We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, nostalgia is a heck of a drug. We critics are always the first to whine about obvious nostalgia baiting in the constant remakes and legacy sequels springing out of Hollywood this decade. Sometimes though, a film comes along that simply wants to have some fun. There’s a love and familiarity for the culture that only really comes from someone who lived it. This is where your’s truly, an avowed elder-Millennial came to Y2K. We remember Y2K. We lived it. Is the new Kyle Mooney horror film what Millennials need to finally rise up? Or should this one just go the way of dial-up? Read on.
Y2K follows a group of teenagers who come together for a New Year’s Eve party on a pivotal date, December 31, 1999. A new millennium is dawning and so is something else: Y2K. However, as the clock strikes midnight and technology turns decidedly deadly, these high school students must figure out not only how to survive, but also what they must do to save the world. Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison, Lachlan Watson and Daniel Zolghadri co-star in the movie. Kyle Mooney directs Y2K from a script he co-wrote with Christopher Storer and Evan Winter.
Y2K Movie Review
I’m not here to pull punches, kids. Mooney and Winter have created millennial “nostalgia porn” at its most entertaining. Yours truly was a freshman in high school during Y2K and I was left grinning ear to ear by the dial-up references, the dated technology, and every single needle drop. I mean, this was my childhood. I was instantly transported back to the days of pogs and TRL. Y2K is easy, silly fun and sometimes, that’s all you need.
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Y2K feels like a 1990s film created in hindsight by two millennials. Watching the movie, I was immediately reminded of one of my all-time favorite films from the time, Can’t Hardly Wait. Little has topped this work of teen movie goodness. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Thinking about it, Y2K can best be described as what would result if the apocalypse happened on the night of the Can’t Hardly Wait party. The character archetypes are all there with some minor tweaks. The cliques, the music, the references. Every moment of Y2K feels at least a little familiar. Keep an eye out for not one, but two extremely 1990s cameos. No spoilers here, sweetie.
At the same time, Mooney and company present a surprisingly ambitious script. For anyone who remembers Y2K, it’s interesting to think of what might have happened and it’s clear the writers are having a ton of fun with the question. However, the script struggles into the third act as the story’s true nature takes shape. Does it live up to the promise of the early acts? Debatable. This leads the script to drag towards the conclusion, but the first three quarters are such fun that it hardly detracts from the pace.
Unfortunately, the actors do struggle a bit under the relative structure of the story. The script is deeply invested in the references and quips, which does push the characterization to the back burner. While each of the performers is having a blast, the always reliable Julian Dennison is the only one truly able to step beyond the quips and find an easy humanity in his character. Dennison continues to be the treasure we already know he is. As mentioned though, each actor is having infectious fun in their parts and that’s exactly what Y2K is, it’s fun.
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All in all, Y2K is a silly, reference-heavy horror film that may be just the ticket during this busy festive month. It’s not a perfect movie by any stretch, but this is one with the potential to delight not only those who remember the 1990s but those with a love of the decade’s distinct culture. Keep your expectations in check with this one and you’ll have a lot of fun.
Y2K is now playing in theaters around the country.
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