Galaxy Quest Review

I just watched this for what must have been the 5th or 6th time, and it's always funny.

The Premise: In the 1960s or 70s, a sci-fi television show called Galaxy Quest aired and gained a cult following. Years after the show has gone off the air, the show's main actors - now bitter and resentful over having been typecast - earn their livings by attenting Galaxy Quest conventions. They no longer like one another, and most of them can't stand being associated with something as silly as Galaxy Quest. Sound familiar? Meanwhile, in a far-off galaxy, a race of aliens gets their hands on the Galaxy Quest episodes and mistakes them for "historical documents." They base their whole culture on the code of ethics, behaviour, and science of Galaxy Quest, never realizing it's nothing but a television show. When this race of aliens finds their civilization in peril, they do the only thing they can think of: they travel to earth and pick up the Galaxy Quest "crew", in hopes that they can save the day, as they have so many times before. Action and hilarity ensue.

I'm no fan of Tim Allen, but he puts in a great performance as, let's face it, William Shatner/Captain Kirk. He reaches just the perfect balance of bravado and charm. Alan Rickman is featured in the Leonard Nimoy/Mr. Spock role, and he plays it as a classically trained Shakespearean actor relegated to a lifetime under heavy alien make-up. Sam Rockwell is great as a cheesy extra that no one really remembers from Galaxy Quest, but who still hopes agianst hope for his moment in the sun.

This movie is a must-see for any fan of Star Trek. It's a good-natured, loving satire about the world of fandom, and the cult of Trek. It's not heavy-handed or mean-spirited as some pokes at Trekkies can be. If anything, the "geeks" who love Galaxy Quest turn out to be unlikley heroes in this farce.