Galaxy Quest

The first thing that makes a good movie good is always a great story. The whole idea of actors from a long ago space series being mistaken for being the real deal by actual aliens is indeed ingenious.From there, you put together a top notch cast.They hit the nail on the head there. Tim Allen is a natural for the Jason Nesmith role.A great cast is nothing if they don't work well together.Not to worry.They are superb. This movie is an excellent twist on the old good vs.evil concept.There are movies whose ideas are so unique,you want to love them and not be disappointed.Take my word,Galaxy Quest delivers the goods.Warp speed!

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.

I didn't even know about this movie until a friend talked me and my family into seeing it. The title sounded like a low budget B-movie. It turned out that some of the funniest people in the business were in this. The premise is great. A group of actors are part of a "Star Trek" type show. They have gone their separate ways. They are tired of each other, and often not very friendly. Some have managed to earn a few bucks doing public appearances with nerdy people adoring them. This is certainly true of the real "Star Trek" cast. What happens is that some aliens who don't understand television believe that when watching "Galaxy Quest," they are seeing the real activities of real space explorers. The come and expect that these people will be able to do their will. Of course, there are the usual, "You are an idiot" moments, trying to explain what actors do. The charm comes from the great cast which finds themselves in over their heads, eventually having to submit to the will of these guys. Very funny movie.

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.

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?"