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I'm no Trekkie. I was a huge fan of the Next Generation but the other shows, both Voyager and Deep Space Nine never appealed to me. And alas, the vintage Star Trek can only be described as camp today. It reached a new level of tackiness. The films were always above par though. First Contact was the best of a surprisingly good bunch.
That being said, it was nice to have some Trekkie knowledge before I watched Galaxy Quest because this film rips apart all the stereotypes, all the cliches. It mocks Star Trek fans, it mocks the actors, the cheesy dialogue, the corny plots, the ridiculously cardboard sets. And still at the end of the movie, you come away with a love for everything Trekkie. What a fabulous comedy!
It's probably unfair to refer to Trekkie's specifically seeing as there was no mention of that term in Galaxy Quest but it's obvious that Star Trek is being satirised here. Kirk, Spock, even Scotty are mirrored in the characters. The set is a carbon copy of the original series's bridge and where had I seen that transporter device before?
The plot concerns an alien race, who firmly believe that Galaxy Quest, the TV show is a historical document, and ask the crew to help them fight a powerful enemy. Of course, the cast of the TV show are uncapable of such a feat, but like such films as A Bug's Life or The Magnificent Seven, they somehow overcome the odds.
What I enjoyed most of all in Galaxy Quest besides the witty script was the performances. Tim Allen leads. He's Shatneresque but he gives Commander Quincy a life of his own. He gets ridiculously bad lines to say but like all good commanders he delivers them forcefully. I, especially, enjoyed the way he did a head-over heels for no reason at all when he was on the planet. His character did it a lot in the series.
Weaver is nothing more than cleavage but it was a welcome change from her Ripley character. Rickman plays Sir Alexander Dane with a passionated hatred for his fictional character. He detests everything sci-fi, especially that line. Rickman, as usual, is marvellous. Daryl Mitchell proves again why he should be seen more. Playing a Gary Coleman type, he gets some of the best scenes - exiting the dock was fun.
Of the supporting cast, Tony Shalhoub and Sam Rockwell stand out. Shalhoub takes the fact that the crew are in outer space in his stride. Nothing fazes the character, not even his tentacled girlfriend. Rockwell has good moments as Guy, an extra who starred in one episode and was killed.
My favourite member of the cast was Enrico Colantoni playing Mathesar, the Thermian leader. The thermians are a blissfully innocent race, an original alien creation. Their lives are based on Galaxy Quest's high morals. Mathesar embodies all that is good. The scene where he discovers the truth behind the cast is touching.
"Never give up, never surrender..."
That being said, it was nice to have some Trekkie knowledge before I watched Galaxy Quest because this film rips apart all the stereotypes, all the cliches. It mocks Star Trek fans, it mocks the actors, the cheesy dialogue, the corny plots, the ridiculously cardboard sets. And still at the end of the movie, you come away with a love for everything Trekkie. What a fabulous comedy!
It's probably unfair to refer to Trekkie's specifically seeing as there was no mention of that term in Galaxy Quest but it's obvious that Star Trek is being satirised here. Kirk, Spock, even Scotty are mirrored in the characters. The set is a carbon copy of the original series's bridge and where had I seen that transporter device before?
The plot concerns an alien race, who firmly believe that Galaxy Quest, the TV show is a historical document, and ask the crew to help them fight a powerful enemy. Of course, the cast of the TV show are uncapable of such a feat, but like such films as A Bug's Life or The Magnificent Seven, they somehow overcome the odds.
What I enjoyed most of all in Galaxy Quest besides the witty script was the performances. Tim Allen leads. He's Shatneresque but he gives Commander Quincy a life of his own. He gets ridiculously bad lines to say but like all good commanders he delivers them forcefully. I, especially, enjoyed the way he did a head-over heels for no reason at all when he was on the planet. His character did it a lot in the series.
Weaver is nothing more than cleavage but it was a welcome change from her Ripley character. Rickman plays Sir Alexander Dane with a passionated hatred for his fictional character. He detests everything sci-fi, especially that line. Rickman, as usual, is marvellous. Daryl Mitchell proves again why he should be seen more. Playing a Gary Coleman type, he gets some of the best scenes - exiting the dock was fun.
Of the supporting cast, Tony Shalhoub and Sam Rockwell stand out. Shalhoub takes the fact that the crew are in outer space in his stride. Nothing fazes the character, not even his tentacled girlfriend. Rockwell has good moments as Guy, an extra who starred in one episode and was killed.
My favourite member of the cast was Enrico Colantoni playing Mathesar, the Thermian leader. The thermians are a blissfully innocent race, an original alien creation. Their lives are based on Galaxy Quest's high morals. Mathesar embodies all that is good. The scene where he discovers the truth behind the cast is touching.
"Never give up, never surrender..."
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I couldn't believe that she knew my name. Some of my best friends didn't know my name.
I couldn't believe that she knew my name. Some of my best friends didn't know my name.
