A review by Mike Shea Movie Rating: ( * * * * · ) DVD Rating: ( * * * * · )
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I don't know what I expected for Galaxy Quest. It got a couple of good recommendations from friends of mine, but I still expected it to be pretty tacky. Overall I was very surprised and quite impressed. Sure the constant jabbing at William Shatner and the whole constant prod at trekkies is a bit cliche, but it still manages to be funny. I was looking at the movie through the same set of glasses I had on when I saw Fifth Element, another funny space movie that does an excellent job. Galaxy Quest uses the same level of sarcasm along with a decent science fiction idea, that an entire society, technology and all, can be built from a TV show. Sure there are a couple of holes (how can you mirror finding alien technology to power a supreme doomsday weapon) but these are quickly removed from your mind with dazzling special effects or a quick bit of wit. The special effects are very good for a movie that shouldn't get the budget for it. Tim Allen does about the kind of job you would expect Tim Allen to do, aside from his 15 minute stint as a hung over ex TV star near the beginning which is very good. The unnamed crew member jokes also go a bit further than they should, but not so bad it ruins anything. The version of Galaxy Quest that I watched was the DTS 5.1 version which indeed did have an excellent soundtrack, but not above some of the Dolby Digital soundtracks I have heard. A Dolby Digital 5.1 version is available, but it would have been better to include both on the same disc like Bowfinger did. The 2.35 to 1 16x9 enhanced picture is also very good. There are some deleted scenes and a making of featurette. Galaxy Quest is a movie I would definitely put under the category of "a good time". It isn't Citizen Kane, but it will entertain you without over stepping it's bounds.