It's been nearly thirty years since we last heard from Bill and Ted. But they're back, baby! And their latest adventure is a very charming and wonderfully nostalgic trip down memory lane that should please longtime fans of the beloved series. It certainly is most excellent!
Years after their last adventure, Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) have not yet fulfilled their destinies to create the song that united the world, and both their band and their personal lives have hit some major hang-ups. With the Wyld Stallyns now stuck doing cheesy gigs and wedding receptions, they soon begin to question whether or not they really will ever write their legendary tune. However, they are soon visited by the daughter (Kristen Schaal) of their old friend Rufus, who brings them to the future where they learn the troubling truth-- they have but only a little more than an hours' time to write their song, or else all time and space will implode. And thus, they set off on a daring new adventure to steal the song from their future selves. At the same time, the pair's equally air-headed daughters Thea (Samara Weaving) and Billie (Brigette Lundy-Paine) set out on a quest through time of their own in order to build a most legendary band to back their dads.
When it's at its best, "Bill & Ted Face the Music" is pure, unadulterated fun. Is it a bit patchy? Sure. Do its ambitions sometimes outreach its obvious lower budget? Yes, here and there. But that doesn't change the fact that it's an endlessly entertaining and endearing return for two of our favorite cinematic characters.
Reeves and Winter slip right back into the shoes of their iconic characters, and are both just a blast-and-a-half to watch. It's like they never went away. Especially Winter, who is a joy to behold. I also absolutely adored Weaving and Lundy-Paine, who add a lot to the proceedings. In many ways, their story and the relationship their characters have with their fathers is the beating heart of the film. Schaal is as fun as ever in this new role. Jayma Mays and Erinn Hayes are a good bit of fun as the titular duo's long-suffering Princess brides. I absolutely loved Anthony Carrigan as a neurotic, robotic villain from the future. And returning actors including William Sadler as the Grim Reaper and Amy Stoch as Missy help tie the entire series together. (Just wait till you get a load of what Missy has been up to in the ensuing years!)
Series co-creators Ed Solomon and Chris Matheson once again write, and they have a lot of fun with the concepts and subplots and characters. The movie has all of the humor you've come to expect from a Bill and Ted story, plus some genuinely touching moments thrown in for good measure. Directorial duties are handled by Dean Parisot of "Galaxy Quest" fame, and he does reasonably well with the material. It's typically well shot, and scenes are competently composed. I definitely got a bit of a "Galaxy Quest" vibe at times from the visuals, which was a welcome addition. And I absolutely loved the musical score by famed composer Mark Isham.
And most importantly... this is just a fun movie to watch. It's a wonderful little reunion, and it just feels good to have these characters back.
If you really twisted my arm and forced me to be critical of the film, I would definitely say that the pacing is suspect at times. The middle act does drag a bit, while the third act feels a teeny-bit rushed. The visual direction is solid, but a few scenes suffer from the somewhat lower-budget. And I'd be lying if I said there wasn't the occasional joke that falls a little flat.
But dear lord, I just really enjoyed this film. It was a most excellent adventure all around, and it's exactly the sort-of movie we need now in these troubled times.
I'm giving "Bill & Ted Face the Music" a very good 8 out of 10. Party on!
Years after their last adventure, Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) have not yet fulfilled their destinies to create the song that united the world, and both their band and their personal lives have hit some major hang-ups. With the Wyld Stallyns now stuck doing cheesy gigs and wedding receptions, they soon begin to question whether or not they really will ever write their legendary tune. However, they are soon visited by the daughter (Kristen Schaal) of their old friend Rufus, who brings them to the future where they learn the troubling truth-- they have but only a little more than an hours' time to write their song, or else all time and space will implode. And thus, they set off on a daring new adventure to steal the song from their future selves. At the same time, the pair's equally air-headed daughters Thea (Samara Weaving) and Billie (Brigette Lundy-Paine) set out on a quest through time of their own in order to build a most legendary band to back their dads.
When it's at its best, "Bill & Ted Face the Music" is pure, unadulterated fun. Is it a bit patchy? Sure. Do its ambitions sometimes outreach its obvious lower budget? Yes, here and there. But that doesn't change the fact that it's an endlessly entertaining and endearing return for two of our favorite cinematic characters.
Reeves and Winter slip right back into the shoes of their iconic characters, and are both just a blast-and-a-half to watch. It's like they never went away. Especially Winter, who is a joy to behold. I also absolutely adored Weaving and Lundy-Paine, who add a lot to the proceedings. In many ways, their story and the relationship their characters have with their fathers is the beating heart of the film. Schaal is as fun as ever in this new role. Jayma Mays and Erinn Hayes are a good bit of fun as the titular duo's long-suffering Princess brides. I absolutely loved Anthony Carrigan as a neurotic, robotic villain from the future. And returning actors including William Sadler as the Grim Reaper and Amy Stoch as Missy help tie the entire series together. (Just wait till you get a load of what Missy has been up to in the ensuing years!)
Series co-creators Ed Solomon and Chris Matheson once again write, and they have a lot of fun with the concepts and subplots and characters. The movie has all of the humor you've come to expect from a Bill and Ted story, plus some genuinely touching moments thrown in for good measure. Directorial duties are handled by Dean Parisot of "Galaxy Quest" fame, and he does reasonably well with the material. It's typically well shot, and scenes are competently composed. I definitely got a bit of a "Galaxy Quest" vibe at times from the visuals, which was a welcome addition. And I absolutely loved the musical score by famed composer Mark Isham.
And most importantly... this is just a fun movie to watch. It's a wonderful little reunion, and it just feels good to have these characters back.
If you really twisted my arm and forced me to be critical of the film, I would definitely say that the pacing is suspect at times. The middle act does drag a bit, while the third act feels a teeny-bit rushed. The visual direction is solid, but a few scenes suffer from the somewhat lower-budget. And I'd be lying if I said there wasn't the occasional joke that falls a little flat.
But dear lord, I just really enjoyed this film. It was a most excellent adventure all around, and it's exactly the sort-of movie we need now in these troubled times.
I'm giving "Bill & Ted Face the Music" a very good 8 out of 10. Party on!