Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Alien, tween rivals match wits again over Earth's fate.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 4 parent reviews
Based on 11 kid reviews
Kids say the movie is a hilarious and fun continuation of the original show, highlighting characters like Zim and GIR, though some feel it's not as dark or edgy as the series. Opinions vary, with many loving the humor and animation, while critics mention a lack of the original's charm and depth, making it more suitable for older kids rather than younger audiences.
- humor and fun
- lacks darkness
- suitable for older kids
- mixed opinions
- great animation
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Much time has passed since the nefarious alien Zim (voiced by Richard Horvitz) disappeared from the radar of his former middle school classmate and lone human adversary, Dib (Andy Berman), but the latter remains obsessed with snaring the scheming invader once and for all. When Zim finally reappears to launch another phase of his plot to take over Earth, Dib unexpectedly gets drawn into the fray and becomes an unwitting accomplice. Zim hijacks one of Dib's scientist father's (Rodger Bumpass) latest inventions and uses it to adjust the planet's position in the galaxy. Unfortunately doing so opens a florpus in space, threatening Earth and everything around it with certain doom if Dib and his sister, Gaz (Melissa Fahn), can't figure out a way to stop it.
Is It Any Good?
Just as the original TV series from Jhonen Vasquez was better suited to tweens and older viewers than it was to kids, so this movie follow-up continues with dark humor and action sequences. Zim is a manipulative little imp, feigning a change of heart to trick Dib and put the entire planet at risk, all to impress his dismissive higher-ups, The Tallests (Wally Wingert and Kevin McDonald). He is unfazed by the plight of others and willing to do anything to achieve his goals. While his attitude helps maintain the divisiveness between good and evil and thus helps drive the story of INVADER ZIM: ENTER THE FLORPUS, he and his plans are a little much for younger viewers.
You needn't have seen Invader Zim to understand the plot of this movie, as it gets viewers up to speed on the characters and their relationships fairly easily. It also ends on a mostly satisfying and conclusive note, so those who didn't find that to be the case with the show may like that aspect as well. Ultimately, though, Enter the Florpus will be best received by original Invader Zim fans who want one more dose of this boisterous alien antagonist's antics and his young human counterpart's attempts to thwart him.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether or not Zim is a sympathetic villain. Do your feelings about him and his motives change when you see how he's treated by The Tallests? Do good motives ever excuse bad behavior? Are there any glimmers of altruism in Zim's actions?
Why do you think this series has so much violence? Do you think it appeals enough to older viewers that it can afford losing the younger crowd as fans? How does this style of violence and action stack up against other shows you have seen?
Who is the hero of this story? How does Dib come to rely on teamwork with Gaz and his father to thwart Zim's efforts? What accounts for his courage in doing so? Can fictional characters be positive role models?
TV Details
- Premiere date : August 16, 2019
- Cast : Rodger Bumpass , Richard Horvitz , Andy Berman
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Adventures , Robots
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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