This light-hearted science fiction parody film by director Dean Parisot was released
on Christmas Day in 1999, where it eventually doubled its $45 million dollar budget.
The brilliantly written script follows a group of washed up television actors from a long-defunct
space-opera show who have to play their characters for real when an alien race requests their
help.
The entire experience is an obvious, but faithful nod to "Star Trek", satirizing not only the
larger-than-life attitudes of its cast, but also the techno-jargon, sensational scenarios,
and its rabid fandom.
The 102-minute story opens by showing us a quick glimpse of the show within the film,
where we're introduced to the cast via their on-screen characters; Tim Allen stars as the
egotistical and headstrong leader; who has his dignity bruised when he overhears fans
at a convention saying he's a pathetic has-been.
This wake-up-call was reportedly based on an actual event that happened to Allen's real-life
analog, William Shatner.
For me, Tim will forever be the "Tool Man" - but he captures the swagger, confidence,
and annoyed attitude of a TV star perfectly...
even managing to have his shirt ripped off to assert his sexual appeal.
At 50 years old, Sigourney Weaver is as beautiful as she is talented in the second-lead, constantly
bitter about her character's lack of purpose on the show... which has now been translated
to an actual outer-space adventure.
She flatly remarks on their situation, "We're actors, not astronauts!"
They're joined onboard the NSEA-Protector spaceship by Alan Rickman as a British theater
actor reluctant to be participate, Tony Shalhoub as a nonplused engineer apparently intended
to be Asian, Sam Rockwell as the "glorified extra" only in attendance for his "plucky
comic relief", and Darly Mitchell as a grown-up child actor.
The rest of the equally incredible cast includes Enrico Colantoni, Justin Long in his film
debut, and Missi Pyle.
The original screenplay is undoubtedly a cult-classic - but it's this group of actors that makes
it all work so flawlessly.
The briskly paced PG-rated romp is assembled with impressive visual effects, and an inspirational-sounding
score by David Newman.
Without prior knowledge of "Star Trek", or its many tropes - "Galaxy Quest" is still
a wonderfully fun time that delivers plenty of laughs.
But for those who have attended conventions, and followed this film's inspiration: the
payoffs and situations are undeniably incredible.
Like when Weaver angrily rants about a pointlessly contrived obstacle that only exists because
it was once on the old TV program, shouting, "This episode was badly written!"
But the disclaimer that closes out the credits, as with most movies?
"Purely coincidental" my ass...
some of the characters are direct analogs of their Trek counterparts.
Although it constantly parodies Trek and its fans, it always does so with love and respect;
allowing a pivotal moment of life-saving exposition to be delivered by the one person who understands
interstellar situations the best: a devoted fan.
Worth watching again and again, this is a touching, and spirited homage to "Star Trek"
that approaches its uniquely absurd premise with admirable believability.
The even-numbered Trek film that fans deserved, "Galaxy Quest", is a truly fantastic spoof
of sci-fi culture.