Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, otherwise known as “Mr. Blockbuster,” is one of the most successful producers of all time, both in his partnership with the late Don Simpson and on his own. Love his films or hate them, there is no doubt that he producers huge, blockbuster action films that are also huge commercial successes. So, when the man who brought us the Bad Boys and Pirates of the Caribbean film franchises turns his eye to what is ostensibly a kids film, what can you expect the reult to be? Well, basically, G-Force is pretty much what you’d expect from a Bruckheimer-infused kid’s flick. There’s over-the-top action sequences and funny one-liners flying at you with more frequency than shrapnel from the many explosions. There’s top-notch Hollywood actors chewing up the scenery with much joy and a bombastic ending that really should first be enjoyed on the big screen. Oh, and it’s a lot of fun, too and something you’ll be happy for your kids to enjoy over and over. Thanks to Disney DVD and Blu-ray, you can now do just that.
Here’s the official synopsis of the film: “Just as the G-Force — an elite team of highly trained guinea pigs — is about to save the world, the F.B.I. shuts the secret unit down. But these next-generation action heroes — Darwin (voiced by Sam Rockwell), loyal team leader; Blaster (voiced by Tracey Morgan), weapons expert with attitude to spare; Juarez (voiced by Penélope Cruz), drop-dead gorgeous martial arts diva; and tag-along Hurley (voiced by Jon Favreau) — won’t be stopped. Armed with the latest in high-tech spy equipment, and with the F.B.I. on their tails, the fur flies as they race against the clock to save the world.”
The voice cast is rounded out by Steve Buscemi as Bucky the Hamster and an unrecognizable Nicolas Cage as Speckles the Star-Nosed Mole. But let’s not forget the live-action cast comprised of Bill Nighy, Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis and Kelli Garner. So, to recap, top-notch cast, cute computer-generated furry super-spies and a face-paced story full of action and witty banter. Relax with your kids and enjoy.
There are some very fun Special Features included with both the Blu-ray and DVD versions, mainly geared to the youngsters. The technophiles in the family will appreciate the Deleted Scenes and the Bloopers as well as the look back at Bruckheimer’s previous CG work. Once again Disney has done the smart thing in releasing a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack that gives you both formats as well as the Digital Copy. If you foresee going Blu-ray anytime in the next year then you should be picking up the combo set.
Exclusive To Disney Blu-ray:
Bonus Features:
–“Jump” By Flo Rida Featuring Nelly Furtado
–“Ready To Rock” By Steve Rushton
–“Go G-Force”
As an added bonus for Pop Culture Zoo readers we present the following Q & A with actor Nicholas Cage, who voiced Speckles the mole in 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.