Movie Review: Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest

The highly popular TV show Family Guy has become a source of pop culture amongst fans that have supported it even after it was originally canceled. The surge of interest when the show appeared on DVD eventually got the series to be reinstated, and now the beloved dysfunctional family is back for their second feature length special. Series creator Seth McFarlane has long been a considerable fan of Star Wars, and so for Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest, the hilarious characters all take over familiar roles as the heroes and villains of the galaxy far, far away.

The story of a young farmer who dreams of battling the evil galactic empire up in the far reaches of space, needs no explaining. Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Princess Leia, the faithful droids R2-D2 and C-3P0 and the ruthless Darth Vader all make an appearance - as highly stylized transformations into Family Guy personalities. The constantly calculating Stewie portrays the Dark Lord of the Sith, simple-minded Chris plays Luke, "Family Guy" Peter Griffin is an overweight Han Solo, Brian is a short Chewbacca, Lois is Leia, and Cleveland and Quagmire are R2-D2 and C-3P0 respectively. Other delightfully witty appearances are made by Herbert the pedophile, as Obi-Wan, Mayor Adam West as Grand Moff Tarkin (voiced by none other than Adam West), and even Meg (the constant butt of jokes) as the Dianoga trash compactor serpent.

While much of the film looks to have been rotascoped and cartoon shaded to perfectly match the movements of the original movie elements, such as Star Destroyers, TIE Fighters (with Thai pilots) and the fast-maneuvering Millennium Falcon, Blue Harvest is not without its unique moments of bizarre deviations from the original story. A flamboyant dance sequence with Ben Kenobi was somehow expected and yet so drastically different from anything you'd normally find in a Star Wars parody, and the need for Han Solo to snag a well-worn couch from the trash compacter during their escape, sees the heroic team attempting feats far less relevant to aiding the Rebellion.

But of course the best part of any Family Guy outing is the constant stabs at politics, people, places, religion, other shows and any idea that can be stretched to pluck a laugh from. Parodying not only the famous moments from Star Wars (A New Hope as well as the other episodes), Blue Harvest proceeds to jest at the expense of Angelina Jolie, golf, Christianity, American Dad, elevator music, Magic Johnson, Big Red chewing gum, Robot Chicken, and Chevy Chase to name but a few. The TV show is built on references to such a vast array of pop culture that some jokes you get and others you don't, but they keep coming in a fast pace, so there's no time to dwell on bits that are just out of reach of your subconscious.

Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest is a perfect delight for fans of the TV show, and doubles as a main attraction for anyone who has grown up with the influences of Star Wars. Familiar Family Guy faces appear at every turn, but the jokes are often even droller if you've kept up with the regular series. By no means a perfect spoof, Blue Harvest is a must-own for fans of Family Guy, a show that has been stretching the boundaries of cartoon decency for a very long time and now within a George Lucas approved galaxy far, far away.

- Mike Massie (www.MoviePulse.net)