Review: Fanboys
Jason
Sunday
9:40 pm
What is your adventure of a lifetime? What is it you and your friends have planned since the age of 6 years old?
Well for Eric, Linus, Windows, Hutch and Zoe, it was breaking into Skywalker Ranch to see Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace before it is released to the public. And that story would be the movie Fanboys.
Despite the lukewarm reception the film found with critics and in the theatres, it really does a decent job of capturing the essence of fanboy. From the George Lucas donated sound effects to the banter and dialogue pulled straight from the Wars franchise.
Watch Fanboys and you get to see this? Good enough reason.
I can see why the movie probably was not a big hit. And in the end will be relegated to cult status among other fanboys. And that is for the simple fact that it was pulled from too far inside Star Wars.
Yes fanboys are fanboys, and geekdom is geekdom. And while the general understanding of each other is there, it does not mean we understand the ins and outs of each other.
But for those who are ingrained in the Star Wars lore, this flick is just up your alley. The subtle use of movie quotes in everyday conversation to the slap in your face Millennium ManVan, a good laugh is around every corner.
For me, the movie was made when they decided to stoke the always fun Star Wars vs Star Trek fan war. And then the use of a certain Mr. William Shatner was genius. And Seth Rogan? Hilarious.
And in the end, the underlying plot of needing to get Linus to see this because he may not make it to opening night, actual hits spot on. And as the closing credits start, I was left with a small tear in my eye and a quick tug at my heart.
And it made me want to gather the old posse up… Beto, Bryan, Todd and myself… and just do something. We were always Star Wars fans. We were there on opening night, though not necessarily in tents. We made sure to see the rereleases of the original trilogy. At least one of our rooms had Star Wars sheets (and maybe one still does).
So in the end. I recommend Fanboys. Even if you are a titch bit worried that it might be too inside.
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Reader Comments
I have Star Wars sheets… though I didn’t know what Star Wars was when I first got them.
I’m not sure I really want to see the essence of the fanboy captured. I’ll stick with what I have seen of “Fanboys”—the part with Shatner—and let it go at that.
I think part of my trepidation is that I wonder if the creators themselves were too close to the material. For example, I think “Ringers” is one of the worst fan movies I have ever seen. I fast-forwarded through most of it I found it so tedious and eye-roll-worthy. And I think that was because the creators took themselves and the material too seriously. “Trekkies,” on the other hand, I find hilarious, because it was created by people who were able to openly poke fun, but could do it with some heart as well. It balanced that well.
And since “Ringers” is the fan movie I have seen most recently—even though it has been years—a bad taste for fan movies is still in my mouth. It’s part of the reason that I have never had any desire to watch “Done the Impossible.”
I think I need to go watch “Free Enterprise” again.
Fanboys is not a fan movie though, so putting it up against fandocs like Trekkies, Ringers and Done the Impossible is like apples and oranges. Fanboys is a feature length film. Comedy with a tiny bit of drama.
It is not a documentary, no, But is it made by fans? that is my question. I am not a fan’s fan.
“Free Enterprise” is a feature-length film. I love it. But it, like “Trekkies,” is not reverent about the material. That’s what I am getting at. “Ringers” is ridiculously reverent—and in my opinion, silly and achingly dull and plodding because of it.
No, Fanboys was not made by fans. The writer of the screenplay probably was. It was distributed by The Weinstein Company. Limited theatre release.
I don’t consider myself a fanboy, and that may be why I loved the movie. I still got the references, they weren’t too over my head and . . . I don’t know. I loved it. And I think that also may be why I loved it, is because it wasn’t serious. That’s something that I can never understand is how a serious fanatic can take themselves soooo seriously. Maybe, it’s just me. Thanks for the review. And thanks to everyone else for sharing the other movies. Now I’ve got a list to work with and watch!