Galaxy Quest

There are some movies that are better watched while you are not eating. 'Galaxy Quest' fits into this category as I made the mistake of watching it while having dinner and I almost choked several times. This is one of the funniest smart comedies I have seen. The film is brilliantly executed and it brilliantly spoofs the science-fiction-spaceship genre. But the film isn't mere silliness as it does have a soul and tells an action adventure story of 5 has-been stars of a famous Star-Trek-type TV show that got cancelled two decades ago. The screenplay is great and the dialogues are witty fun. There is no crude humour or over-the-top-out-of-context joke.

The special effects wonderfully add to the spoofiness. The monsters and aliens are a 'treat' to watch. An intelligent comedy isn't easy to make as the maker has to pay close attention to line delivery, characterization, situation, comic timing and direction. 'Galaxy Quests' fulfills all criteria from start to end. Tim Allen as the pompous hero, Alan Rickman as the whiny has-been 'Shakespearean'-actor-forced-to-play-an-android, Tony Shalhoub as the funny Fred, Sam Rockwell as the terrified-of-being-the-first-one-to-die Guy, Enrico Colantoni as the gullible Mathezar and last but not least, the incredibly sexy Sigourney Weaver as the tired-of-playing-dumb-blonde Gwen (the total opposite of her famous Ripley character) play their parts.

I'm glad that I bought this film on impulse yesterday as most American spoofs I have seen, like the abysmal Scary Movies (puke) or the silly Screams (yawn) and the ridiculous Naked Guns (okay this last one was kind of funny) hardly have anything more to offer than silliness. Actually I was given the choice between this and 'Naked Gun 33 and a Half' and i'm glad I made the right decision. 'Galaxy Quest' definitely surpasses these films by several miles as I wouldn't even mind calling it one of the best comedies.

A long time ago, I read a very entertaining & humorous short story in a book collection of Star Trek stories by fan authors, a whimsical piece about how several of the real Trek actors, such as Shatner & Nimoy, get zapped into the Trek universe, as if it was real, and are forced to enact their TV roles in a real setting. This movie captures that whimsy and is very entertaining, as a result. It begins rather mundanely - on purpose - during a standard science fiction convention, in which several actors, whose careers nosedived after starring in a canceled sci-fi TV show, are relegated to these cheesy appearances, signing autographs and hiding their disgust at what they've been reduced to. Well, except Tim Allen, who starts off very cheery until he has some ice water thrown in his face, a surprisingly effective moment. All the actors playing the actors fill out their roles very well. Tim Allen used to be the Capt.Kirk-type commander on the TV show; Weaver played his communications officer, like Uhura, and always repeated computer statements; Rickman was the alien doctor; Shalhoub was the Scotty-like tech man below decks; Mitchell was the pilot, like Sulu. Rockwell ends up along for the ride, even though he only appeared in one episode, as an expendable crewman.

When everything shifts, about 20 minutes in, it's not very subtle. All of a sudden, these has-been actors are thrust into a very real galactic adventure. It's kind of a jaw-dropping scene, meant to inspire awe, and, at the same time, the humor is quite clever and thought out. The actors' reactions when they're first transported over several light years are priceless. And, even in already good moments like these, the filmmakers throw in an extra little slice of comedy, as one of the actors does not react as expected. Rickman stands out a bit as the huffy British actor, showing exasperation in almost every scene he's in, but it's never tiresome. Weaver & Allen exceed expectations, however; we're not used to seeing them in roles such as this. Allen is known for comedy, but here he's expected to draw out a character with a long history as a pretentious, sometimes failed actor, and he succeeds nicely. Rockwell nails the role of the nervous 3rd-stringer, a throwaway part usually, which he somehow manages to use to steal a scene or two. And Shalhoub, who we're used to being interesting by now, is very much so as the somewhat oddly serene member of the group. But the biggest surprises are Mitchell & Colantoni, whom I was unfamiliar with; Mitchell is terrifically funny attempting to navigate the real starship, while Colantoni offers the most unique interpretation of how a real alien would act & speak.

There was obvious tinkering just before release of this movie to avoid a harsher rating or reduce the length, but these changes could not remove the charm of this sci-fi parody. And, simply labeling it parody may not do it justice. I think only those Trekkers who regard Star Trek as their personal religion may be offended by it; otherwise, any Trek fan should applaud this as mostly a tribute to such entertaining TV shows, recognizing all the little reminders of what made them such great shows. The theme of tolerance, for example, is represented by the strangely different but similar-to-us aliens who the audience cannot help but grow very fond of by the end of the story. On top of that, the so-called sci-fi geek fans, usually the object of scorn, are made the heroes by the end of the film. Everyone has their value in such a universe.

I must admit I was initially really wary of this movie. From what I saw on the Pay Per View Trailers, I envisioned basically what it's been made out to be, and that was some sort of childrens' screwy Disney-esque space adventure

Harsh enough? Don't worry, I turned out to be 100% wrong-o! In fact, as a loyal Trekkie, I had such a blast watching this movie. The inside jokes and references to unnecessary plot complications that have been duplicated down to the last detail on the real-life NSEA Protector scream Star Trek, but it's been so lovingly parodied that no Trek fan could possibly be offended. A total classic, much much funnier than it's given credit for being. I especially enjoyed the pre-teen fans who had the entire ship schematics on their PC at the age when most people are still playing with Power Rangers figures and Barbies, which is an all-too real phenomenon in the Trek fan community.

The acting is top-notch, (Tim Allen plays the scene-stealing hack down to the last detail, Sigourney Weaver is hilarious as the token female on the ship, Alan Rickman adds wonderful conflict as a furious Shakespearian actor who is convinced his role on the show ruined his career) the special effects are just fabulous, and the few poignant moments are done so well that it's damn near tear-jerking. Do yourself a favor and buy this movie. Don't even rent it first, just buy it!

GALAXY QUEST (1999) ***1/2

Starring: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Tony Shalhoub, Alan Rickman, Daryl Mitchell and Sam Rockwell Directed by Dean Parisot, written by David Howard. Running Time: 104 minutes. Rated PG (for action violence and some gore, mild language, and brief sex-related material)

By Blake French:

As I walked out of the theater in which I screened "Galaxy Quest," I thought how surprised I was to have enjoyed what seemed as a cheesy family spoof. But the film turned to be an action adventure with some really hilarious moments. I loved the film. It has qualities of a successful science fiction drama, but also contains a variety of comical characters that had the whole audience overwhelmed in laughter. "Galaxy Quest" is right up there with "Toy Story" in merit, it entertains adults and children alike, standing out as one of the year's best family films.

The story details the adventures of a canceled television science fiction fantasy cast, similar in content to "Star Trek." "Galaxy Quest" is the name of the program. In their years, the stars, including Jason Nesmith, Gwen DeMarco, Fred Kwan, Alexander Dane, and Tommy Webber, were some of the biggest, most popular names in TV. Now, their means of making a living is signing fans' autographs for a price and being cast in amateur presentations.

There is very detailed character development here. The characters are wonderfully cast and brilliantly portrayed. Unfortunately, most family films don't contain the patience for such necessary material. We bond with these characters; they are likable, funny, energetic and independent. These individuals are the key of success to this kind of movie.

The real plot begins when strange people come to Jason beging for him to save their existence from a powerful evil force who wishes to wipe them out of the universe forever. Naturally, at first our television star is skeptical, but when the strange people turn out to be humble aliens and transport Jason to their spaceship, he realizes this is something serious. The aliens begin to explain that they think he and his "Galaxy Quest" team are the only people in the universe who can save their race. He rushes to the members of his old cast and tries to justify his experience. He says that there are extraterrestrial creatures who require the help of their "Galaxy Quest" characters. None of his friends believe him, but once again give in when they find themselves transported off earth, onto the creature's spaceship. Of course, the aliens don't realize that their hopeful heroes are simply out of work actors, but who needs to tell them? So it is up to Commander Peter Quincy Taggart, Lt. Tawny Madison, Tech Sergeant Chen, Dr. Lazarus of Tev'Meck, and Lt. Laredo to save the day for our innocent and haunted alien life forms.

"Galaxy Quest" is a slapstick comedy that is smart, and does not go over the edge with its humorous material. It leaves room for several other essential elements such as happiness, romance, honesty, excitement, and contains a dramatic purpose. The story is very original, and contains a firm theme of action in its premise. It also has lots of outstanding visual effects and sight gags that are effective and interesting to watch.

Although the film gets a little off-track near the end, "Galaxy Quest" is still high energy laughs audiences will come to the theater expecting. This is one of the most victorious movies of this year in its execution of the script because we anticipate what we are going to view is a silly comic spoof. Even though parts of the film fit that definition, in the end we end up with a lot more than that.

Brought to you by DreamWorks Pictures.

There are very few comedies out there that manage to get laughs from all of the jokes; "Galaxy Quest" is one of the few films that pretty much gets them all.

As corny as it sounds, the film is practically perfect in its execution. It parodies a genre that had been screaming for it for decades. It's funny from start to finish and even manages to have a heart while on the way.

When the film was first released in theatres, I didn't have any desire to see it. I don't think the advertising was right for the film. I am a huge "Star Trek" fan and I found the advertising made the picture look stupid with juvenile humor. A co-worker insisted I see it, saying if I didn't I would regret it for the rest of my life.

Luckily I didn't ignore him, because he would have been right!

There are a lot of reviews for this film here, most of them positive. I am quite glad to see that I am not alone in my praise for this film.

Most certainly it's not "Citizen Kane" by any means, but for what it is and what it is trying to do, it succeeds in every aspect. The screenplay is technically brilliant (in terms of structure, characterization, and wit!). ILM does a terrific job in the visual effects department (as they most often do), and David Newman's score not only parodies but also develops into a heartwarming action score (a paradox? I think not!).

"Galaxy Quest" - If you haven't seen it yet and you love "Star Trek," I only have to ask....."what ARE you.....waiting for?"