| Product: |
Galaxy Quest (DVD) |
| Date: |
16/06/01 (7 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: none
Disadvantages: none
When this movie was first released in 1999, I honestly thought to myself after seeing the trailer that it looked like a load of rubbish. Would it be yet another spoof movie, that although seemingly having a great cast, would amount to very little and be short on laughter. Strike one against Lizzii for being as wrong as a wrong person could have been!
THE CAST AND CHARACTERS:
Tim Allen plays Jason Nesmith, the egotistical actor who was shot to fame playing Commander Peter Quincy Taggart, in the TV sci-fi series Galaxy Quest. Fighting the alien bad guys with his trusty crew, Nesmith is the man women faint over and the hero men want to be. The show was cancelled eighteen years previously, and the movie starts with Nesmith and his ‘crew’ at a Galaxy Quest convention, which they appear at in full costume and character. None of the actors appear to get along and all hate the front man who turns up late and treats them as though they are only there because of him. Allen shines in his role and his humorous talent makes for some superb watching.
Gwen DeMarco is the sexy female crewmember Lt. Tawny Madison, played totally tongue in cheek by the brilliant Sigourney Weaver. Ever complaining that her role in the show was to confirm everything that the computer says, she loves the attention that she attracts at the conventions, especially the admiring glances she gets, which always seem to be aimed at her ample bosom! In a role that showcases her comedic capabilities, Weaver gives a cracking performance as do her ample assets that become more and more part of the plot as the movie progresses!
The utterly superb Alan Rickman is the bitter and twisted Alexander Dane, who constantly complains about Nesmith and the fact that everything seemed to revolve around the lead man in the show. Playing Dr. Lazarus in the show Dane has to don full make-up, as his character is somewhat of the non-human kind! Rickman’s dry sense of humour
and droll tones give him some of the best lines in the film and make his character one of the funniest I have seen in a long time.
Guy Fleegman, the convention announcer, was an extra on an early show, and is the type that like in Star Trek you know is going to get killed because you’ve never seen him before, he never even had a name, he was just ‘Crewman Number 6’! Played by the hugely talented Sam Rockwell, Guy steals many a scene with his whinging ways and his constant worry’s that he MUST die at some point, because after all he was ONLY ‘Crewman Number 6’!
The rest of the cast all play their comedic roles with perfect timing and bounce lines and scenes off the main cast members wonderfully.
THE FILM:
The has been actors, who now only do personal appearances and conventions are desperate for a job or appearance to come along that doesn’t involve space travel, intergalactic fighting and for Gwen her breasts, but their scruples are tested if one lands a job or public appearance and the others don’t.
After doing yet another convention and by now wallowing in utter despair the shows minor stars are about to give up when the Thermians arrive. Nesmith has already visited the spaceship and tries to convince the rest of the cast that they are for real, and they only agree to go with him because they don’t want Nesmith doing anything without them. Still believing that the visiting aliens are just dressed up and want them for a personal another appearance they are transported to the Thermian ship that is a complete replica of the Galaxy Quest ship, as the Thermians believe the show is in fact, fact!
The Thermian leader, Mathesar, played by ‘Just Shoot Me’ star Enrico Colantoni, fully expects them to help defeat the Thermian enemy, lead by the genocidal General Sarris. Completely believing that Galaxy Quest is historical fact, the Thermians have put
all their hopes on Nesmith and his fellow actors, trusting that as they have defeated enemies far worse in Galaxy Quest, Sarris won’t be that much of a problem for them!
The movie contains some of the driest humour I have heard for a long time and the effects department have done a brilliant job recreating not only the sets but also what are shown as re-runs of the Galaxy Quest series.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film from start to finish, and will definitely now go out and buy the DVD, as I actually watched it on Sky Box Office and thought it was worth every penny of the £3 fee.
A brilliant film that made my Bank Holiday Monday much more enjoyable.
Summary:
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