Bill & Ted Face the Music
Plot
It’s 2020. It’s been decades since Bill and Ted traveled through time with Death and played Battle of the Bands, with the knowledge that one day they are going to play the song that will unite the world.
Now passed middle age, with daughters who admire them, and wives who ‘tolerate’ them – they still have not written or played the song.
They are informed by those from the future (including Rufus’ wife and daughter) that the future is all but doomed – if they don’t perform the song within 77 minutes!
Now they are heading to their future selves to find the song, while their daughters are heading back to the past to find the perfect band.
Direction
Directed by Dean Parisot (director of Galaxy Quest and Red 2).
Cast/Characters
Back for their third outing are of course Alex Winter and Keanu Reeve as Bill and Ted.
Also returning for their third outings are Hal Landon Jr and Amy Stoch as Chief Logan, and Missy (now hilariously married to Ted’s little brother).
Back for his second is William Sadler as Death. The feud that occurred between him and the boys is a funny addition – and Sadler too just steps back into the insecure death.
New cast are Erinn Hayes and Jack Haven as Ted’s wife and daughter Elizabeth and Billie. Jayma Mays and Samara Weaving as Bill’s wife and daughter Joanna and Billie (Ted and Bill?). Weaving is also the niece of Reeve’s Matrix co-star Hugo.
Others include Kristen Schaal (as Kelly, Rufus’ daughter), Anthony Carrigan plays Dennis Caleb McCoy (as the robot sent to kill Bill and Ted), Holland Taylor as The Great Leader (and Rufus’ wife). Kid Cudi and Dave Grohl appear as themselves.
Breakdown
While this was an unnecessary sequel (clearly milking Reeve’s career resurgence), it is still a fun enough ride.
We get to discover what the boys have been up to for the last 30 years (they’re both married to the princesses they saved in #1 – now played by another set of actresses) and each had a daughter (Bill’s daughter is Thea and Ted’s is Billie).
There is a rather cliche ‘marriages aren’t all that great’ before the boys discover that the song they should have written 30 years ago, needs to be performed within 77 minutes or the universe will implode because of ‘space and time’ etc (it’s best you don’t read too deep into the logic, or invest too much in what Kid Cudi says).
The boys travel through the future, to talk to their future selves – which at times is very funny, especially the 2030 version where they have been in prison for 5 years because of the events in 2025.
Meanwhile their daughters travel in the past, finding musicians for the band (such as Jimmi Hendrix, Louis Armstrong among others). They are all pursued by a robot, who is been ordered to kill them – but when he does – he spirals into remorse and begs for forgiveness (this is a very funny addition to the movie).
There are some moments where I thought logic was taking a back seat (like why is Ted’s dad at Dave Grohl’s house in 2025,) and then I remembered that this is a time travel movie where logic was thrown out the back window, so I enjoyed the rest of the movie.
I loved the new additions, especially Anthony Carrigan as Dennis Caleb McCoy the robot with low self esteem. Even Kristen Schaal (who I generally don’t find that amusing) was well used, and gave a good nostalgia nod to Rufus.
The ongoing joke about Missy marrying all the men around Bill and Ted is quite funny – and great sport to Amy Stoch for returning all these years later.
Overall
Winter and Reeve easily slip back into their cool guy characters nearly 30 years later.
At times logic takes a back seat, but then again this is a Bill and Ted movie.
Some “heart” moments don’t land, but they never needed to.
Fans of the original films will enjoy, but ‘new’ Reeve fans might find it odd.
3/5
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