Galaxy Quest (1999)
A comedy of galactic proportions.
In today’s episode of how have I not already done that, we visit yet another movie I’ve watched numerous times and somehow not put a deal up on this site for. It’s the comedy that ends up being almost more enjoyable then the thing it spoofs - or more enjoyable, depending on how much you like Star Trek. A star studded cast awaits you in space, where aliens roam- tonight we go on a Galaxy Quest.
Galaxy Quest is a movie about actors. In fact, it’s essentially a movie about Star Trek actors, as they go on a quest of “what if make believe was actually real.” A group of actors on a popular space television show end up being recruited by aliens to save their species from an evil alien race, having seen the show and believing it to be real life documentation. It’s going to be a crazy time of finding oneself, ones character, and a whole lot of laughs as the crew reaches deep and far to take on a colossal task that’s well over there heads - from fandom to their own courage - but will it be enough?
The entire thing plays out like a group of episodes from that which it spoofs - and it does them so well that it feels like an episode of what it spoofs more than it does something making fun of it. Yes, it’s pointing out some of the silly bits as it goes, and cracking plenty of jokes, but at the same time it never feels like it’s straight up telling you that you should feel bad for enjoying these shows or deliberately tossing the fandom under the bus. It goes from “look at how stupid this is” with all the pop culture imaginable smashed in (like a modern Scary Movie spoof) to an actual legitimate movie that’s still a bit of a light hearted look at the thing it’s spoofing - which probably goes a long way as to why this thing is enjoyed by as many as it is. Some might argue it’s the best Star Trek movie that exists - even though it’s not actually Star Trek.
Part of the appeal past how well it’s handled in regards to the fandom and presentation is the actors. The cast is star studded, and a lot of these people have gone places even if you might not have recognized them at the time. In just the core crew you have at least 3 big names alone, and most would know at least Rickman, Weaver, or Allen by name if not by the movies they were in. What this means for the movie is that it’s got a good core cast - but the side actors all do a great job of making these outrageous characters fun if nothing else. Sure, a lot of them are kind of a bit overblown - but funnily enough most of them go through their own little character arc that sees them in a different place at the end of the movie then at the start - be it being more brave, finding love, or even just having a better understanding and appreciation of those around them and what things mean to them.
One of these is not like the others.
Of course the actors and characters also play well into the jokes. As always (broken record mode engage), comedy is subjective and what one finds funny might not be humorous to another, so always take this section with a grain of salt. There’s a few different types of jokes in here - slapstick, in-jokes, and just plain normal jokes that play of the characters. The slapstick and normal jokes will be the bulk of the enjoyment for most people - such moments as Tim Allen being thrown around by a giant rock monster or part also around that moment with the line “It exploded!” Little nerdy tidbits like how the ship is setup in nonsensical ways because an episode of the show called for it or Guy’s panicky nature for being a no-named red shirt might be more appreciated by fans of the genre (or Star Trek specifically). Either way, all the jokes work fine even if you aren’t heavy into the science fiction space scene - but not every joke might be your cup of tea at all times.
Effects wise, it looks good. Yes, moments show it’s age a little, particularly with some of the computer-aided elements, but it doesn’t ever really detract badly from the movie enough that you get taken out of the fun. Although we start pretty easy and earth-bound, the costumes are all quite well done and the convention setting really helps allow for all sorts of costume (presumably based on episodes of the in-movie show) to catch the eye. By the time you hit the space mission proper, we get plenty of more elaborate effects - such as practical bug-faced aliens, giant CG rock monsters, and a plethora of explosions, scrapes, lasers, and teleports to keep your appetite satiated. It might not be a powerhouse of graphical cinema, but the thing looks perfectly fine for a comedy from ‘99. It’s also kind of appreciable that a lot of the costumes call back to the things it’s spoofing to some extent while still looking different.
Audio is well balanced, which is great because it’d be hard to laugh at the verbal jokes if you couldn’t hear them. The theme song is somewhat catchy, and most the movie scoring does it’s job of supporting the scenes and things happening in it. Line deliveries are done well, with the occasional bit being ramped up to 11 for comedic effect - but it works for the movie. Of course, I’d be remiss to not mention that despite the movie being a comedy on most levels, it does have some serious stuff to dig into if you are that kind of person - things about how you see others and how others see you, about ego and friendship, and about how sometimes the best option is to just never give up, never surrender.
Jiminy Cricket’s angry relative?
This is one of those movies where I’d just flat out say to watch it. Even if it’s just once to figure out if you’d actually like it, most anyone should check this out and be fine. There’s a gross part or two, and some serious themes in there, but the vast majority of the movie should be fine for (at least) teens to even check out and have fun with. Sure, it might look a little less than stellar at times, but for the most part it all holds up nicely and it all works for what the movie is trying to do. Heck, you might even find yourself quoting the movie more than you think by the time it’s done.