DVD review: “Galaxy Quest Deluxe Edition”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
“Galaxy Quest Deluxe Edition”
Until J.J. Abrams’ reboot opened last week, “Galaxy Quest” was the best “Star Trek” film to come out in many years. The friendly spoof was certainly more fun than 2002′s “Star Trek: Nemesis.”
“Galaxy Quest” gets a new deluxe edition DVD release to coincide with the movie’s 10th anniversary and the opening of Abrams’ “Star Trek.” (A trailer for the new film is the first item on the disc.) The loving parody of diehard sci-fi fans and frustrated, typecast actors continues to spark nearly nonstop laughs.
Tim Allen stars as the egotistical Jason Nesmith, who played the bold captain of a fake starship on the TV show “Galaxy Quest.” The series was canceled 18 years ago, and he and his castmates make their living appearing at conventions and signing autographs for hardcore fans.
When a group of naïve aliens (Enrico Colantoni, Patrick Breen, Missi Pyle) approaches Jason with a mission, he thinks they’re fans with some gig in mind. But they are actually Thermians who have misinterpreted the old TV episodes as “historical documents.” They transport Jason into space so he can negotiate a treaty with the intimidating Gen. Sarris (Robin Sachs).
The actor doesn’t realize until after the fact that he’s actually been to space, and he recruits his old TV crew to return with him to the Thermians’ ship. But the actors are unprepared to deal with the warmongering Sarris and risk getting themselves and the Thermians killed.
The entire cast plays the parody just right. Sigourney Weaver is great ironic casting as the show’s token woman, whose job on the ship was to repeat the computer and show cleavage. Alan Rickman seethes as the Shakespearean actor whose defining role involves an elaborate purple alien skull. And Sam Rockwell is pitch perfect as the former extra who fears his TV death with be replayed in real life in space.
DVD extras: Several making-of featurettes with new interviews with all the principals, deleted scenes, a rap by Weaver, and a silly audio track that translates the movie into Thermian. No commentary is included.
- BAM
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