Bill & Ted Face the Music

If you've never seen the first two Bill & Ted movies, I suggest you pass on "Bill & Ted Face the Music". While this third film isn't bad, it certainly isn't as fun and original as the previous two...and it might also prove to be very confusing. But, if you are a fan already of the series, you'll enjoy this film provided you don't expect the impossible...for the film to recapture 100% of the charm and humor of the originals. Adjust your expectations and you will surely like the film.

As far as the plot goes, it's pretty confusing. Suffice to say that after the second film, when it appeared that the whole world was saved by Bill & Ted, over time you come to see that it was a fluke and Bill & Ted of 2020 are losers. How do they over come this and why do they need to? See the film.

To me, this film clearly was best released to video...which is what happened due to COVID. I would not have recommended you go to the theater to see it...but as a direct to DVD or film on a pay channel, it's well worth your time.

I mostly watched this to see Keanu go from John Wick to revising his surfer dude persona.

He looks like he's having loads of fun and I'm deliberately ignoring all the usual crap Hollywood writers did to promote "women good, men bad" as that is just going to be a trend we put up with until producers are sick of losing money.

This is a silly movie, with a silly plot, with actors enjoying being silly. I had a good time watching it for what it was.

We have to face facts, the reason there are so many sequels and remakes of movies from the 80s and 90s is because Hollywood peaked then. The 2000's marked the beginning of the decline, which has been rapidly descending in the last few years. Despite this decline and despite the mediocre Force Awakens style influences in the script, the charm and humour... and of course the nostalgia saves this from being unwatchable, which is high praise. Zazz as the robot steals the show along with the woman from Flight of the Concordes but I mostly left feeling a little sad that this movie wasn't made in the 90s and sad that Keane Reeves may not actually be immortal.

Maybe coming from a place of bias for having loved the originals as a young 'un, I can't help but respect the team for having another go at such a stupid premise. An A lister like Keanu could have scoffed it off and went back to making Oscar bids, but instead swallowed his pride and returned to the dopey character that kickstarted his career. It properly pays homage to the feel of the originals, bouncing from one illogical time travel scenario to another, never taking itself seriously and roping in a couple celebrity cameos who also seem to be just enjoying the ride. It nods to how absolutely ludicrous the idea of a "song that unites the world" is while still maintaining that earnest 80s belief that rock 'n roll can save your soul.

First of all, hear me out but as a musician I gotta say that the song they played at the wedding was actually pretty cool, highly creative and it had layers upon layers of sonic dissonance that brought note resolution to a new step in each direction using non-conventional tools. I could not believe it was written as a throw away joke.

Now, about the movie. That it could've been better? Yes, it most definitely could've. Specially if they had picked up from the events from Bogus Journey. But alas, that movie was written as a finale and not planned to have a sequel.

The gender swap of little Bill and little Ted was troublesome at first, but given the most excellent and honest performances by the two actresses mimicking their movie dads, it was quickly forgiven.

That being said, that I wished it would've been better written with higher character development and a bolder comedy standard? Most definitely.

That I enjoyed it? Yes, I kinda did but I think it was because I wasn't expecting much due to the state those long term sequels are working nowadays. Would I recommend it? No, not really. The movie is non, non, non-bogus, but it's also non-Excellent.

Either way, remember the lesson from the first two and Be Excellent to each other.