberry or an iPhone. I use an outdated cell phone, but I’m fine with it.
What’s your ring tone?
NICOLAS CAGE: I have Lou Reed singing Take A Walk On The Wild Side. I’m living in New York at the moment and it’s a quintessential New York song. I think it’s very appropriate.
When was the first time you realized you wanted to act?
NICOLAS CAGE: I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was very young. I guess I was about six years old at the time and I was fascinated by television. I started having waking fantasies where I was in a movie and there were crane shots of me during a scene. I would literally see the point of view of the camera going down and following me along the street as I walked home. I had it all sorted out in my head at a very young age. I think I knew right away that I wanted to be an actor.
Was your uncle, Francis Ford Coppola, much of a mentor at that stage?
NICOLAS CAGE: No, not at all. He wasn’t aware of my interest in acting until much later in my life.
Why did you decide to lose your last name, Coppola?
NICOLAS CAGE: Well, I thought the name was an obstacle in the beginning. It got too much interference from other actors and casting agents and it didn’t allow me to relax into what I knew I was meant to do. I couldn’t concentrate on my work because I was being teased for who I was, being a nephew of Coppola, and I was not taken seriously. People didn’t believe that I could be in a movie for any other reason than I was related to my uncle, so I had to believe in myself and I had to change my name.
The idea for G-Force came from the son of the movie’s director, Hoyt Yeatman. You also work closely with your son on the comic book, Voodoo Child. Do you find it easy to bounce ideas around with your own children?
NICOLAS CAGE: Yes, I do. Voodoo Child is something that we worked on many years ago, but my son, Weston, had that idea percolating for a while because we used to go to New Orleans together when he was growing up. We always had this fascination with different cultures and different beliefs. He created this comic book character out of his experiences in New Orleans and we’re hoping it will be turned into a movie at some point.
Would you or your son take on any roles in the movie?
NICOLAS CAGE: Definitely. We already have it sorted out. He would play the bad guy and I would play the detective. That’s how it would work.
What is it you like about New Orleans?
NICOLAS CAGE: I’ve always had an interest in Louisiana – especially New Orleans. I’ve been very fortunate because I was lucky enough to shoot a movie called Bad Lieutenant in Louisiana a while ago.
Why did you sign on for the remake of Bad Lieutenant?
NICOLAS CAGE: I felt that if you’re going to recreate Bad Lieutenant, then you had better find something new to do with it. I didn’t want to play a New York cop because that’s already been done, so we tried something else. A New Orleans cop is a very different kind of energy than a New York cop, so it worked and it seemed right.
Did you enjoy working with Werner Herzog on the film?
NICOLAS CAGE: No one else is quite like Werner. He has a completely different energy altogether. He’s very grandiose and my experience of working with him was everything I hoped it would be. He’s not like any other director I’ve worked with before. By way of example, he does his own slate. He’s in the middle of everything on set and he makes eye contact with everybody: the actor, the cameraman and the sound department. He’s got a real eye. In fact, I call him a visionary genius. He’s something very special indeed. I like Werner a lot. I think he has a good sense of humor and he has a different way of looking at things than other people.
Would you like to work with him again?
NICOLAS CAGE: It’s funny you should ask this question because I spoke to him a couple of weeks ago about working with him again. I would love to play King Ludwig – who is famous for his Bavarian castles – in a movie directed by Werner. I said that we should try to find a way to do it because it’s a great story. I hope it works out.
BILL NIGHY INTERVIEW FOR G-FORCE
What can you tell us about the story of G-Force?
BILL NIGHY: G-Force is a wonderful family movie about some guinea pigs, a mole and a fly. A huge global disaster is looming and nothing stands between the world and total destruction except for these animals.
Can you tell us about the global disaster waiting to happen?
BILL NIGHY: Well, all of the electrical domestic appliances in houses around the world – everything from your coffee machine and vacuum cleaner to your washing machine and hairdryer – are on a course for destruction. In the movie, all these domestic appliances will try to kill you on a certain day, at a signal given by my character, Leonard Saber.
How would you describe Leonard Saber?
BILL NIGHY: He is a ruthless industrialist bent on world domination. He’s a damaged tycoon. Leonard is a very successful, but damaged man – and he was a lot of fun to play.
So why did you sign up for the movie?
BILL NIGHY: What drew me to the project? Everything. The fact that it’s a Jerry Bruckheimer film made me feel very safe because he has such an amazing track record. I’ve worked with him before and I always enjoy the experience. The script for G-Force was also very satisfying. It is funny and exciting at the same time – and everybody who signed up for the movie was very cool. We have actors including Nicolas Cage, Penelope Cruz and Sam Rockwell, who I like very much. There wasn’t anything about the movie that I didn’t like.
How tough was the film shoot?
BILL NIGHY: Working on G-Force was one of the nicest jobs I’ve ever had. I got to hang out with extremely funny guys like Will Arnett and Zach Galifianakis, which was really good fun. Put those two together and they just riff all day.
What did you think when you saw the movie for the first time?
BILL NIGHY: I was blown away. I loved it. It’s funny, silly, stupid, smart, exciting and gripping. Plus, there are these guinea pigs with some incredible gadgets and vehicles.
Are you a fan of gadgets?
BILL NIGHY: No, not really. I’m a weirdo because I don’t even own a car. However, I like the vehicles that the G-Force guinea pigs travel around in. I think they’re beautifully designed and they look amazing.
Aren’t you a fan of any technical gadgets in real life?
BILL NIGHY: I never got into like electronic things. I’m one of those weird people who doesn’t even own a computer. I don’t have anything electrical, except for an electric kettle and a toaster. Oh, and my mobile phone.
Are you a fan of guinea pigs?
BILL NIGHY: When my daughter was little, she had guinea pigs, so I know what they’re like to have as pets. They’re fun, but the one big drawback about guinea pigs is that they can get out of anywhere. They are escapologists of the highest order and they can get into the floorboards and everything. They’re also very nice pets as long as you can keep them away from the cat. That was always a problem.
Do you have any pets at home now?
BILL NIGHY: No, I don’t have pets at the moment. I did have two dogs called Smokey and Nellie, as well as a cat called Ziggy, but they all passed away. I love dogs and I would love to have another, but I’m just too busy. I don’t think it’s fair to get one right now, although I think they’re great companions.
Is it true you suffer from stage fright?
BILL NIGHY: It is true. I deal with it all of the time – and it gets worse and worse. It’s like an illness. You get a shortness of breath, you get a slight lightheadedness and you feel nauseous. When I do a play, it’s like agreeing to be ill for a couple of months.
How do you get over stage fright?
BILL NIGHY: I acknowledge the fact that it’s absolutely normal and appropriate to be scared. Everyone is scared. I know really, really famous people who are terrified every time they walk onto a stage – but it’s alright because you can operate whilst being frightened. When you’re nervous, it doesn’t stop you from doing what you’ve got to do. Otherwise, no one would be able to do it.
Do you prefer working in the theater to movies?
BILL NIGHY: I guess I like a balance between the two because they’re both very different. When they’re good, they’re both marvelous, although theater is very hard and very scary because you have to do it all in one go in front of a live audience. Anything can happen.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
BILL NIGHY: I always say, “Get involved wherever you can.” If you’re young, try out for school plays or act out things at home. That’s what I used to do when I was younger. If you’re at school right now, volunteer for all the plays. If they give you a small part, play the small part. Don’t worry about what size the part is. If your enthusiasm survives your teenage years and exams, I would then look into going to drama school because there really isn’t any other route, unless something extraordinary happens – like a producer sees you in the street and says, “You! I want you for my film.” I think it’s important to go to drama school, but it’s a very tough process because you have to audition and there are thousands and thousands of people going for it.
How tough are auditions?
BILL NIGHY: Auditions can be very taxing, but you just have to get on with them. Learn your part well, speak loud and don’t move about too much. That’s my advice. Don’t turn your back. Don’t mumble. And if you can, choose something funny.
You’re famous for playing Davy Jones in Pirates Of The Caribbean… How often do you get recognized from that movie?
BILL NIGHY: The Pirates movies were so beloved by all ages and I was very happy to be part of them, but I look a lot different to Davy Jones. That means I don’t get recognized as him too often. However, a lot of people put two and two together and ask me about it. I visited a friend the other day and her grandchildren were in the bedroom. We were in the kitchen and she said, “My grandchildren would love to meet you. They’re huge fans of Pirates.” So she went off to get these two little boys from their bedroom and as she went, she said, “Hey boys, Davy Jones is in the kitchen.” They locked the door, which seemed to be a very sensible thing to do. They wouldn’t come out.
They were that scared?
BILL NIGHY: They were. I met them subsequently in the street, where they couldn’t get away – but obviously I wasn’t the squid, Davy Jones. I was just the guy who played the squid, so they were perfectly fine, although they were still slightly edgy. Afterwards, I heard that they said to their mother: “He looks like the president and he talks like Austin Powers.” It was very funny.
Have we really seen the end of Davy Jones?
BILL NIGHY: I don’t know. I heard a rumor that there is going to be a Pirates 4 and that Johnny Depp is confirmed, but I don’t know if that’s a certainty. No one else has been confirmed and I have no idea if I’ll be in it or not. If Davy Jones is in the new movie, I’d be very happy.
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I like blog like I see on this website, and the film is interesting
I have never been a fan of the talking animals (especially where they animate the mouth) movies. I'm not sure why they general leave me cold, even from the first I saw (Babe). Fortunately for me, my children have not seemed particularly interested, but I'm glad to know, if I want to try one, this might be worth the trouble.
I eagerly want to see this film….
This looks like a wonderful movie. I have a grandson that would love to see this I am sure. When I was young I had guinea pig … come to think of it I can't remember the name of the fellow, but just the same I thought he was the best pet ever. Animals and movies always make a wonderful combination … remember Disney got a start with a mouse. Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas filled with many smiles.