Fanboys (2009)

Fanboys: Directed by Kyle Newman. With Sam Huntington, Chris Marquette, Dan Fogler, Jay Baruchel. Star Wars fanatics take a cross-country trip to George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch so their dying friend can see a screening of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) before its release.

“An easy way to measure how much you will or wonu0026#39;t enjoy u0026quot;Fanboysu0026quot; is how closely you fit to the titular category. The more of a Star Wars fan you are and the more your gender and maturity is on par with u0026#39;boy,u0026#39; the more youu0026#39;ll like this ode to Star Wars fans.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe premise of this film is excellent: In 1998, six months before the scheduled release of u0026quot;Star Wars Episode Iu0026quot; a group of fanboy friends in their 20-somethings road trip to Skywalker Ranch to try and steal a rough cut of the movie because one of them has a terminal illness and wonu0026#39;t live to see the release. The execution, however, is spotty.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe movie is a Star Wars-themed version of u0026quot;Road Trip,u0026quot; with the guys heading across America in a van and stopping along the way solely to buy some time before they get to the ranch. My guess would be that Ernest Cline and Dan Pulick are fanboys themselves who came up with the premise of stealing Episode I and then had to find a way to actually make it work. Therefore, the guys stop off in Iowa where the character of Captain Kirk from the Star Trek franchise was born to antagonize some Trekkies, they get caught at a gay biker bar and they have to go to Las Vegas to get security clearance to the ranch from an insider.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe main character and the story are not all that strong, but the small tributes, spoofs and cameos all related to the Star Wars universe is what makes u0026quot;Fanboysu0026quot; entertaining. Therefore, the more you know Star Wars — things like thermal detonators and that Chewbacca is from Kashik — the more you love u0026quot;Fanboys.u0026quot;u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIn addition to appearances from a few notable actors from the Star Wars franchise, director Kyle Newman does some nice homages to Lucas and obviously Star Wars. The infamous side wipes that Lucas uses to transition in those movies appear a couple times and the security at the ranch resemble the ones from THX 1138, one of Lucasu0026#39; first movies (although that might just be the truth, who knows). The writing also does this too including famous quotes when appropriate and even the movieu0026#39;s funniest scene when the gang ends up in George Lucasu0026#39; trash compactor. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOther cameos include Seth Rogen, Billy Dee Williams, and Kevin Smith, to name a few without spoiling one of the filmu0026#39;s few excellent aspects. Stars Sam Huntington (u0026quot;Superman Returnsu0026quot;), the rotund Dan Fogler (u0026quot;Balls of Furyu0026quot;), Jay Baruchel (u0026quot;Knocked Upu0026quot;) and Chris Marquette (u0026quot;The Girl Next Dooru0026quot;) are all average, though mostly because their characters are written sloppy.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBottom line is u0026quot;Fanboysu0026quot; states in title alone exactly who itu0026#39;s intended for. I donu0026#39;t know why Harvey Weinstein would fight to try and make this something that would appeal to the masses only to let it come out without making a peep. If Star Wars is going to be the focus of a movie, thereu0026#39;s one segment of the population that will like it, no matter what you do. Fortunately, for those fans, u0026quot;Fanboysu0026quot; is good. ~Steven Cu003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eVisit my site at http://moviemusereviews.blogspot.com”