The fourth “Futurama” film is a return to form after the misfire that was “Bender’s Game”. “Into The Wild Green Yonder” is probably my second favourite of the four films, just behind “Bender’s Big Score”. I like how this one puts things on such an epic scale and makes good use of some characters that were underused in the show and previous movies.

New Vegas is being built on Mars by Amy’s father, Leo Wong. However, the construction of the city could have devastating environmental impact. Leela joins a gang of eco-feminist extremists while Fry learns that he has telepathic powers and may be the universe’s only hope in stopping the mysterious ‘Dark One’.

While it’s always great to see Fry, Leela and Bender, I really like the fact that this film makes good use of Leo Wong. He’s a very funny character that rarely got to shine in the series. He embodies every negative aspect of pushy Asian fathers and aggressive capitalists. We also see a guy with a tin foil hat that has actually been in the show for years as a background character. It’s nice that the makers were finally able to give us details about a character that had become known among the show’s most devout fans.

This is a funny movie but it also has a surprisingly good mystery. The big reveal of the identity of the ‘Dark One’ is actually pretty clever. I also really loved the opening with Seth MacFarlane (“Family Guy”) singing a hilarious Sinatra style of song. If you’re a fan of “Futurama” then make sure you don’t miss this one because it is very entertaining. While “Bender’s Game” got too wrapped up in fantasy nerd culture, I think that “Into The Wild Green Yonder” felt more like traditional “Futurama” and that’s a good thing.