Fanboys
Fanboys
Star Wars or Star Trek? Which camp do you sit in? These
days, it doesn’t matter as both franchises were reinvented and reinvigorated for
the 21st century. Coincidentally the Star Trek reboot of 2009 and “Star
Wars: The Force Awakens” were both directed by the same guy, J.J. Abrams. Not
that long ago, this would have been forbidden, as you couldn’t like both space series.
This feud is just one of the jokes of the film “Fanboys”.
I like both franchises, and was introduced to the original
Star Wars trilogy on video cassette. I was also a fan of “Star Trek: The Next
Generation” TV series, starring Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean Luc Picard. That
crew punched out a few solid movies in the mid to late nineties, and I was able
to experience the original Star Wars movies on the big screen when the special
editions were released in 1997. Unbeknownst to me back then, this was just a
warm up for the long planned “Episode I” to be shown to the world in 1999.
When the very first Star Wars movie was released in 1977,
the classic opening crawl of words in space set up the story, and started with
the words “Episode IV – A New Hope”. Hang on? Where were parts one through
three? Confusion must have set in for the folks of the 70’s seeing Star Wars at
the cinema, as it’s creator George Lucas had actually envisioned another
trilogy of films predating the events of the original trilogy. But when this
would happen, no one knew. Until it was announced around 1998 or so, that “Star
Wars – Episode I: The Phantom Menace” would be released. The first prequel to be made I believe, and the
most anticipated movie of all time.
It was the announcement of this film which forms the plot
for Fanboys. Released in 2009, it is set in 1998, where a group of four friends
get together at a party, and eagerly await the release of Episode I. They
recall their childhood fantasy, which was to journey across country – from Ohio
to California – sneak into George Lucas’s exclusive filmmaking estate “Skywalker
Ranch” and see an early screening of Episode I, whenever the hell it would
actually be made. Their waiting had paid off, and now in their early twenties
and gone their separate ways, the guys decide it’s time to pull off the biggest
break in of all time, and actually follow through with their childhood plan.
That’s about in terms of plot for this film, but you’ll
laugh and enjoy yourself from start to finish. Fanboys is a clever look at the culture
of obsessed Star Wars fans, that was as pertinent in the 90’s as it is today.
For my friends and I, in 1999 and in Year 11 of high school, we highly anticipated
this film, and I concocted a plan for us to be among the first people in
Australia to see the film. By going on opening day, for the 4pm session right
after school finished, I believed we would be seeing the film before most
people. I convinced my mates of that and about ten of us went along. Of course,
critics, and famous people at the Australian premier of the film saw it before
us, but that didn’t matter.
In Fanboys, our central characters hit the road, but along
the way decide to make a pit stop in some lonesome town called Riverside, Iowa.
In fact, it’s the “future” birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk, from the
original Star Trek TV series. The Fanboys decide it’s worth stopping there just
to piss off some ‘Trekkies”, tell them Star Wars is better, maybe pick a fight,
and be on their way. And as they join a tour of the town led by a tour guide
and his pals all dressed as Star Trek characters, it doesn’t take long for the
Fanboys to stir the galactic pot, and cause a fight. It’s a funny scene.
The film is more a collection of random characters and scenes
that happen as the guys journey across country, but they’re all done in a witty way,
where the in-jokes and movie references run thick and fast. Watch closely to
see a string of cameos and other small acting parts from actors you will know
from many other fan favourite movies. As this film is about the whole fanboy movement
– that being the obsessions with a certain type of movie or actor – it’s chock
full of actors from other fanboy movements. Even William Shatner and Carrie
Fisher make appearances here.
Fanboys is reminiscent of a culture that was quiet and unnoticed back in
the 90’s but now these days thanks to the internet, is large, global and very
opinionated. Gone are the days where dignified and qualified film critics
decided if a movie was good or not. Since the internet gave very fanboy, movie
geek and nerd a voice and a platform to share it, the true experts of cinema
and pop culture can be found on YouTube and a never-ending series of movie
blogs (including yours truly). Although I don’t consider myself a Fanboy (as I like
multiple franchises), I do enjoy hearing the thoughts and comments of today’s
more committed film enthusiasts. To the casual movie goer, they may seem like
losers and loners with no real life to speak of, but if you talk to any real
Fanboy or Fangirl, they have no conflict with what they love and how they enjoy
it. If you’re not into Star Wars or Star Trek these days, you’re the loser – get with it! That’s what they would say, not
speaking for myself there 😉
The characters in this film are no exception, as they take
their love of Star Wars to the next level. So next level in fact, one of them
has outfitted his van in a tribute to the Millennium Falcon. The inside of the
van is littered with lights, the dashboard has levers and buttons all over it,
and sticking out of the roof of the van is the unmistakable dome-shaped head of
R2-D2. In one scene, where our heroes
are being pursued by the highway police, the car takes off from a burst of nitrous,
like it’s jumping into light speed, and its custom build RD-D2 unit in the roof
makes his signature whistling and screaming sounds as the van hightails it down the road. Just
one of many humorous and creative references to the biggest film series of all
time, that this movie pays the upmost respect to.
If you’re a proud Fanboy, or even a secret Fanboy at heart
(like me, but don’t tell anyone), then you will get a kick out of Fanboys. It’s
a fun way to spend ninety minutes, and you will like the way it pokes fun at
the longest war of all time – The Opinion of Whether Star Wars is Better than
Star Trek. If I had to choose, I would
probably go with Star Wars, but I still like Star Trek.
Choose your side!
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