Furry Vengeance
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''Furry Vengeance'' is a 2010 American
family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...
directed by
Roger Kumble Roger Kumble (born May 28, 1966) is an American film director, screenwriter, and playwright. Life and career Kumble was raised in Harrison, New York, and attended Harrison High School. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1988, where he ...
from a script by Michael Carnes and Josh Gilbert, and starring
Brendan Fraser Brendan James Fraser ( ; born December 3, 1968) is an American-Canadian actor. List of awards and nominations received by Brendan Fraser, His accolades include an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a nomination for a Golden Globe A ...
,
Brooke Shields Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress. A child model starting at the age of 11 months, Shields gained widespread notoriety at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby (1978 film), Pretty Baby ...
,
Ken Jeong Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong ( ; ; born July 13, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and physician. He rose to prominence for playing Leslie Chow in ''The Hangover'' film series (2009–2013) and Ben Chang in the NBC sitcom ''Community'' ...
and
Alice Drummond Alice Elizabeth Drummond (née Ruyter, May 21, 1928 – November 30, 2016) was an American actress. A veteran Off-Broadway performer, she was nominated in 1970 for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance as Mrs ...
in her final feature film role.
Dee Bradley Baker Dee Bradley Baker (born August 31, 1962) is an American voice actor. Much of his work has consisted of vocalizations of animals and monsters. Baker's roles include animated series such as '' Adventure Time'', ''American Dad!'', '' Avatar: The Las ...
performed the animal vocal effects. The film tells the story of a real estate developer charged with changing a forest into a residential community, which evokes the wrath of local forest animals. The film was produced by
Robert Simonds Robert Bruce Simonds Jr. (born 1964) is an American film producer, entrepreneur, and the founder & chairman of STX Entertainment, which creates, produces, distributes, finances, and markets film (as STXfilms), television (as STXtelevision), dig ...
and Keith Goldberg, co-produced by
Participant Media Participant Media, LLC was an American independent Film industry, film and television production company founded in 2004 by Jeffrey Skoll, dedicated to entertainment intended to spur social change. The company financed and co-produced film and te ...
, Imagenation Abu Dhabi and Robert Simonds Productions and distributed by
Summit Entertainment Summit Entertainment, LLC (formerly the Summit Group, Summit Export Group, Summit Entertainment Group Inc., Summit Entertainment Limited, Summit Films Limited, and Summit Entertainment N.V.) is an American film production label of Lionsgate Film ...
.
Edward Shearmur Edward Shearmur (also known as Ed Shearmur; born 28 February 1966) is a British film composer. Born in London, England, at age seven he sang in the boys' choir at Westminster Cathedral. Educated at Eton College, he studied at the Royal College o ...
wrote the music. ''Furry Vengeance'' was Fraser's final film as part of the
William Morris Endeavor Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (formerly William Morris Endeavor and WME-IMG) is an American holding company for talent and media agencies with its primary offices in Beverly Hills, California. The company was founded in April 2009 after the me ...
agency, as he switched to the Creative Arts Agency in 2010. It was theatrically released on April 30, 2010. The film was a
box office disappointment A box-office bomb is a film that is unprofitable or considered highly unsuccessful during its theatrical run. Although any film for which the combined production budget, marketing, and distribution costs exceed the revenue after release has te ...
, earning $36.2 million on a $35 million budget, and was panned by critics and audiences.


Plot

In the wilderness of
Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
, a
prairie dog Prairie dogs (genus ''Cynomys'') are herbivorous burrowing Marmotini, ground squirrels native to the grasslands of North America. There are five recognized species of prairie dog: black-tailed prairie dog, black-tailed, white-tailed prairie dog ...
screams after Riggs drives past and throws a
cigar A cigar is a rolled bundle of dried and Fermentation, fermented tobacco leaves made to be Tobacco smoking, smoked. Cigars are produced in a variety of sizes and shapes. Since the 20th century, almost all cigars are made of three distinct comp ...
at it while talking to Lyman Enterprise
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
Neal Lyman on the phone while planning to check up on co-worker Dan Sanders. This causes a
raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the North American, northern or common raccoon (also spelled racoon) to distinguish it from Procyonina, other species of raccoon, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest ...
to signal a
mink Mink are dark-colored, semiaquatic, carnivorous mammals of the genera ''Neogale'' and '' Mustela'' and part of the family Mustelidae, which also includes weasels, otters, and ferrets. There are two extant species referred to as "mink": the A ...
to release a
boulder In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In ...
that pushes Riggs' car to the edge of a cliff, teetering back and forth. After that, the raccoon throws the cigar back to Riggs who yells "You're a bad raccoon!" The raccoon then blows the car down the cliff. Riggs is then heard calling up Lyman to tell him that he quits. Dan Sanders is a real estate developer from
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
and nature lover who meets with Lyman who gives Dan the task of turning the forest of Rocky Springs into a residential development after Riggs' instant resignation. This all transpires much to the objections of Dan's son Tyler and wife Tammy who are unhappy in Rocky Springs while missing their lives in Chicago. Unfortunately for Dan, the animals who are led by the raccoon refuse to sit back and watch their forest being destroyed. They manage to turn the tables on him by disturbing his progress, interrupting his meetings, and humiliating him. Upon receiving some research from his love interest Amber, Tyler tells his father that Rocky Springs is a
forest reserve Forest reserve(s) may refer to: * Nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importan ...
where he warns his father that "many have tried to settle Rocky Springs but they all failed." Following an attack by a
grizzly bear The grizzly bear (''Ursus arctos horribilis''), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America. In addition to the mainland grizzly (''Ursus arctos horr ...
that traps him in a tipped over
portable toilet A portable or mobile toilet (colloquial terms: thunderbox, porta-john, porta-potty or porta-loo) is any type of toilet that can be moved around, some by one person, some by mechanical equipment such as a truck and crane. Most types do not require ...
, Dan signs orders to have a
drill sergeant A drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces, fire department, or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. Foot drill, military step, and marching are typically taught by drill instructors. Australia Aust ...
capture and cage all the animals. Meanwhile, Tammy is forced to plan an "
eco-friendly Environment friendly processes, or environmental-friendly processes (also referred to as eco-friendly, nature-friendly, and green), are sustainability and marketing terms referring to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that c ...
" fair with a senile teacher Mrs. Martin at the high school which is sponsored by Lyman Enterprises, unaware of Lyman's plans to cut down the forest to build houses and a
shopping mall A shopping mall (or simply mall) is a large indoor shopping center, usually Anchor tenant, anchored by department stores. The term ''mall'' originally meant pedestrian zone, a pedestrian promenade with shops along it, but in the late 1960s, i ...
"with a forest theme". Figuring this out and the fact that Neal lied about planning to send the animals to a nature preserve, Dan decides to set the animals free. Once released, the raccoon and his friends immediately wreak havoc on the eco-fair, causing the guests and entertainers to flee while Mrs. Martin (who doesn't seem to give a care about what's going on around her) talks to an
owl Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...
. Lyman accidentally tranquilizes the sponsor for the construction named Mr. Gupta after he attempted to break their deal. He flees into a worm tunnel with the animals in close pursuit. The animals begin attacking him as the bear drives a
golf cart A golf cart (alternatively known as a golf buggy or golf car) is a small motorized vehicle designed originally to carry two golfers and their golf clubs around a golf course with less effort than walking. Over time, variants were introduced t ...
, pulling the tunnel away into the forest. After some convincing from Amber and Tammy, Tyler finally tells his father that he loves him. Three months later, the forest is reclaimed as a
nature preserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geolog ...
with Dan working as a
park ranger A ranger, park ranger, park warden, field ranger, or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands and Protected area, protected areas – private, national, state, provincial, or local parks. Their duties include ( ...
. The poster promoting the forest preservation also states that anyone who violates the rules will be fined $1 million. During the credits, the humans and animals dance to the
Transcenders Transcenders is an American music production company established in 2002 by Brian Lapin, Terence Yoshiaki, and Mike Fratantuno. The latter two have previously co-written several songs for the hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas, including "Let's Get I ...
version of "
Insane in the Brain "Insane in the Brain" is a song by American hip-hop group Cypress Hill, released in June 1993, by Ruffhouse and Columbia Records, as the first single from the group's second album, '' Black Sunday'' (1993). The song was written by group members ...
."


Cast

*
Brendan Fraser Brendan James Fraser ( ; born December 3, 1968) is an American-Canadian actor. List of awards and nominations received by Brendan Fraser, His accolades include an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a nomination for a Golden Globe A ...
as Dan Sanders, a real estate developer. ** Fraser also appears uncredited as Tuka the
Caveman The caveman is a stock character representative of primitive humans in the Paleolithic. The popularization of the type dates to the early 20th century, when Neanderthals were influentially described as " simian" or " ape-like" by Marcellin B ...
, Sigrid the
Viking Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9â ...
, Jedediah the
Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to rid the Church of England of what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should b ...
, and Terrence the
Hippie A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, counterculture of the mid-1960s to early 1970s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States and spread to dif ...
, characters from Rocky Springs' folklore that had issues with the Raccoon's ancestors when they tried to settle Rocky Springs. *
Brooke Shields Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress. A child model starting at the age of 11 months, Shields gained widespread notoriety at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby (1978 film), Pretty Baby ...
as Tammy Sanders, the wife of Dan who works as a teacher. Although initially skeptical due to ''Furry Vengeance'' being an animal film, Shields joined on the basis that she would work with Fraser. For the meat rabbit scene, Shields asked to have a statue made of real meat hit her face instead of a fake cardboard one; "I didn't have a hamburger for a while after that," Shields explained. In order for the meat to not seep through the hands of a stunt person throwing the meat, they put a "cardboard thing" on the prop; this resulted in Shields' breaking her nose. Performing a scene where Sanders uses
turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
babble to communicate with a turkey expanded Shields' depth as a
method actor ''Method Actor'' is an eponymous album of the band Method Actor released in 1988 featuring American singer Eva Cassidy. It was unofficially re-released on CD in 2002. Track listing # "Getting Out" (David Christopher) – 4:19 # "Look in to My ...
, describing it as "not easy." ** Shields also appears uncredited as the wife of Tuka the Caveman in the credits. *
Matt Prokop Matthew Ray Prokop (born July 29, 1990) is an American former actor. He is known for his roles as Jimmie "The Rocket Man" Zara in the Disney film '' High School Musical 3: Senior Year'' (2008) and Josh Rosen in the Disney Channel Original Movi ...
as Tyler Sanders, the son of Dan and Tammy. *
Ken Jeong Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong ( ; ; born July 13, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and physician. He rose to prominence for playing Leslie Chow in ''The Hangover'' film series (2009–2013) and Ben Chang in the NBC sitcom ''Community'' ...
as Neal Lyman, the
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
of Lyman Enterprises who wants to develop on the lands of Rocky Springs while pretending to be eco-friendly. *
Angela Kinsey Angela Faye Kinsey (born June 25, 1971) is an American actress. She played Angela Martin in the sitcom ''The Office'' (2005–2013) and appeared in the sitcoms '' Your Family or Mine'' (2015) and ''Haters Back Off'' (2016–2017). Since ''The O ...
as Felder, Lyman's
personal assistant A personal assistant, also referred to as personal aide (PA) or personal secretary (PS), is a job title describing a person who assists a specific person with their daily business or personal task. It is a subspecialty of secretarial duties ...
. *
Toby Huss Tobias Huss (born December 9, 1966) is an American actor. He is known for portraying Artie in the Nickelodeon series '' The Adventures of Pete & Pete'' (1993–1996). He is also known for his voice-over work on the long-running animated series ''K ...
as Wilson, one of the officers. *
Skyler Samuels Skyler Samuels (born ) is an American actress, known for her roles in the television series ''Wizards of Waverly Place'', ''The Gates'', ''The Nine Lives of Chloe King'', ''Scream Queens'' and '' The Gifted''. Early life Samuels was born in Los ...
as Amber, the love interest of Tyler. *
Samantha Bee Samantha Anne Bee (born October 25, 1969) is a Canadian-American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actress, and television host. Bee rose to fame as a correspondent on ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'', where she became the ...
as Principal Baker, the principal of Tyler and Amber's school who is Tammy's boss. *
Alice Drummond Alice Elizabeth Drummond (née Ruyter, May 21, 1928 – November 30, 2016) was an American actress. A veteran Off-Broadway performer, she was nominated in 1970 for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance as Mrs ...
as Mrs. Martin, an elderly senile school teacher and senior citizen. * Ricky Garcia as Frank, a construction worker. * Jim Norton as Hank, a construction worker. *
Patrice O'Neal Patrice Lumumba Malcolm O'Neal (December 7, 1969 – November 29, 2011) was an American comedian and actor. He was known for his stand-up comedy career and his regular guest appearances on the talk show '' Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn'' and th ...
as Gus, a construction worker. According to Norton, O'Neal was difficult to work with on ''Furry Vengeance'': "I was like the co-dependent wife. He was just embarrassing to be associated with. We had to go in and do our first meet with the director, and we had sat around all day. And I'm trying to like, 'Hey, we're doing a movie!' And it's a Brooke Shields movie, and we're sitting down. And he's just sitting there like 'Aahhhhhh.' Everybody hated him on that shoot." *
Eugene Cordero Eugene Cordero (born July 18, 1978) is an American comedian, actor, and writer. Frequently appearing in comedic roles, he has been featured as a series regular on the comedies ''Other Space'' (2015), ''Bajillion Dollar Propertie$'' (2017–2019) ...
as Cheese *
Gerry Bednob Gerald Baldeo (born ), known professionally as Gerry Bednob, is a Trinidadian-American comedian and actor. Biography Bednob was born in Trinidad and Tobago and is of Indian descent. In his standup acts, Bednob often refers to himself as Bangl ...
as Mr. Gupta, the sponsor of Lyman's project in Rocky Springs. *
Billy Bush William Hall Bush (born October 17, 1971) is an American radio and television host. He is a member of the Bush family, a nephew of former president George H. W. Bush and cousin of former president George W. Bush and former Florida governor Jeb B ...
as a Drill Sergeant that leads the capture of the forest animals. * Alexander Chance as a security guard. *
Rob Riggle Robert Allen Riggle Jr. (born April 21, 1970) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, and retired United States Marine officer. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, joining the Marines in 1990 and later attaining the rank of lieutenant colone ...
as Riggs (uncredited), a worker for Neal Lyman who quits following the raccoon's first attack. *
Wallace Shawn Wallace Michael Shawn (born November 12, 1943) is an American actor, essayist, playwright, and screenwriter. He is known for playing Vizzini in '' The Princess Bride'' (1987), Mr. Hall in '' Clueless'' (1995), Dr. John Sturgis in '' Young Sheldo ...
as Dr. Christian Burr (uncredited), a therapist that Tammy hooks Dan up with after various incidents with the raccoon. The vocal effects of the raccoon and the other forest animals were performed by
Dee Bradley Baker Dee Bradley Baker (born August 31, 1962) is an American voice actor. Much of his work has consisted of vocalizations of animals and monsters. Baker's roles include animated series such as '' Adventure Time'', ''American Dad!'', '' Avatar: The Las ...
, an experience he described as "a lot of fun."


Production


Development

On June 8, 2004,
New Line Cinema New Line Productions, Inc., Trade name, doing business as New Line Cinema, is an American film production, film and television production company that is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, a division of the Major film studios, ...
bought a
spec script A spec script, also known as a speculative screenplay, is a non-commissioned and unsolicited screenplay. It is usually written by a screenwriter who hopes to have the script optioned and eventually purchased by a producer, production company, or ...
by Carnes and Gilbert, ''Furry Vengeance'', at a price of $750,000. Its premise of forest animals attacking a real estate developer was announced by the company;
Kent Alterman Kent Alterman is an American film director and producer. He made his directorial debut in 2008 with '' Semi-Pro'' starring Will Ferrell. Early life and career Alterman graduated in 1981 from the University of Oregon. He was president of Comed ...
, Keith Goldberg and Michelle Weiss were also announced as supervisors.
Steve Carell Steven John Carell (; born August 16, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He starred as Michael Scott in the NBC sitcom ''The Office'' (2005–2011, 2013), and also worked at several points as a producer, executive producer, writer, a ...
, an actor Alterman previously worked with on ''
The Daily Show ''The Daily Show'' is an American late-night talk show, late-night talk and news satire television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central in the United States, with extended episodes released shortly after on Paramount+ ...
'', went on board to play the real estate developer on July 12. It would've been Carell's first studio film where he received top billing. A May 6, 2007 ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' article announced Carell was replaced by Samuel L. Jackson. On January 26, 2009,
Brendan Fraser Brendan James Fraser ( ; born December 3, 1968) is an American-Canadian actor. List of awards and nominations received by Brendan Fraser, His accolades include an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a nomination for a Golden Globe A ...
was announced to play the lead character and
Roger Kumble Roger Kumble (born May 28, 1966) is an American film director, screenwriter, and playwright. Life and career Kumble was raised in Harrison, New York, and attended Harrison High School. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1988, where he ...
to direct.
Summit Entertainment Summit Entertainment, LLC (formerly the Summit Group, Summit Export Group, Summit Entertainment Group Inc., Summit Entertainment Limited, Summit Films Limited, and Summit Entertainment N.V.) is an American film production label of Lionsgate Film ...
and
Participant Media Participant Media, LLC was an American independent Film industry, film and television production company founded in 2004 by Jeffrey Skoll, dedicated to entertainment intended to spur social change. The company financed and co-produced film and te ...
were also revealed to co-finance and co-produce the film that same day, and ''Furry Vengeance'' would've be the two companies' first collaboration. It was also the first project Imagenation invested in as part of a $250 million production agreement with Participant signed in September 2008, where they would fund fifteen to eighteen of Participant's films over the course of five years. One of Kumble's major ideas included the creatures not speaking.
Matt Prokop Matthew Ray Prokop (born July 29, 1990) is an American former actor. He is known for his roles as Jimmie "The Rocket Man" Zara in the Disney film '' High School Musical 3: Senior Year'' (2008) and Josh Rosen in the Disney Channel Original Movi ...
was cast on June 10, 2009, with
Skyler Samuels Skyler Samuels (born ) is an American actress, known for her roles in the television series ''Wizards of Waverly Place'', ''The Gates'', ''The Nine Lives of Chloe King'', ''Scream Queens'' and '' The Gifted''. Early life Samuels was born in Los ...
joining four days later. On July 8,
Brooke Shields Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress. A child model starting at the age of 11 months, Shields gained widespread notoriety at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby (1978 film), Pretty Baby ...
,
Ken Jeong Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong ( ; ; born July 13, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and physician. He rose to prominence for playing Leslie Chow in ''The Hangover'' film series (2009–2013) and Ben Chang in the NBC sitcom ''Community'' ...
and
Samantha Bee Samantha Anne Bee (born October 25, 1969) is a Canadian-American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actress, and television host. Bee rose to fame as a correspondent on ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'', where she became the ...
joined; the film was Shields' first role in a mainstream film since ''
Black and White Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white to produce a range of achromatic brightnesses of grey. It is also known as greyscale in technical settings. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, ...
'' (1999).
Dick Van Dyke Richard Wayne Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925) is an American actor, entertainer and comedian. Dick Van Dyke on screen and stage, His work spans screen and stage, and List of awards and nominations received by Dick Van Dyke, his awards includ ...
was also announced to appear in the film that same day, although he doesn't make an appearance in the final cut. ''Furry Vengeance'' was initially planned to be released in July 2010, but it was changed to an April date.


Filming

Filming began on July 6, 2009.


Music

Songs appearing in the film include: * "Gavotte" – Jeff Cardoni and Katisse Buckingham * "Frank & Beans" –
Chad Fischer Chad Fischer is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer from Santa Monica, California, also known as the frontman of the band Lazlo Bane. Early years Chad Fischer's early work was being a drummer for the ba ...
(version by Count Smokula) * "
Insane in the Brain "Insane in the Brain" is a song by American hip-hop group Cypress Hill, released in June 1993, by Ruffhouse and Columbia Records, as the first single from the group's second album, '' Black Sunday'' (1993). The song was written by group members ...
" –
Transcenders Transcenders is an American music production company established in 2002 by Brian Lapin, Terence Yoshiaki, and Mike Fratantuno. The latter two have previously co-written several songs for the hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas, including "Let's Get I ...
(original version by
Cypress Hill Cypress Hill is an American Hip hop music, hip hop group formed in South Gate, California in 1988. One of the first Latin groups to gain mainstream recognition in hip hop, they have sold over 20 million albums worldwide, and have obtained multi ...
) * "We Got It All" – Right The Stars * "A-Punk" – Vampire Weekend * "Surrender" – Ben Lee * "
Don't Bring Me Down "Don't Bring Me Down" is the ninth and final track on the English rock band the Electric Light Orchestra's 1979 album ''Discovery''. It is their highest-charting hit in the United States. History "Don't Bring Me Down" is the band's second-hig ...
" –
Electric Light Orchestra The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood and drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop and classical arrangement ...
* "
Le Freak "Le Freak" is a funk-disco song by American disco band Chic, released in September 1978 by Atlantic Records as the first single from their second album, '' C'est Chic'' (1978). It was written and produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, a ...
" –
Chic Chic (; ), meaning "stylish" or "smart", is an element of fashion. It was originally a French word. Etymology '' Chic'' is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s. Early references in English dictionaries classified ...
* "
The Saddest Song "The Saddest Song" is a song by The Ataris The Ataris are an American punk rock band from Anderson, Indiana. Formed in 1996, they released five studio albums between 1997 and 2007. Their best-selling album is '' So Long, Astoria'' (2003), wh ...
" – Transcenders (version by
Morphine Morphine, formerly also called morphia, is an opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin produced by drying the latex of opium poppies (''Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as an analgesic (pain medication). There are ...
) * "Beautiful Morning" – Transcenders * "Washington Post March" – John Philip Sousa * "
Cotton-Eyed Joe "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (also known as "Cotton-Eye Joe") ( Roud 942) is a traditional American country folk song popular at various times throughout the United States and Canada. It has historical associations with slavery in the American South. The ...
" – The Goodtime Stringband (version by
Asleep at the Wheel Asleep at the Wheel is an American country music, Western swing music group that was formed in Paw Paw, West Virginia, in 1970, and is based in Austin, Texas. The band has won nine Grammy Awards, released over 20 albums, and has charted more t ...
) Original music for ''Furry Vengeance'' was composed by
Edward Shearmur Edward Shearmur (also known as Ed Shearmur; born 28 February 1966) is a British film composer. Born in London, England, at age seven he sang in the boys' choir at Westminster Cathedral. Educated at Eton College, he studied at the Royal College o ...
.


Marketing

When ''Furry Vengeance'' was announced in early 2009, ''
Film School Rejects Film School Rejects is an American blog devoted to movie reviews, interviews, film industry The film industry or motion picture industry comprises the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking, i.e., film production company, prod ...
'' had little hope, especially when it came to Kumble being director: "The premise has some comic potential, but barring an unforeseen injection of intelligent satire into the screenplay one should expect little more than a live action takeoff on ''
Over the Hedge ''Over the Hedge'' is a 2006 American animated heist comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation SKG. Based on the comic strip of the same name, the film was directed by Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick from a screenplay by Len Blum, ...
'', with lots of CGI and mild slapstick." ''
Collider A collider is a type of particle accelerator that brings two opposing particle beams together such that the particles collide. Compared to other particle accelerators in which the moving particles collide with a stationary matter target, collid ...
'' reported that "casting directors just keep giving Brendan Fraser more chances to bore audiences," also sarcastically suggesting ''Furry Vengeance'' "is sure to be a hilariously unpredictable comedy gem." The trailer for ''Furry Vengeance'' was released on December 23, 2009. Using only the trailer as reference, a ''Cinema Blend'' writer suggested the film was a rip-off of ''
Over the Hedge ''Over the Hedge'' is a 2006 American animated heist comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation SKG. Based on the comic strip of the same name, the film was directed by Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick from a screenplay by Len Blum, ...
'' (2006): "Never have I seen anything so blatant. It's not only the premise that's been stolen, the trailer contains specific scenes taken right from DreamWorks movie. And that's just the trailer." Harry Knowles of ''
Ain't It Cool News Ain't It Cool News (AICN) is an entertainment news website founded by Harry Knowles and run by his sister Dannie Knowles since September 2017, dedicated to news, rumors, and reviews of upcoming and current films, television, and comic book proj ...
'' called the trailer "offensively bad," criticizing Fraser's presence and the "endless variety of shit, piss and fart gags." James White also had little hope in the film, thinking it would be nothing more than a "slapstick-laden wannabe laugh riot." However, he did look forward to seeing Riggle, Bee, and Jeong in the film. As ''
/Film ''/Film'', also spelled ''SlashFilm'', is a blog that covers movie news, reviews, interviews, and trailers. It was founded by Peter Sciretta in August 2005. The site's reviews appear on Rotten Tomatoes, and as of 2024, two of its leading film cr ...
'' covered the trailer, "it's got self-aware animals and airbag and 'sprinkler to the crotch' jokes. If you're six, have at it. Otherwise, the less said, the better." On January 13, 2010, the
MPAA The Motion Picture Association (MPA) is an American trade association representing the five major film studios of the United States, the mini-major Amazon MGM Studios, as well as the video streaming services Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. F ...
rated ''Furry Vengeance'' PG for "some rude humor, mild language and brief smoking." Participant also collaborated with
DonorsChoose DonorsChoose is a United States–based nonprofit organization that allows individuals to donate directly to public school classroom projects. The organization has been given Charity Navigator's highest rating every year since 2005. As of June 20 ...
to fund classroom projects about protecting wildlife and the planet.
TakePart TakePart was a website operated by Participant Media, a motion picture studio that focuses on issues of social justice. TakePart was founded in 2008 to promote Participant Media's films as well as make viewers aware of the social advocacy efforts ...
, another participating non-profit, offered a ''Furry Vengeance Activity Guide'' that included activities such as quizzes and games to help kids learn about environmental protection. ''
Seattle Weekly The ''Seattle Weekly'' is an alternative biweekly distributed newspaper in Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded by Darrell Oldham and David Brewster as ''The Weekly.'' Its first issue was published on March 31, 1976, and it becam ...
'' noted the film's overly-simple message to extend to its marketing, joking that "They all but print the lesson plan on biodegradable popcorn boxes."


Release

The film was released on April 30, 2010 in the United States.


Critical response

The film was panned by critics and audiences.
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
reports that 8% of critics gave the film positive reviews based on 98 reviews and an average score of 2.53/10. The consensus is: "A thin premise stretched far beyond serviceable length, ''Furry Vengeance'' subjects Brendan Fraser—and the audience—to 92 minutes of abuse." Tim Ryan, who wrote for the site, wrote that despite the film's "great premise," "critics say ''Furry Vengeance'' is no ''Over the Hedge''; instead, it's a mirthless, aggressively dumb family comedy that substitutes slapstick violence for laughs or a message. ..The pundits say any attempts at wit and satire are forcefully avoided; instead, sadistic, cartoonish violence is the order of the day, and the result is a painful experience for the whole family." It was the lowest rated film of 2010 on the aggregate site, until the release of the
M. Night Shyamalan Manoj Nelliyattu M. Night Shyamalan ( ; born August 6, 1970) is an American filmmaker. His films often employ supernatural plots and twist endings. The cumulative gross of his films exceeds $3.3 billion globally. Shyamalan has received vario ...
film '' The Last Airbender'', which received a 6%.
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, which assigned a "generally unfavorable"
weighted average The weighted arithmetic mean is similar to an ordinary arithmetic mean (the most common type of average), except that instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others. The ...
of 23/100 based on 21 mainstream reviews, reported the film garnered "some of the worst reviews for a major release this year", and that "the comedy is appallingly unfunny, the animation for the animals is both cheap and disturbing, and the movie could not be more obvious about its pro-environment message". Audiences polled by
CinemaScore CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data. Background Ed Mintz, who ...
gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale. According to ''
Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...
'', "the eco-friendly heart of the movie is unfortunately clumsy, and there's an even more laborious message about the importance of family and roots. Fraser's lantern-jawed mugging becomes irritating all too soon, although younger viewers may get a kick out of the ingenious antics of skunks, raccoons and grizzly bears as they get the better of numbskull humans." ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' critic negatively summarized ''Furry Vengeance'' as ''Over the Hedge'' through the lens of ''
Daddy Day Care ''Daddy Day Care'' is a 2003 American family comedy film starring Eddie Murphy in the lead role, Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, Regina King, and Anjelica Huston. Written by Geoff Rodkey and directed by Steve Carr, it marks Murphy and Carr's secon ...
'' (2003), also writing Kumble "somehow makes everything—the repeated (five times!) skunk blasts, the crotch-gnawing raccoons, the bear overturning the portable toilet with Fraser trapped inside—even less funny than you'd imagine." Another ''Los Angeles Times'' reviewer called it a contender for the worst film of 2010: "The plot offers the promise of good vibes and green energy as fuzzy creatures fight heartless developers. But the jokes are so feeble and the slapstick so silly that the mind goes numb. ..The sorry humans are led by a hapless Brendan Fraser. His lame performance is a total embarrassment. Brooke Shields is less awful as his unhappy wife." ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' labeled it an "assault on common sense: "The jokes wouldn't pass muster on the
Disney Channel Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...
, the story consists of an escalating series of critter attacks, and the previously mentioned special effects are surprisingly cheap-looking. When Sanders isn't fighting off funny animals, he's jousting with funny ethnics: the obsequious Hispanic foreman, the overbearing Asian boss, the greedy Indian investor." Jeong will "occasionally speak in high-pitched Japanese, thus rendering Furry Vengeance both eco-friendly and vaguely racist," wrote Robert Wilonsky. Mark Jenkins of ''
NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...
'' explained, "''Furry Vengeance'' is poorly written, clumsily directed and sluggishly paced, but its essential problem is that it budgets 90 minutes on a gag that works better in 30-second spots." He also addressed, "For fans of anthropomorphized animals, the cartoonish combat has its moments. But the CGI technique wears thin, and doesn't always work. Some of the action is too contrived to be charming, and the critter crowd scenes look like the work of someone who's had about 30 minutes of Photoshop training." As ''
Time Out New York ''Time Out'' is a global magazine published by Time Out Group. ''Time Out'' started as a London-only publication in 1968 and has expanded its editorial recommendations to 333 cities in 59 countries worldwide. In 2012, the London edition became ...
'' covered the film, "We were really hoping that such an ecologically friendly, anti-big business movie wouldn't feel so plastic. But ..Brendan Fraser brings his standard big-lug shtick to a new low. ..he sustains bee stings, skunk sprays and groin blasts from badly computer-animated woodland creatures while enraging his nasty, racial stereotype of a boss." Alicia Potter of '' The Phoenix'' bashed ''Furry Vengeance'' as "violent, coarse, and mirthless." Among criticisms the "wincing" performances, such as Jeong's "racist role of Asian corporate baddie," she also wrote, "The casting of live animals that communicate via thought balloons and CGI-enhanced facial expressions charms at first, but since there's no imagination behind the boulder rolling and the poop bombs, the critters grow wearisome." In the opinion of Kurt Loder of ''
MTV News MTV News was the news production division of MTV. The service was available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network and an online news team. In 2016, MTV refreshed the MTV News brand to compete with the likes of BuzzFeed and ...
'', "Brendan Fraser runs through an alarmingly extensive repertoire of low-comic muggery—face-scrunches, eye-rolls and general dingbat gibbering." He also wrote, "In the end, of course, Dan finally gets it—the righteousness of the animals' cause and the error of his ways. We get it, too, naturally. In fact we already got it 10 minutes into the movie."
AllMovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, television series, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was ...
's Perry Seibert panned ''Furry Vengeance'' for its potty humor, the "vindictive jerks" portrayal of the animals, Kumble's inability to "let a gag build," and Dan Sanders being not hate-able enough to deserve his torture. ''
The Star-Ledger ''The Star-Ledger'' was the largest circulation newspaper in New Jersey. It is based in Newark, New Jersey. The newspaper ceased print publication on February 2, 2025, but continues to publish a digital edition. In 2007, ''The Star-Ledger''s ...
'' writer Martin Tsai also panned the presentation of its animal characters: "the young children who are the film's target audience could easily get the impression from these creatures that wild animals don't need our protection. And the thought balloons here are just not nearly as amusing as subtitles when it comes to conveying animal communications." He also wrote, "Latent xenophobia is evident in the head developer being an Asian man who busts Bruce Lee moves and the investor being an Indian national. This racially tinged inversion of power dynamics is absurd." He called the closing credits scene the "only inspired element" of the film. Jake Coyle called the film's use of real-life animals "a tad hypocritical" for the environmental message of it as well as other Participant films like '' The Cove'' (2009). According to ''
Screen Daily ''Screen International'' is a British film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by Media Business Insight, a British B2B media company which also owned '' Broadcast''. The magazine is primarily aimed at those involv ...
'', the film's main problem was that it "dependably panders across the board to the lowest common denominator, both in action and dialogue;" Kumble's directing "abandoned any attempts at nuance, instead embracing flatly shot set piece histrionics. Here he awkwardly blends CGI critter effects with animatronics and live-action work." The film was also criticized for its use of some
stereotype In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalization, generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can ...
s, especially against Asian people and against elderly people. ''
Illinois Times ''Illinois Times'' is a weekly free newspaper (distributed every Thursday) based in Springfield, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1975, the newspaper was acquired in 1977 by Fletcher Farrar Sr., a Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is the forme ...
'' Chuck Koplinski described the problem of the film's humor: "how much you enjoy this film is dependent on how funny you think someone being thrashed around in a Porta-Potty is." However, those ten and over "will smile occasionally at this silly production and might be a bit impressed with the computer effects on display." Allan Hunter of the ''
Daily Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first ...
'' summarized the film as "a feeble family comedy that really tests your patience," reasoning that "Rarely in the field of slapstick can one actor have fallen on his backside so many times during a single film." ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' summarized the film in two ways: as a "collection of feeble jokes in the service of green themes" where the writing "substitute crude gags for humor at nearly every turn," and as "a jumble of Apple product placement and wan message-mongering, with a few anemic visual references to
Harold Lloyd Harold Clayton Lloyd Sr. (April 20, 1893 â€“ March 8, 1971) was an American actor, comedian, and stunt performer who appeared in many Silent film, silent comedy films.Obituary ''Variety'', March 10, 1971, page 55. One of the most influent ...
, ''
North by Northwest ''North by Northwest'' is a 1959 American spy thriller film produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason. The original screenplay written by Ernest Lehman was intended to be the basis for ...
'' and ''
Braveheart ''Braveheart'' is a 1995 American epic film, epic historical drama, historical war drama film directed and produced by Mel Gibson, who portrays Scottish warrior William Wallace in the First War of Scottish Independence against Edward I of Engl ...
''." Philip French of ''
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. First published in 1791, it is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper. In 1993 it was acquired by Guardian Media Group Limited, and operated as a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' ...
'' summarized the film as a 1950s ecological horror film masquerading as a comedy about protecting the environment: "The hapless hero (Brendan Fraser) is treated with a degree of gleeful sadism not seen in a Hollywood comedy since ''
Home Alone ''Home Alone'' is a 1990 American Christmas comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dar ...
'', and his contemptuous wife is played by Brooke Shields, once a chilly child star in Pretty Baby, now a hatchet-faced matron. His Chinese-American employer brings in Mr Gupta, a rich Indian entrepreneur to help destroy the American environment, a scene that should play well in downtown Bhopal."
Peter Bradshaw Peter Nicholas Bradshaw (born 19 June 1962) is a British writer and film critic. He has been chief film critic at ''The Guardian'' since 1999, and is a contributing editor at ''Esquire'' magazine. Early life and education Bradshaw was educat ...
also criticized Shields' performance, describing her as "not a natural comic performer, to say the least. Her face has the comic mobility and expressiveness of an Easter Island statue." ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' writer Scott Tobias appreciated its cast and "surprisingly tough message about so-called "eco-friendly" companies and the green PR schemes they devise to paper over their destruction of the environment." However, he was turned off by the premise of "Brendan Fraser getting beat up by creepily anthropomorphized animals." An ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' critic praised the choice of non-speaking animals as Kumble's "rare show of restraint" as well as the presence of comics like Bee and Kinsey; however, he found the cartoony comedy direction "creepy in live action:" "I'm not convinced that repeated assaults to the groin, bee stings to the eyes, raccoon pee in the mouth, or skunk stink sprayed head to toe is the way to teach ecological balance." However, ''Furry Vengeance'' did receive a decent review from ''
Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'': "Fraser's gift for goofball comedy gets a full workout, Brooke Shields proves game for a laugh, and there's a decent subtext about corporate eco-hypocrisy. The CG-enhanced animals don't talk, and the comedy is as broad as a barn—no face goes unsprayed by skunks, no crotch unsplashed by sprinklers—but kids, not to mention grown-up fans of knockabout comedy, will howl like hyenas."


Box office

The film debuted at #5 at the box office, with an estimated $6.5 million during its opening weekend; although Summit distribution president Richie Fay reported a positive audience response, he also stated the opening weekend was below their expectations. The film went down to sixth place in the next weekend, where its gross amount was 40% less than the opening. At the end of its run, it came up with $32 million worldwide. Domestically grossing $17,630,465, it was the ninth-biggest 2,000-plus-theater box office bomb of 2010. However, it has earned at least $3 million with DVD sales, debuting at number four on ''
Home Media Magazine ''Home Media Magazine'' was a trade publication that covered various aspects of the entertainment industry, home entertainment industry, most notably home video distribution via VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, and digital copy. The magazine also covered news ...
'' rental chart. The film was released in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
on May 7, 2010, and opened on #2, behind ''
Iron Man 2 ''Iron Man 2'' is a 2010 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures, it is the sequel to ''Iron Man'' (2008) and the third film in the Marvel Cinem ...
''.


Accolades

At the Houston Film Critics Society Awards 2010, ''Furry Vengeance'' received a nomination for Worst Picture.


References


Citations


Works cited


Videos

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External links

* * * {{Roger Kumble 2010 films 2010 comedy films American children's comedy films Environmental films Films scored by Edward Shearmur Films directed by Roger Kumble Films produced by Robert Simonds Films about animal rights Films about bears Films about birds Films about cavemen Films about foxes Films about rabbits and hares Films about raccoons Films about skunks American films about revenge Summit Entertainment films Participant (company) films Imagenation Abu Dhabi films Films set in Oregon 2010s English-language films 2010s American films