For four years, the intrepid crew of the NSEA Protector left Earth for thrilling and dangerous outer-space missions... before their series was axed. Now, twenty years later, the cast of Galaxy Quest - Jason Nesmith aka Captain Peter Quincy Taggart (Tim Allen), Gwen DeMarco aka Lieutenant Tawny Madison (Sigourney Weaver), Alexander Dane aka Dr. Lazarus (Alan Rickman), Tommy Webber aka Laredo (Daryl Mitchell) and Fred Kwan aka Tech Sgt. Chen (Tony Shalhoub) - are getting by only on a carousel of monotonous science fiction conventions where their fans are as obsessed as possible. At one convention, though, they also meet a group aliens known as Thermians and their leader Mathazar (Enrico Colantoni), who've intercepted the broadcasts of Galaxy Quest as "historical documents" and are currently under attack from the evil Sarris (Robin Sachs) and his crew. After they are then reluctantly beamed up into space to help the Thermians, with no script, director or clue the washed-up actors, along with apprehensive convention host Guy Fleegman (Sam Rockwell), must give the performances of their lives in order to save the universe for real this time.
Galaxy Quest is like the ultimate go-to source for how to achieve both a sharp parody of and loving homage to something (in this case Star Trek). Director Dean Parisot and writers Robert Gordon and David Howard most immediately get us acquainted with this ragtag team of quarrelling actors and their TV alter-egos torn straight from Gene Roddenberry's creations, and give them realistic dynamics and struggles: Gwen and particularly Alexander are sick of their characters (reminiscent of how Leonard Nimoy often found himself trapped in his Spock character), and the others all hate the egotistical Jason. Parisot, Gordon and Howard also do a very knowing job of depicting SF fans and how for many of us, it's way more than just a genre. It's something that really nourishes and unifies us; a great help in driving this message home is the subplot with nerdy teenage fanboy Brandon (Justin Long), who helps the crew after meeting Jason at the convention. There's also solid visual effects, a suitably serial-esque score and rich make-up by the late, great Stan Winston to be savoured here.
The stars are all on top form, too. Former animated space cowboy doll Allen channels William Shatner/James T. Kirk to just the right pitch, Weaver (my eternal Queen of Science Fiction) revels in playing a comic twist on her iconic Ellen Ripley role, Rickman effortlessly lets his browbeaten character's anger and sadness seep out gradually for more impact, Shalhoub (aka Jeebs, the alien whose head grew back in Men in Black) has many of the wittiest lines and scores with them all, and Colantoni and Missi Pyle (as the main female Thermian, who can't talk) are respectively touching and blisteringly funny. But for me the MVP here is Sam Rockwell, who had arguably the hardest role because it was the most original, and yet he so memorably creates this increasingly nervous wingman that he will leave you in fits of laughter, especially in the priceless climax.
It's thoroughly satirical and irreverent, but also sincerely affectionate and touching as an examination of science fiction and its fandom. Galaxy Quest is unquestionably one of the best parody movies ever made, and a well-deserved cult classic.
Galaxy Quest is like the ultimate go-to source for how to achieve both a sharp parody of and loving homage to something (in this case Star Trek). Director Dean Parisot and writers Robert Gordon and David Howard most immediately get us acquainted with this ragtag team of quarrelling actors and their TV alter-egos torn straight from Gene Roddenberry's creations, and give them realistic dynamics and struggles: Gwen and particularly Alexander are sick of their characters (reminiscent of how Leonard Nimoy often found himself trapped in his Spock character), and the others all hate the egotistical Jason. Parisot, Gordon and Howard also do a very knowing job of depicting SF fans and how for many of us, it's way more than just a genre. It's something that really nourishes and unifies us; a great help in driving this message home is the subplot with nerdy teenage fanboy Brandon (Justin Long), who helps the crew after meeting Jason at the convention. There's also solid visual effects, a suitably serial-esque score and rich make-up by the late, great Stan Winston to be savoured here.
The stars are all on top form, too. Former animated space cowboy doll Allen channels William Shatner/James T. Kirk to just the right pitch, Weaver (my eternal Queen of Science Fiction) revels in playing a comic twist on her iconic Ellen Ripley role, Rickman effortlessly lets his browbeaten character's anger and sadness seep out gradually for more impact, Shalhoub (aka Jeebs, the alien whose head grew back in Men in Black) has many of the wittiest lines and scores with them all, and Colantoni and Missi Pyle (as the main female Thermian, who can't talk) are respectively touching and blisteringly funny. But for me the MVP here is Sam Rockwell, who had arguably the hardest role because it was the most original, and yet he so memorably creates this increasingly nervous wingman that he will leave you in fits of laughter, especially in the priceless climax.
It's thoroughly satirical and irreverent, but also sincerely affectionate and touching as an examination of science fiction and its fandom. Galaxy Quest is unquestionably one of the best parody movies ever made, and a well-deserved cult classic.
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