Galaxy Quest Review

Galaxy Quest has been around for a few years but it's one of those films that puts a smile on my face just thinking about it. If you read a synopsis, it's only a silly science fiction comedy. However, Galaxy Quest actually works in just about every way a film is supposed to work, and the whole thing ends up being more than the sum of its parts.

Starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman and Tony Shaloub (from the TV series Monk), Galaxy Quest is about a new and surprising adventure by the cast members of a long-cancelled cheezy science fiction TV show called Galaxy Quest. Obviously based on the Star Trek franchise, the cast members haven't done much since the show was cancelled, so they support themselves by attending conventions where the show's rabid fans worship the aging stars.

Then some fans approach the "commander" from the series (Tim Allen) and ask for his help. The commander thinks the fans want to put together an amateur film, but it turns out they are aliens who think that Galaxy Quest was the record of actual events by heroic spacemen. The aliens refer to the TV show as "historical documents," and are convinced beyond all evidence that the show's bickering cast members are forceful heros who can help the aliens defeat a vicious enemy.

This misunderstanding is at the core of Galaxy Quest and it sounds like a one-joke film. However, the writing is excellent and everyone gets plenty of chances to get in on the joke, even nerdy fans whose devotion to the show finally pays off. The end comes with a spectacular special effect at a fan convention, as perfect as it is hilarious. The cast is uniformly good and one of the special treats of this film is to see Sigourney Weaver play a not-too-bright actress who plays a blonde bimbo. Weaver is so often the smart brunette that her turn as a bosomy blonde is a revelation. (Don't worry... she didn't reveal all that much!)

Rated PG and fine for anyone over 10 or so, Galaxy Quest may have been missed by today's teens and 20-somethings. If you're looking for something at the video store and haven't seen Galaxy Quest, rent it. It's a fun film for the whole family, and you don't have to be a "trekkie" or know anything about science fiction to enjoy this film. There's action, laughs and just the right ending. I recommend Galaxy Quest... it is both science fiction and a comedy, and an excellent example of both genres.