Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure Review: and the Heart of Blockbuster Cinema | Lighttrain

Back in April of 2019, which I can’t believe has been so distant from now, I sat in a cinema with an enthusiastic crowd to watch Avengers: Endgame. Of course, taking into consideration the fanbase the Marvel films have accumulated over the last decade, filmgoers cheered and shared their equal satisfaction. I may not have been absorbed to the following, but I enjoyed the blockbuster bursts anyhow. And even, the contagious energy and the entertainment found in the feature all in all still makes me sit upon the nature of these Summer Blockbusters. More importantly, what elements can uplift one? I lately took a whip at Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, a flick I had dwindled to the sidelines for many years. Then, my mindset was altered completely.

Well, what’s the premise of the film? In San Dimas, California, two slang-slinging friends Bill Preston Esq. and Ted “Theodore” Logan aspire to rock out in their own band. However, they flunk remarkably in school, and it may take nothing short of a pure miracle for them to excel in an upcoming history report. If they fail, Bill would be sent off to a military service in Alaska, severing their friendship. Luckily for the two, folks from the future are equally concerned, and send a man named Rufus to the past to aid Bill and Ted with the report. With a time machine coming in dandy, they travel through the past, abducting a group of historical figures such as Socrates, Joan of Arc, and Abraham Lincoln for some useful information. Can the two dull fellows succeed in their task, or will it end up absolutely bogus?

We’ll return more on the subject of a blockbuster gold later. Additionally stay tuned until the review’s end for updates on this coming month. Trust me, I have quite exciting news!

The 1980s sure were a magnificent and frankly very odd decade to be apart of. Any kid from that era would remember playing on their Intellivision or Colecovision, listening to Prince, and repeated viewings of Beastmaster on HBO and Nick at Nite. Those were the times alright! And pushing aside the hilariously flashy fashion and dominant mullets, the decade paved way for many iconic products, commercials, innovations, shows, and film. I mean, the Chicken McNuggets were introduced in ’81 for Pete’s sake! And highlighting the film aspect, one of these freshly baked classics was Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, released in ’89, nearing the 1990s close behind.

The movie prevails where some other time travel plots can; not focusing on complicated quantum mechanics of space-time continuums. Although there still remains complex but enjoyable films of this kind, notably the 80s own birth child Back to the Future and Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys, I admire this more laid back and straightforward approach. The pace and story actually line up with the boneheaded yet likeable main leads rather nicely. Everything flows by, jumping place to place, dilemma to another, but not feeling disconnected. This was my primary complaint towards Gilliam’s own Monty Python and The Holy Grail, in that it felt more like a medley of loosely woven together sketches instead of a storyline. Bill and Ted almost stumble into that valley, though they stand tall above it overall.

Maybe the film also might have botched up if it weren’t for the amusing performances, particularly Alex Winter, Keanu Reeves, and George Carlin, despite the latter’s limited appearances. Winter and Reeves share a charmingly dynamic pair with each other so well. It’s hard to describe what binds this whole experience together so strongly. Whatever the glue is, this duo was “most excellent” indeed. Assisted by the amusing script, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure definitely ranks high on the fun-o-meter, as long as you’re brain is switched off for the runtime!

As a boomerang richochets back to its former coming, I now segway into my deliberation on blockbusters. So, honest to myself, these big blowouts aren’t popular to me for their exquisite quality and attention to details. They’ve always seemed to be raw time spenders with meager substance beyond that. But since watching this picture, I think the answer may be “relatability” . The audience should have something to root for and connect with. Not action, romance, explosions, big budgets, nor hollow paper cutout stereotypes. This response can be utterly unimpressive. A universally acknowledged consensus is very unlikely. But for me, that’s my head canon.

Yes, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is an unabashed absurdist folly, and an inspired one with that. In a world that is growing bleaker day by day, Bill and Ted’s buoyant smiles are like a beacon of hope. And I believe we should all learn a little bit more from these optimistic dopers. So, always remember to be excellent to each other. And party on, dudes.

RATING: 7/10 RECOMMENDATION RATING: 10/10

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UPDATES FOR DECEMBER

Hey ho again! On this month’s episode of Out of Order, we’ll take a second gamble and watch some retro B-movie trailers and commercials! From the good, the bad, and the Christmas goodies, stop by on Thursday, December 17 for the holiday hullabaloo. We’re also kicking off our “Very Merry Espionage Christmas” , a quad-post marathon spread out across December, January, and February reviewing the most obscure of spy fiction. Who says Christmas lasts one month? Join us for our marathon, which kicks off with a top secret review on Christmas Eve. However, with every good news there is also some not-so-great news. The Lighttrain will be having a short break; therefore, no normal reviews on Thursday, December 31 – New Year’s Eve – or Thursday, January 7. We’ll return with the next installment of the Espionage Christmas followed by Every Pixar Film Reviewed volume 3 beginning January 14.

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, and I wish you the best for the Holidays up ahead. Thank you for 87 subscribers to the blog; spread the word and let’s get this show to a hundred!

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