Galaxy Quest (1999)

A set of hammy TV actors turn up for a sci-fi convention only to be met by real aliens who, having only seen them on TV, mistake them for a real space crew.

Given that Star Trek and Star Trek fans are such campy jokes to start with you don't have to have such the imagination of Charles Dickens to see there is potential here.

The real surprise is that we don't get cheapo jokes, but fully formed, fully funded jokes. Indeed there is more plot and budget than many films that try play it straight.

The crew being actors think there may be a buck involved and go along with what, they initially think, are over-the-top fans and before they know it they are in space having a fully formed adventure.

Jokes about spacemen, mad Trekkies, transporters with side-effects, token blacks, interracial love, British thesps who detest what they do, aliens who don't have a sense of humour, characters who think they are going to be killed because they don't have a second name, and lots, lots more.

Once again I stress that this subject was a sitting duck for satire, but what is amazing is how clever the script is, worse will win Oscars. And the jokes just keep coming. Not all of them funny, but the ratios of hits to misses is pleasingly high and the cast are good enough to make themselves look like idiots as well.

The climax is both and funny and appropriate and had me laughing over the final credits. Highly recommended unless you are the butt of some of the film's bang-on-the-money jokes.

Fmovies: I like a good spoof/comedy movie when it is done right. As far as spoof movies go though, there are those that are really unfunny and a waste of time which applies to 2001:A Space Travesty and anything by Friedberg and Seltzer. There is also the kind that has hit and miss moments but reasonably entertaining, Spaceballs in my opinions belongs under this category. And there is the spoof that work on every level, of which Young Frankenstein and this underrated gem Galaxy Quest fits like a glove.

Do I have any problem with Galaxy Quest? Not with the movie itself. But I do have a problem with the way it was marketed. Like Bridge to Terabithia, Lilo and Stitch, Tangled and Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame, Galaxy Quest was marketed terribly. For example, watching the trailer, I thought I was in for a mediocre comedy with substandard effects and corny dialogue. When it came to seeing the movie finally in trepidation, I was shocked at how much that wasn't the case! Galaxy Quest is just brilliant, and one of my favourites, and has been since I first saw it.

For one thing, Galaxy Quest has wonderful production values. The cinematography and editing are crisp and smooth, the costumes are inventive and the sets and scenery are colourful. The real revelation are the special effects, which are just sublime. These special effects do not look as though they were made in a hurry or in a half-hearted fashion, care has gone into constructing them and it shows. Also they enhance the story and the like in alternative to distracting from it.

Galaxy Quest is not the sort of movie where the visuals are the only asset going for it. There is also David Newman's score, which with its rousing, energetic and clever themes and motifs compliments everything beautifully without distracting from the mood and composition of each scene. Galaxy Quest also has a strong story, this story is not a predictable one, instead it is fun and exciting making the most of an inspired premise, not to mention it bounces along at a furious pace.

The film's humour also helps elevate. Galaxy Quest's script is fantastic. No badly explored clichés or crude humour and all that in sight. It is hysterically funny, very smart and quotable. Not only that the dialogue is thoughtful with a lot of heart. The references to Star Trek, the movies and its fans are clever, sly and wonderfully incorporated in the story and writing, the characters are immensely likable and engaging as well as being alive to every character nuance and the direction is done with precision.

Galaxy Quest couldn't have had a more perfect cast either. Tim Allen seems to be having a ball, Sigourney Weaver is charming not to mention very, very hot, Alan Rickman is hilarious doing what he's best at bagging all the best lines and an endearing sense of bitterness, Tony Shalhoub is the wonderful Tony Shalhoub he always is with a deliberately burned-out character and Sam Rockwell is also very good. Also Sarris is a wonderful villain, an utter bastard and very ruthless with a cool demise, appropriately sinister voice and awesome make-up.

All in all, a wonderful film and the ultimate salute to the genre it pays homage to. But there is also something special about Galaxy Quest, it flawlessly satirises the acting profession and parodies fans of sci-fi and Star Trek without being rude about them and it is an engaging and original space saga in its own right. 10/10 Bethany Cox

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!

Galaxy Quest fmovies. A beautifully-crafted film, Galaxy Quest is a love letter to sf fans of all sorts everywhere. The characters are perfectly drawn, the story is well-written, and there's the right amount of goshwow to make the whole thing work perfectly. And it's funny as hell in all the right spots.

Tim Allen is amazing. He's got his Shatneroid character down perfectly. He's a vain, pompous clown who finds out what a laughingstock he's become, and when he gets a chance to redeem himself, he pounces on it.

Sigourney Weaver is a delight. Sexy without trying, her character Gwen DeMarco is as far from Ripley as you can get. Alan Rickman is flawless as Alexander Dane, massively talented Shakespearean actor who's been stuck in this Spockish role for years because he played it too well. Darryl Mitchell is great as Tommy "Laredo" Webber, and Sam Rockwell is hilarious as Guy, the hack actor stuck in the middle of something that scares him silly.

The two actors who really stand out are Tony Shalhoub and Enrico Colantoni. Tony plays Fred Kwan with understated glee, while Colantoni plays Commander Mathesar with a smiling earnestness that makes you firmly believe everything he's saying.

The supporting cast is incredibly talented. Robin Sachs is perfect as Sarris, Patrick Breen essays his role as Quellek beautifully, and Missy Pyle amazes as Laliari.

But it's still Tim Allen's movie above all else, and he makes the most of it.

A final note: this movie wouldn't have worked nearly as well if not for the production design work of four of the greatest artistic talents in science fiction: Simon Bisley, Brom, Wayne Barlowe and the lengendary Berni Wrightson. Barlowe is an expert in xenobiology, and designed the Thermian's native form. Wrightson's quite possibly the best horror illustrator of all time, and Sarris and his minions are his work.

My favorite moment in the film? the point where Alan Rickman gets his first look at the NSEA Protector II for the first time... his look of astonishment is a joy to behold.

Like The Last Starfighter, this is a popcorn movie with a message. See it with your kids.

"Galaxy Quest" is an excellent feel good comedy that's enjoyable for the entire family.

Even though the concept of the movie is not original anymore, the story is still enjoyable and fun enough, mainly thanks to the cast who seemed to be enjoying them selves during filming.

Tim Allen is surprising good as "William Shatner" like captain and Alan Rickman is perfect in his role. Sigourney Weaver perfectly makes fun of her own "Ripley" character from the "Alien" movies and plays the complete opposite of this character. All the characters are fun and entertaining because they are humane instead of heroic. There also is a fine stereotype space villain.

The movie perfectly makes fun of "Star Trek", the fans and everything else around it. Well, I'm not sure if making fun of is the right way to say it, it's more like holding up a mirror, without making the Trekkies look like complete fools.

But it's a comedy so how about some laughs? Well, there are a few laughs but this movie is more of feel good, fun, entertaining comedy instead of an hilarious one. The movie also knows to be emotional at the right moments.

Other thing that contribute to the greatness of this movie are the special effects and the musical score composed by David Newman.

By Grabthar's hammer...what a movie.

9/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

This is what I would call a PERFECT film. As a long-time Star Trek fan I have waited for a movie which had that total feelgood factor, not a spoof, but a humourous and heartfelt homage. A film which shows fans in a good light, in a way that, of course, we can laugh at ourselves, but in an unoffensive and entertaining manner. I never thought it would arrive, and so in GALAXY QUEST, I found one of the best films in cinema history. Everything is spot on. The story is fantastic, and telling it from the point of view of normal people was great. Making them play those stereotypes that we know and love was just the tip of the iceberg, and everyone played the parts superbly. The special effects speak for themselves. When the Protector leaves space dock...Wow. When she goes through the minefield...Wow! When Tim Allen faces the biggest rock monster since The Never Ending Story...Wow Wow WOW! The score is also great, capturing the adventure of the old Star Trek shows, and the epic scope of the story at hand. And then there's the way everything just comes together at the end into a sensational package of laughs, thrills, sometimes bitingly moving scenes, and a genuine feeling of warmth inside. Go and see this, buy the DVD, whatever. Just see it. Never give up, and never surrender!