Adventure
Bill & Ted Face the Music
Review: ‘Bill & Ted Face the Music’ is Like a Fun, Sometimes Awkward, Reunion with Old Friends
August 27, 2020Ben MK
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When we last saw the time-traveling duo Bill S. Preston and Ted "Theodore" Logan, they had done the impossible; they had cheated death and lived to tell the tale. Now, nearly 30 years later, the franchise itself is back from the dead — and in Bill & Ted Face the Music, it's up to these two middle-aged dudes to save reality as we know it. The time and place is present day San Dimas, California, and the future has not unfolded as Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) had envisioned it. Sure, they have two awesome, music-loving daughters, Billie (Brigette Lundy-Paine) and Thea (Samara Weaving), who idolize and love them. But their marriages to the bodacious princesses, Elizabeth (Erinn Hayes) and Joanna (Jayma Mays), aren't what they used to be. And to make matters worse, their music career has long stalled, making Wyld Stallions the outcasts of the music community. Things have gotten so bad that Ted is even seriously considering selling this guitar — that is, until they're visited by Kelly (Kristen Schaal), the daughter of their good friend Rufus. Hailing from the year 2720, Kelly brings the pair to the way-too-distant future, where they're told by the Great Leader (Holland Taylor) that they have a mere 77 minutes to write and perform a song that will unite all of humanity across time. Even more bogus, however, is that if they fail, the consequences will be dire — like end-of-all-reality-as-we-know-it dire. Thus begins an adventure that will see Bill and Ted traveling into their future in an attempt to try and steal the song from their older selves, while Billie and Thea travel as far back as 11,500 B.C. to try and assemble a dream team of musicians that includes Jimi Hendrix, Louis Armstrong, Mozart, Ling Lun and a prehistoric drummer named Grom. The best parts of the movie, though, are when these two missions intersect, which also happens to be when Bill and Ted are reunited with none other than their old pal and former bandmate, Death (William Sadler). It all adds up to a sequel that, despite being fairly enjoyable, still feels largely unnecessary. That said, nostalgia is a powerful thing. And even though reunions with old friends can sometimes be a bit awkward, it's always fun to get together again to relive old memories and to make a few new ones as well. Bill & Ted Face the Music releases August 28th, 2020 from VVS Films. The film has an MPAA rating of PG-13 for some language. Its runtime is 1 hr. 28 min. |
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