There’s a lot of evidence that when a franchise brings out another entry many years after the previous one, it will fail. However, that does not seem to be the case with Bill and Ted Face the Music. Dean Parisot is behind the camera this time and the film (of course) follows Ted (Keanu Reeves) and Bill (Alex Winter), who are now middle aged, married and have daughters (Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy Pierce – who are nothing more than female counterparts of Bill and Ted’s younger selves). They are still to write the song that will save humanity, but time is running out for them when a woman from the future (Kristen Schaal) brings news that the world is in danger, so it’s up to Bill and Ted to save it. Their plan is to go into the future and steal the song from themselves, what could possibly go wrong?
Reeves and Winter play their roles as if no significant time has passed. They are obsessed with their destiny as musicians and their chemistry together is one of the main things that keep the film enjoyable. They still act the way the did in the previous films, and despite playing very dumb characters, they never get annoying. It’s also refreshing to see Reeves in a comedy, since most of his recent work has been nothing but action films and dramas. Weaver and Pierce are fine, it’s obvious they know what is being asked of them and they do a good enough job. A lot of the supporting cast are funny, but not in any memorable way. William Sadler is back as Death, and I know he got a lot of praise for his part in the previous film Bogus Journey, so I would have liked a little more of him. There’s also a cameo in the film by rapper Kid Cudi, and another by a musician who is famous for being in the bands Nirvana and Foo Fighters. Of course, this is the first Bill and Ted film not to feature George Carlin as Rufus, but at least they have archive footage of him.
Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon penned the script, and it certainly keeps a lot of the franchise essentials. Bill and Ted are the same people, the tone is consistently fun and doesn’t try to be serious. There is one sub-plot to the film that does get side-tracked the more it goes on, which is Bill and Ted’s marital problems, but the film is more interested in getting them traveling through time and seeing one crazy world after the other as they try to get the song. Meanwhile the daughters are also time travelling, trying to assemble a band of the world’s greatest musicians to help to play this song. There is also a terminator-like robot, but if he weren’t in it at all, I doubt the film would be much different. The run time is under 100 minutes and it’s all fast-paced, it barely slows down and it’s always on the move, which is always appreciated.
The film also has quite a notable colour palette, the future is covered in white and shines, while any bad futures are grey, but not depressing (thanks to a prison scene that is in all the trailers). Even hell manages to have a distinctive look, despite the clichéd dark skies, volcanoes and fire.
The only music I noticed was in the opening scene that takes place at a wedding. Bill and Ted get up on stage and attempt to play and throat sing, and it’s hilariously awful. I didn’t know who to pity more – Mark Isham, because I barely noticed his score for the film, or the characters in attendance at the wedding.
I think I have two issues with this film, one being that once all the historical figures are together, not much is done with them. They fade into the background somewhat, even including Jimi Hendrix and Louis Armstrong. The film also ends rather abruptly when it feels as if there should be five or ten minutes left – ideally you might want a little more, but it just ends suddenly without any real sign of closure.
Let me put it like this, if you want an hour and a half of nothing but escapism with two unbelievably dumb lead characters, this should be to your liking. I know it’s not the best time to go the cinema right now, but I think seeing it would show that the efforts of those involved in its production have not gone unrewarded.
B+
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