Fanboys, hold on to your lightsabers. Fanboys, directed by Kyle Newman, is being released in Canadian theatres with its original story line intact, to the great joy of its fans.
Not so long ago — 1998 to be exact — in a place not so far away — Ohio — four boys make an epic journey across the United States to Skywalker Ranch. Their mission: break in and watch Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
Originally set for release in 2007, the film ended up in reshoot hell. The reshoots created an alternate version of the film, replacing the emotional centre of the storyline with vulgar humour.
Initially motivated to break into the ranch to show terminally ill Linus (Chris Marquete) The Phantom Menace before he died, the new version was devoid of this plot — the boys instead raiding the ranch on a drunken whim. Fortunately, negative response from hundreds of Star Wars enthusiasts led to the original plot’s return for the film’s final release.
Fanboys is as fun as partying down with the Ewoks at the end of The Return of the Jedi. That being said, the downfall of the film is that most of the jokes and cameos will be lost on non-Star Wars junkies. For audience members well versed in the way of The Force, this movie delivers, from the opening’s classic crawl to the Trekkie bashing throughout.
During the four’s adventure to Lucasfilm, they encounter a peyote smoking Chief (Danny Trejo), as well as Kevin Smith playing himself and Billy Dee Williams in a small bit part. Their adventures take them through three states, eventually encountering Seth Rogen’s Admiral Seasholtz, a Star Trek fan hell-bent on revenge after the group destroy a Trek monument in Iowa. They also end up at a Spanish gay bar called The Mantina, where the boys are forced to strip.
The movie may come off to many as another teen road trip flick, full of campy life lessons and coming of age trials, but it contains a sufficient amount of integrity for Star Wars fans. The plot floats along with a plethora of Star Wars references, which will appeal to those of us who grew up on the trilogy of Episodes IV, V and VI and to new fans more accustomed to fancy digital effects and shoddier plot lines.