Bill & Ted Face the Music Movie Review

Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

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Written by: Chris Matheson & Ed Solomon (written by), Chris Matheson & Ed Solomon (based on characters created by)
Directed by: Dean Parisot
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Kristen Schaal, Samara Weaving, Brigette Lundy-Paine
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
Once told they'd save the universe during a time-traveling adventure, two would-be rockers from San Dimas, California find themselves as middle-aged dads still trying to crank out a hit song to fulfill their destiny.

Verdict
I wasn't sure Bill & Ted needed a sequel. It turns out the franchise didn't. This one complies the previous two movies so it doesn't feel very unique other than introducing Bill & Ted's daughters. It's a wild ride, but it doesn't feel creative. I grew tired of the dialog. "Dude" is repeated often, and usually by Bill & Ted or their daughters in tandem. All of the actors do a great job of playing dumb, but I didn't want that and didn't find it engaging.
Skip it.

Review
It's been many years since I've seen Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) or Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991). I wasn't clamoring for a sequel, but I did find it surprising that Keanu Reeves would reprise the role thirty years later after his success.

Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves reprise their roles as Bill and Ted.

Bill & Ted are still airhead wanna be rockers. They never made the song they were supposed to, and now they are considering giving up. The stereotypical California airhead idea worked thirty years ago, at least I imagine it worked better then than it does now. The stereotype doesn't fit middle aged dads as well as it fit two teens. I really hoped they had progressed, but there doesn't seem to be any development.

Brigette Lundy-Paine and Samara Weaving play Billie and Thea.

This is basically a reboot of the first movie with Bill & Ted's daughters Thea and Billie also on a mission through time. The daughters are gathering a great band while the dads are visiting their future selves. The daughters' plot line is pretty standard, while Bill & Ted's adventure goes off the rails as they meet themselves with very little logic.

Bill & Ted meet prison Bill & Ted.

I really wanted the daughters to seem smarter than portrayed. They are playing to the same airhead trope. They succeed in their mission, but only because the movie requires it. I wanted them to succeed based on strength of character. Billie and Thea could have been much better characters, but instead they are just set dressing. I hoped the movie might delve into the bond of family or find something to tie this together. Music to save the world just isn't it.
There isn't much in this movie, and there's so much "Dude!" This is fan service, though I don't know for whom. I guess it delivers on that front, but unless you really love the Bill & Ted franchise, there isn't much of a draw.