A confession: The only other episode of Futurama I have ever seen is the one I previously reviewed here at Hollywood Jesus, Bender's Big Score. So, I'm simply not an expert, or an established fan, by any means. I think it's important for any reader to know this as I review this new feature length addition to the series, Bender's Game.

To be honest, I've had an interesting experience in preparing to review this film. I watched it several weeks back, and then for a variety of reasons, I didn't get the review done. So when I really needed to write about the film, I found that I had to watch it a second time. So on the critical side, I just plain couldn't remember the details after a week-plus of not having seen it. On the other hand, in support of the film, I found myself laughing along as I watched it a second time, and even appreciating or catching more of the fast-paced humor.

Maybe that is what Futurama is all about. Fans don't watch the show for life-changing, engaging plotlines. They watch the show for the densely-packed humor, the references to modern-day life played out in the future, and to see the crazy antics of characters that are pretty endearing even to me, the non-initiated viewer.

And yet, upon my second viewing, I still decided that Bender's Game is a pretty solid standalone animated comedy feature. And the DVD had some nice bonus features as well. The writers mainly focus on a Dungeons and Dragons-oriented plot, which morphs into a Lord of the Rings parody for the second half of the film. The commentary track is packed out with voice actors, writers, and cartoonists all commenting on the making of Bender's Game.

What do the creators have to say to us from a spiritual standpoint this time around? It seems different characters have different spiritual journeys throughout the plot. Leela, the tomboy/Cyclops/pilot of the ship, is put into a collar which delivers a shock to her whenever she gets angry. Leela does need to control her anger a little bit more, but in the end we realize that anger, in and of itself, is not wrong, and her confrontational nature helps her to save her friends' lives. I can get behind that idea. There is a passage in the Christian Scriptures which says, "In your anger, do not sin" (Ephesians 4:26). This statement implies that the anger itself is NOT the sin, but we must choose how to deal with that anger if we're going to be justified.

Bender the robot learns how to have an imagination by engaging in the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons. He takes this a little too far, going insane and being sent to the robot loony bin after trying to kill Leela's family. Eventually, Bender's fantasy eclipses reality and all the characters are forced into an alternate universe of Bender's making. The writers make it clear in their commentary that they believe Dungeons and Dragons to be a healthy expression of imagination, and included this arc of the story to poke fun at the notion (popular in the '80s) that kids who play Dungeons and Dragons will go crazy or lose touch with reality.

I do think that imagination and creativity are part of God's unique design in each of us. Our own diversity as a human race is an example to me of the creativity found in the nature of God Himself. When we employ creativity and ingenuity to hard situations, we reflect our Creator. When we dream together as a community, we bring about progress and change. Bender's creativity and imagination, as well as the Professor's, end up saving the day and liberating a whole race of people in Bender's Game. I'd say that's a pretty cool commentary to be found in an animated comedy!