If you're looking for something that is like Star Trek but is still played out as its own thing, then Galaxy Quest may be the right movie for you. This movie received positive reviews from critics at the time and much like the fan culture represented in the movie, this movie would go on to delight fans both old and new.
In the late‘70s/early’80s there was a show called Galaxy Quest, a space adventure series that has grown a dedicated fan base, and about 15 or so years later, there are still conventions being held to honor Galaxy Quest’s legacy. The actors of the hit show still attend the conventions but have unfortunately grown apart with the main star Jason becoming full of himself and the rest of the actors resentful to Jason’s personality as well as the obsessive loyalty of the fans. This all changes one day when Jason comes across a group of strange people called Thermains as their leader named Mathesar requests that Jason and his “crew” come and help them with an urgent matter. Thinking it’s all just a fan request the gang all agree but are shocked when they are flung into space and find themselves on a ship that is designed just like the one from the TV show but it’s real. The Thermains believe that the tv show Galaxy Quest is recorded history documents and the actors try to tell them otherwise but with no success. Now they must brave the dangers of space as they come across extraterrestrial creatures and menacing villains.
This is the kind of story that likes to poke fun at its premise but also have a lot of fun with it too. It’s a parody of Star Trek and other Space shows and movies around the time, but it still feels like its own thing thanks to its witty writing and a colorful cast of characters. The actual space adventure goes in many different entertaining directions both comically and storywise. There are a lot of laughs to be had and there is even a bit of emotional depth when it comes to the third act of the film. The casting choices for the main characters are spot on and they work incredibly well off each other. Tim Allen is good at playing the snarky full of himself main star of the show without coming across as unlikeable and Alan Rickman is hilarious in his line delivery both intentionally and even unintentionally.
The Visual style takes a page right out of Star Trek and the film has a good mix of both practical effects and CGI effects. The practical effects are impressive and still hold up. I especially like the costuming of Sarris and his goons with their green skin and their bug-like features. It’s pretty obvious to tell nowadays what is CGI and what isn’t because of the time the film came out. On the other hand, the way they execute the CGI is creative and impressive as it works with having fully integrated CG characters and scenes interacting with real actors this is especially the case with the aliens on the nearby planet and showing the outside of the ship in space. The Music score has an epic space adventure spirit almost like Zathura or even Star Wars in a way. It’s very fun and it gets you in the mood to do some space exploration to new planets and areas of the galaxy.
No Star Trek knowledge is needed to enjoy this well put together space adventure comedy that has as much fun with its premise as it possibly can. It provides a lot of laughs and even some brief deep and complex moments from time to time. You are guaranteed to have a blast no matter how young or old you are.
(Final Grade: A-)