ST. LOUIS — Some things seem like a sweet idea at first, but in the long run, they are ghostly thoughts meant to drift away.
When I first heard about "Bill & Ted Face The Music," there was a flicker of interest right off the bat, strictly due to the hot streak of its co-lead, Keanu Reeves. He was coming off the highly successful "John Wick" movies, so if he was making time for a third film in his slacker time travel adventure series, I had to take a look.
And granted, there are some who will just be happy to see Alex Winter's Bill and Reeves' Ted wander around multiple universes looking bewildered yet enthusiastic, eyes popping and slacker bro code flags flying. They will look over the obvious flaws in the story here and some mediocre comedic efforts to get things going, just to see this duo again. It's the same people who bought tickets to "The Hangover 3." Curiosity.
Well, let's just say I have good news and bad news. The good news is, yes, you will feel the wave of nostalgia brush over you during the first few scenes in the film, including one ingenious bit where Bill and Ted go to therapy with their wives. During those moments, you understand the presence and get the purpose.
The bad news is after the first 15-20 minutes, "Bill & Ted Face The Music" tires quickly and starts getting old. The gimmicks don't work, many of which are centered around running into other versions of themselves, and a subplot with their daughters (Samara Weaving and Bridget Lundy-Paine) never really comes together. It's not a good thing when the funniest scene comes in a post-credits sequence.
The general plot once again deals with the fact once upon a time, these two rocker-wannabes were destined to save the world with their music. Middle-aged and struggling to put together a hit song, they pick up that same purpose here, 29 years later. It all starts feeling redundant and overdone even by the one hour mark.
Reeves and Winter try their best to relight that comedic chemistry from decades ago, but it's a foolhardy mission. The script from creators Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon doesn't produce anything fresh to supply the actors with, so it's up to William Sadler to do one of his funky dances before time runs out here. What was once fresh is not anymore.
It's unfortunate, because you can tell this one was developed from the chest with hopes of striking fans in the heart. A restoration with feel-good intentions, this third Bill & Ted tale doesn't connect. Some stories have a staying power. The foundations are strong enough that even the most silly setups can produce fresh tales. This film wouldn't be an example. A couple slacker/rockers trying to save the day with music is more gimmicky than precise in 2020.
There's also just an awkward feel to most scenes, especially with Reeves. For most movie fans, this is what you know Winter by. But his more successful co-star has rebuilt his cinematic persona as a gun and kung fu wielding avenger in a suit. So his Ted shows up here, and you wonder why John Wick shaved his beard and stole someone's beach attire? It doesn't work as well these days.
Unlike the two leads, the soul of the "Bill & Ted" story didn't age well, so the latest sequel is a miss.
