It has been 25 years since we last saw Bill & Ted, and in that time things haven't gone exactly to plan. Wild Stallyns are back down to two members, and the boys are still trying to write the song that'll unite the world. Things aren't going great with "the Babes" (Jayma Mays and Erinn Hayes) either. So when Kelly (Kristen Schaal) - daughter of Rufus - shows up to inform them that they must write the the song by 7:17pm or all of time and space will cease to exist, they come up with an idea to steal the song from their future selves. In order to help out, their daughters Billie and Thea (A.K.A. Little Bill & Little Ted) take it upon themselves to assemble the most bodacious band.
Returning to a franchise after so many years can be a risky prospect, especially one as beloved as Bill & Ted. Will the characters still be relatable? Will their story still be relevant? Or are their previous adventures something we remember fondly, but should be kept in the past? Well it turns out that Bill & Ted are still awesome, and in these uncertain times it's actually great to see them - and their undying positivity. The loveable idiots are just as loveable as they always were, and their message to the world; "Be excellent to each other" is more important than ever.
Winters and Reeves slip back into their old roles perfectly - as do all of the returning cast - whilst also making way for a new generation of awesomeness. I never thought I'd say this, but it's always fun seeing Death (William Sadler, that is), and there's even a nice tribute to the late George Carlin. Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Pain are exactly what I imagine the offspring of Bill & Ted would be like, without simply being an impersonation of their fictional fathers. And it's as much fun seeing them head off on their own excellent adventure, while their Dad's go on another journey of discovery.
Much like 'Terminator: Rise of the Machines' does with Judgement Day, 'Face The Music' finally brings our heroes face to face with their destiny, and as you can imagine they approach it in their own hilariously unique way. The fact that they're not ready for it does present some interesting challenges. Their awesome destiny has become something of a struggle, it's not the labour of love it once was and they're losing hope. But they are still undeniably Bill & Ted, albeit a little older and maybe a tad wiser. They still have those oddly comical moments of genius level thinking (through their usual twisted sense of logic), like outsmarting your future self without them knowing how you did it. Winter and Reeves are able to portray that struggle and doubt while still being the exuberant characters we know and love.
The Bill & Ted movies have always been about a love of all things musical and a message of positivity through amusing (switch your brain off) popcorn movies. Despite there being many years between this and the first two movies, 'Face The Music' encapsulates that same spirit. Director Dean Parisot and his team have done a fantastic job of recreating the world of San Dimas, including that weird and wonderful future (although they managed to tone down some of the interesting 90's styling). In fact, the only thing that really doesn't work is Kevin the robot, who's more miss than hit - in more ways than one. Ultimately, this is another ludicrously fun adventure with two of the unlikeliest of heroes, one that neatly brings their story full circle.
Bill & Ted's long awaited third adventure couldn't have come at a better time. The simple, light-hearted joy that this unique duo brings is exactly what the world needs right now. Beyond that, 'Face The Music' is the perfect conclusion to their epic journey through space, time, and the world of music.
7/10
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