Galaxy Quest (1999)

Directed by: Dean Parisot | 102 minutes | comedy, adventure, science fiction | Actors: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, Daryl Mitchell, Enrico Colantoni, Robin Sachs

In ‘Galaxy Quest’ the science fiction genre is examined in a very entertaining way. The nods to Star Trek are clearly present and that makes it appealing to both lovers and haters of serious sci-fi.

It is nice that the clichés have also been considered, the overaged actors who are no longer offered a role and who nibble at the conventions and open supermarkets just to get money. Their entire series is already more than exhausted and everyone seems to understand that, especially Alexander Dane (Rickman) who almost dies. Everyone except Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen) who played Commander Taggart. His role is a parody of William Shatner as well as Captain Kirk. (For the non-Trekkies: William Shatner played Kirk in Star Trek.) Tim Allen has a role to annoy people. But maybe that is also because of him, he is one of the lesser actors.

The viewership cannon, a blond inability to act sex bomb (Weaver) has also been considered. It’s pretty hard to play an actor who plays a part, especially if you’re in a bimbo role, but Sigourney Weaver manages it well. She is Gwen DeMarco and her role on the series was Lt. Tawny Madison. All she had to do was talk to the computer and parade around with the top half uncovered. As Gwen she knows this about herself and with a few witty jokes she makes these types completely ridiculous.

Rickman is Alexander Dane, who takes on the only alien role in the series, that of Dr. Lazarus. As an actor, he’s completely over it and tired of repeating the same thing over and over. Jason Nesmith irritates him immensely and his sarcastic jokes are such that one has to laugh.

One of the best supporting roles is for Sam Rockwell, his Guy character once had a supporting role in the series, but died in that same episode. Somehow he manages to come along to the real alien adventure. When things get serious and Captain Sarris (the villain of the movie) threatens to destroy their ship, he gets scared and thinks he’s going to die. This is because he was only crew number six in the series and was in it to die. His Guy provides the most hilarious dialogues imaginable. In combination with Alexander Dane (Rickman) a pleasure to watch.

‘Galaxy Quest’ is very fun entertainment. It is very well constructed and the more the viewer knows about the science fiction series, especially Star Trek, and the backgrounds, the more inside jokes emerge. The strength of the film, however, is that even the non-fans who know absolutely nothing about it will have fun for 102 minutes.