Review of Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) by William W — 06 Jul 2009

Why do I enjoy Bill and Ted after all these years? Isn't it just a simple movie about two good hearted idiots who go to Hell and back while saying "dude" a lot? Well, first of all I am fond of movies about good hearted idiots (Dumb and Dumber, Wedding Crashers, and most of Will Ferrell's movies). But then why go back to this sci-fi teen comedy from 1991? Because there actually is something excellent about Bill and Ted that warrants a second look.

After their time travel adventure Bill and Ted propose to their girlfriends and seem on the path for glory as the rock band Wyld Stallions. Then a villain decides to stop the duo from creating a society founded on their philosophy: Be excellent to each other (and party on, dudes). He sends robot doubles back in time to kill the duo...and for once that silly time travel plot succeeds. Bill and Ted are killed. From there the duo take a trip to Hell and eventually challenge death to various party games for the opportunity to go back to earth, save their fiances, and become the founders of a society that believes one should "be excellent" to others.

This, I think, is what separates Bogus Journey from the self interested teen films of the late 80s and puts it in a league with the best buddy films about idiotic friends trying to succeed and do some good. Bill and Ted essentially stay true to their metal head version of the golden rule. They may not be very bright and they don't impress anyone with their music (yet) but Bill and Ted are good guys. They let Death hang with them. They compliment God on Earth, Mars, (and yes, Uranus). They even seem to sympathize with their dads because each of them married Missy. Bill and Ted really do want to be excellent to people.

Bogus Journey has flaws of course. I usually fast forward through the part where the alien character builds good robot versions of Bill and Ted. But there are a lot of entertaining scenes worth seeing again. Like the scene where Ted possesses his dad's body and tries to convince the police to arrest the evil robot doubles and "protect the babes.".

And of course Death steals many scenes in this film. When he stands next to Bill and Ted before the Almighty as they ask him for help, Death steps back into frame afterwards to explain "they melvined me.".

All in all, Bogus Journey may not be a masterpiece to some but I like it for it's dimwitted but ultimately good heroes.