Bill and Ted, now middle-aged fathers, must travel into
the future to create the song which will unite the world. COMEDY/SCI-FI
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Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)Directed by Dean Parisot
Written by Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon Starring Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Kristen Schaal, Samara Weaving, Brigette Lundy-Paine, William Sadler, Anthony Carrigan, Erinn Hayes, Jayma Mays, Hal Landon Jr., Beck Bennett, Amy Stoch, Holland Taylor, Jillian Bell Sequel to 1991's Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey |
I thought Bill & Ted 3 was a terrible idea. Belated sequels almost never work, especially comedy ones. Besides, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are both in their 50's now, so there's no way they'd be able to exude the youthful gusto of these iconic 80's dimwits. On paper, there's no way in hell this would ever work. But now, I'd argue that Bill & Ted Face the Music may be the best one in the trilogy, and a sequel that was made purely for the fans. This film is hilarious, entertaining, and incredibly heartfelt. Who'd have guessed?
It's been 25 years since the concert at the Grand Canyon that put Wyld Stallyns on the map. In that time, Ted "Theodore" Logan (Reeves) and Bill S. Preston Esq. (Winter) have become fathers and tried to write the song that will unite the world and fulfill their destinies. But it never happened. Their daughters, Billie (Lundy-Paine) and Thea (Weaving) still believe in them, though, and when future shenanigans happen again, the kids time travel to the past to create a band of history's greatest musicians. Meanwhile, Bill & Ted travel to the future to get the song they've already written, only to learn that time and space will be destroyed if they fail. The story is epic, the performances are hilarious, and Reeves & Winter haven't skipped a beat. Their chemistry is still perfect, and it helps make this cap off a great trilogy of three fun movies. Bill & Ted Face the Music contains so much optimism, love, and heart that it will make you forget about the world for just a bit. With William Salder returning as Death and a sweet nod to Rufus, this was a film designed to celebrate the franchise and give the fans one last hurrah. This film accomplished that, and then some. I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion to this story, and I'm so glad it didn't end up being a black sheep. |
It took over two decades to happen, but here we are. We finally have the third film, known as Bill & Ted Face the Music. After years of false starts and stops, the fans finally got the third film they wanted. And how did this seem to come together? Well, Keanu Reeves had a huge boost to his career after the monster success of John Wick. That seemed to get the ball going. Then, Alex Winter and he released a video excitedly announcing the upcoming film. A release date was set and the film was on track to arrive. But, a pandemic which no one saw coming arrived and seemed to disrupt those release plans. Not to be deterred, the filmmakers figured out a way to get the film out to the public. With that, we now have a third film which seems to be getting love from both the critics and fans alike. Who knew a decades long-awaited sequel would actually get well received?
The first thing I want to mention is the ever so amazing chemistry between Reeves and Winter. It may have been over two decades later, but they don’t miss a beat. They sink back into these roles so easily and seem to be having a lot of fun revisiting these characters again after so many years. They are not alone, though, as we now see Bill and Ted as parents. Their daughters are played by Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine, respectively. Both are not just a great team together, but perfectly embody the types of kids these two would have. Another smart move is the return of time travel. But this time, into the future. This harkens back to the breezy fun of the original and is a welcome return. The sequel is not ignored, though, as we see the return of William Sadler as Death. He is just as delightful, and funny, as the first time we saw him. Look, it’s a known fact most comedy sequels suck. Especially ones which take decades to finally come out. But, this is one that proves the exception to the rule. The filmmakers wisely choose which parts of the prior two movies to bring back. And Reeves and Winter are as good as ever. In the words of the great ones: rock on, dudes! |