While I remain a die-hard Quantum Leap and Doctor Who fan and cannot bring myself to place Wyld Stallyns over Sam Beckett or The Doctor, the sheer Hilarity that Ensues puts this in my top five Time Travel plots ever. I can't think of the other two right now, but definitely top five. It is hardly serious, hard science fiction with an even remotely sensible plot... but it is in this ludicrous ridiculousness that Bill And Ted is truly Excellent.
While fans of other time travel shows and/or might not be extremely impressed with Excellent Adventure, so long as you think of it as more Sluggy Freelance than Quantum Leap everything works out. The performances from Reeves, Alex Winter, and George Carlin (despite being a bit of a One Scene Wonder) were all surprisingly good. The script is consistently quotable (especially Sigmund Freud); even the nonverbal scenes (such as Beethoven with the synthesizers) are rather well done.
All in all? Watch Excellent Adventure if you want a pleasant an Excellent time travel film, but not something that is overly serious.
Bodacious Indeed
While I expected So Bad Its Good Snark Bait based on the plot summaries that I had recieved, as well as the thought of Keanu Reeves in a comedic role, I found Bill And Ted to be... an excellent adventure. Bodacious, even.
While I remain a die-hard Quantum Leap and Doctor Who fan and cannot bring myself to place Wyld Stallyns over Sam Beckett or The Doctor, the sheer Hilarity that Ensues puts this in my top five Time Travel plots ever. I can't think of the other two right now, but definitely top five. It is hardly serious, hard science fiction with an even remotely sensible plot... but it is in this ludicrous ridiculousness that Bill And Ted is truly Excellent.
While fans of other time travel shows and/or might not be extremely impressed with Excellent Adventure, so long as you think of it as more Sluggy Freelance than Quantum Leap everything works out. The performances from Reeves, Alex Winter, and George Carlin (despite being a bit of a One Scene Wonder) were all surprisingly good. The script is consistently quotable (especially Sigmund Freud); even the nonverbal scenes (such as Beethoven with the synthesizers) are rather well done.
All in all? Watch Excellent Adventure if you want
a pleasantan Excellent time travel film, but not something that is overly serious.Party on, dudes. Party on.