Fans of the time-traveling, universe saving, cult classic duo Bill and Ted were awe-struck to hear that there was a third installment coming their way. Part of it was mostly for seeing everyone’s favorite Keanu Reeves reprising the role in the goofy, sci-fi comedy after almost two decades. Surely his reputation and fan following has increased over time. However, he took up the role once again to give the trilogy and character a wonderful climax.
Making a new installment for a major movie from the past era has always ended up disastrous for Hollywood. Take 2016’s Ghostbusters, Ocean’s 8 (2017), and every Terminator movie after Judgement day for example. These studios sure know how to take good, successful franchises from the last decade and ruin it for the entire fans and movie-lovers. Fortunately, this time we can happily say that Bill and Ted Face The Music is a bright exception in the long streak of disappointments.
Bill & Ted Face The Music mainly revolves around one thing- the entire space-time continuum is about to implode in on itself and ‘The Great One’ must produce a singular piece of music that can save ‘reality as we know it’. It is the single, core concept of the movie plot. However, with some time-traveling shenanigans and slow-paced humor, the movie is elevated to look and feel like the true continuation of the franchise. To put it a single sentence- they nailed it!
More than just a continuation of their out-of-the-world adventures, the movie is more of a final showdown that eventually lets the beloved characters have the farewell they deserve. Skillfully combining enough callbacks and jokes to both Excellent Adventure and Bogus Journey, it succeeds in bringing something fresh and new to the table. While Excellent Adventure was about time traveling and Bogus Journey was about the afterlife, Face The Music has no problem in combining parts from the two into a nicely crafted storyline.
Bill and Ted are not young and adventurous. They have their families. The movie admits that and does justice to the canon by telling the story apt for our heroes at their age. It felt as if they wanted to take the long time gap on purpose.
[Spoilers ahead] The movie ends with Bill and Ted realizing that they are no longer the chosen ones. It was all meant for their two daughters. Thus giving us some home that there is a chance for some spin-offs in the future.
Bill and Ted Face the Music may not be the perfect movie. Sure, it may feel scrappy at times, but the positiveness, humor, and the extreme likeness that it evokes in the viewers are worth mentioning. There is no other way better than this to say goodbye to the Wyld Stallyns.
