Galaxy Quest
Trust someone outside the "Star Trek" creative family to come up with a "Trek" movie that's better than most.OK, "Galaxy Quest" may not be an official "Trek" film — in fact, it's a thinly disguised and sometimes affectionate mockery of the beloved television franchise and the somewhat spotty movies that ensued. (If you can imagine "Trek" crossed with "Men in Black," you'll get a clearer picture of what this film is like.)
It's hard to say how it some audiences will react to the film. Much of the humor — especially gags poking fun at typical activities seen at science-fiction conventions, and very specific references to "Trek" episodes — is so "inside" that it may go over the heads of neophytes. And there's a possibility some thin-skinned Trekkies who may think they're being mocked too mercilessly.
But this science-fiction comedy is so extremely silly, so inventively goofy, that even those who aren't diehard Trekkies — or sci-fi fans at all — may find something to like about it.
And perhaps the biggest surprise of all is that somehow the filmmakers have gotten an amusing live-action performance out of Tim Allen, whose best turns of late have been his voice work in the "Toy Story" animated movies.
So, needless to say, they're skeptical when a disheveled-looking Peter claims to have been taken aboard a real spaceship. They reluctantly follow him to the rendezvous spot, only to find discover he's telling the truth.
It seems the alien Thermians, who believe the washed-up actors are honest-to-goodness heroes, need help arbitrating their rather one-sided dealings with Sarris (Robin Sachs), an intergalactic dictator who's bent on exterminating their race.
Not wanting to disappoint the naive extraterrestrials, they agree to participate in their scheme, only to make things much worse.
As you can probably tell, it's a set-up that's rife with possibilities, which director Dean Parisot ("Home Fries") and screenwriters David Howard and Robert Gordon are more than willing to exploit.
Particularly amusing is a special-effects-heavy sequence pitting Allen's character against a rock monster (filmed in Goblin Valley), as well as the burgeoning romance between Fred and one of the Thermians (Missi Pyle).
The cast seems to be having a ball, too, especially Allen, who is apparently taking most of his cues from William Shatner, and Rickman, whose character is probably based on the "I Am Not Spock"-era Leonard Nimoy.
That enthusiasm even trickles down to the supporting cast, including scene-stealers Tony Shalhoub and Sam Rockwell, the latter playing one of "Galaxy Quest's" anonymous crewmen.
"Galaxy Quest" is rated PG for science-fiction-related violence (laser blasts and explosions, as well as some hand-to-hand combat), alien gore and goo, a handful of profanities, some crude humor (nothing too offensive) and a scene of torture.