I've been on record about the failings of comedy sequels. They mostly repackage the jokes from the first film in a slightly different setting, and they're often times completely unnecessary. Successful comedy is largely catching lightning in a bottle. I could go on and on with a list of failed comedy sequel titles (don't get me started on Anchorman 2), but I'll focus on a couple since they're relevant to this post. The first being Ghostbusters 2 and the second being Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. Neither movie are terrible, but neither are great. They both "expand" a story that didn't necessarily need to be expanded. They have also (to this point) never had a third movie in the franchise. Both Ghostbusters 3 and B&T 3 have been rumored upon with different directors/writers/producers attached at various points in their life cycles. Ghostbusters tried to reboot the series with a largely ineffective and lifeless all-female version a couple years ago, and it's trying another reboot next year. We'll never get an official Ghostbusters 3 with the original cast because of the untimely death of writer/star Harold Ramis. And I'm OK with that. The original Ghostbusters is my favorite movie of all-time. It's perfect and endlessly rewatchable. I have a love/hate relationship with the second movie. It's not a bad movie, but it's not a great movie either. It largely just exists. I don't often choose to revisit it, and I'm OK with that. The other comedy franchise to have a much-delayed third film is the Bill & Ted franchise. Again, the first movie is perfect. It's infinitely rewatchable and quotable. Bogus Journey is just fine. It expands a world that doesn't necessarily need to be expanded. I don't often revisit it and I'm OK with that. BUT, like any film nerd and Bill & Ted fan, I was timidly hopeful when they announced the third entry. The initial trailer had some potential, and when the reviews started pouring in for Face The Music, I have to admit I began to be excited for it. After watching it, I can admit that Bill & Ted Face The Music is a fitting send-off for our favorite San Dimas California boneheads.
Face The Music takes place 25 years after Bogus Journey. The Wyld Stallyns haven't written the song that will unite the world. In fact, after initial success as a band, they totally fell apart VH1 Behind The Music style. Bill & Ted are still trying to write their destiny song, but their lives have pretty much fallen apart (playing bingo halls on $2 taco nights). Just as things are about to hit rock bottom, their past (or is it their future) catches up with them. Rufus' daughter tells them that "time as we know it" will end at exactly 7:17pm if they don't write their song. Luckily for Bill & Ted, the time-traveling phone booth is always at the ready. They embark on a trip through time to steal the song from their future "us-es." Along the way, their daughters Billie and Theodora also jump through time to try to build a band out of history's greatest musicians. Face The Music is a cute, heart worming journey to find their meaning. I enjoyed it because I, too, am a 40-something struggling with not living up to my potential.
The film doesn't deliver a homerun by any means, but it's a solid double. I wish that it could have seen a wide theatrical release (F-COVID), because this franchise deserves it. I have to say that Alex Winter gives a better performance than Keanu Reeves, who seems a little wooden in his return to playing Ted Theodore Logan. There's a couple other characters who steal the show. Anthony Carrigan (of HBO's Barry fame) is hilarious as a time-traveling robot hellbent on killing Bill and Ted. William Sadler's return to playing Death is also a highlight of the film. If you're a fan of the series, it's definitely worth a view. If not, I'd steer clear.
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