"Bill and Ted Face the Music" is a most excellent conclusion to the trilogy; a fun ride for any fan

As the 2020 year has continued, new movies have been few and far between. Few studios are willing to sacrifice their profit on “At Home Premieres” and “Premium Rentals”, and the small amount of new flicks that do make their way to our TV screens have generally been average, so-so, or throw away watches. But thankfully, Orion Pictures has given fans new and old something worth celebrating, as the long awaited final chapter in the Bill and Ted trilogy has premiered with a “most excellent” appraisal, finishing off a “bogus” summer with a fun, music filled adventure through time, with a heartwarming message for a world living in calamity.

Picking up 30 years after their killer concert at the end of “Bogus Journey”, Bill and Ted are now middle-aged dads to their daughters—Thea Preston and Billie Logan—played “most triumphantly” by Samara Weaving and Bridgette Lundy-Paine, respectively. Finding themselves working dead end music gigs and with a world-saving prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled, the San Dimas duo are burnt out on their music careers, and ready to give up, until the daughter of their mentor Rufus (Rest in Peace George Carlin) knocks on their door with a dire quest to save all of time and space with that excellent song they’ve been putting off for years.

Returning back to the roles that made them famous, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter fit into their roles as Bill and Ted with ease, continuing their dimwitted, music loving personas with a charisma that is both energetic and excited, and breaks through the barrier of tiresome, outdated jokes that many long awaited sequels have fallen victim to. Winter especially is very good as Bill, who having given up acting for a career in documentary filmmaking, stands out as the heart of the movie and shines equally with Reeves’ superstar presence as his co-star. The duo chew up the scenery and script as they get to portray many different versions of Bill and Ted throughout time, with elderly, nursing home ridden Bill and Ted and jacked up prison Bill and Ted stealing the show, especially. The younger, female Bill and Ted also fit right in as they go on their own music filled journey through history, and their time on screen and performances are a welcome addition rather than a cheap, modern-day impersonation. Rounding out the cast and cameos is William Sadler as “Death” aka the Grim Reaper, who feels like he walked right off the set of “Bogus Journey” and onto the screen of this movie, as he maintains his witty, dark-humored, and hyped up performance with a touch of old-age and perspective to his character.

While the budget may be low and the stakes more personal and emotional than ever, the script for this movie is at its peak, being able to take on both the time travel and heaven and hell stories again without feeling washed up. The jokes almost always hit, and the ones that don’t will make you chuckle with solid performances all around. Some critics may consider this movie to be disposable and maybe underwhelming, and the ending does feel a bit abrupt to support that opinion, but I think that it succeeds at being exactly what it needed to be: a fun, easygoing, smile-inducing movie that will satisfy fans, take your mind off things, and give a rewarding finish to set of decades-long beloved characters.

Conclusion: Succeeding at being a feel-good, fun time at the movies (or in your living room), “BIll and Ted Face the Music” is no Oscar-worthy movie, but it does its job by being an enjoyable watch and reminding us to “be excellent to each other” at a time when we need it most.

Rating: 7/10

"Bill and Ted Face the Music” is now showing in a limited theatrical release and on any sites where movies are available to stream. Rent it for $19.99 or purchase it for $24.99.