Review of Galaxy Quest (1999) by Byron B — 28 Feb 2012

I've seen a lot more of Star Trek (there are a lot more hours to see) than Star Wars. So I appreciate this spoof and homage very much. The cast is very good at sending up fan convention heroes thrust into action they aren't prepared for.

Colantoni, Breen, Rees and Pyle are the lead Thermians who have seen the "historical documents" of the old tv series Galaxy Quest. They need the crew's help in defeating the space villain Sarris.

Allen, Weaver, Rickman, Shalhoub, Mitchell and Rockwell are stereotypical actors and stereotypical sci-fi series characters. On repeat viewing I thought Rickman as Alexander Dane, the classically trained actor reduced to alien makeup and Spock-like emotional repression, was the one having the least fun as his character.

I know his character playing the tv character has no fun, but compared to the other comedians he was a little weaker. The effects are great. There are lots of laughs and some passable action. There is even a bit of heart when Allen's Jason Nesmith comes clean to Colantoni's Mathesar and the crew learns to live the teamwork ideals that their tv show always championed.