Galaxy Quest

  • Review Date: May 6, 2003
  • PG
  • Genre: Comedy
  • 1999
 Review

Common Sense Media says

Hilarious, fast, funny, fresh fun for the family.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this fun, kid-friendly adventure includes some cartoonish sci-fi violence (some of it rather gross) and one sad death. Also, a character gets so drunk that he passes out and is then very hung over, and there are mild references to Allen's character sleeping "with every Terakian slave girl and moon princess" on the show.


What's the story?

In this sci-fi spoof, Tim Allen, Alan Rickman, and Sigourney Weaver play washed-up stars of a cheesy Star Trek-style show that ended nearly 20 years ago. Believing that the reruns they watched are real, a group of aliens head to Earth to ask for their help. The TV stars find themselves on a real-life replica of their television series spaceship, lovingly constructed by the aliens to replicate every detail from the show. Put in a real-life confrontation with a lizard-looking tyrant, the cast tries to remember lines and plots from old episodes to help them defeat him. The premise leads to hilarious lines and situations that play on both Star Trek and the actors' hang-ups. For example, Rickman's Spock/McCoy-hybrid character stares glumly at his alien gill make-up in the mirror and murmurs about the time he got five curtain calls as Richard III. Sigourney Weaver, the sexy Lt. Uhura equivalent, repeats everything the computer says. Tony Shaloub as the spaceship's Scottie-like mechanic and Sam Rockwell as the imperiled expendable officer also deliver hilarious lines.


Is it any good?

 

Sharply written and performed, this hilarious romp affectionately skewering television sci-fi, its stars, and its fans. Not since William Shatner told Trekkers Dana Carvey and Jon Lovitz to "get a life" back on Saturday Night Live has there been such a sublime look at this world, reminding us that intelligence and humor are not mutually exclusive.

The fast, funny, and fresh script takes a terrific premise and unreels it in a tightly constructed farce that is filled with surprises. Perhaps the biggest one is that we really come to care about the characters.


Explore, discuss, enjoy

Families can talk about what TV shows and movies this film is spoofing. Is it funny even if you haven't seen the original titles it's based on? Why or why not?


This review of Galaxy Quest was written by
Adult
April 9, 2008
 
we laughted out loud
i just watched this with three 10 year old girls and and 8 year old and my husband and we were all laughing out loud. i had to explain a few times about the setting - a star trek like group of actors and all their fans at a huge convention - but the kids all really enjoyed it, even though they've never seen star trek or anything similar. this is just a funny movie! it's worth grabbing at the video store.

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
this movie made me laugh out loud
this is a movie the whole family can watch and also enjoy.

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Adult
May 1, 2009
 
Think twice before showing to a young child...
THE TORTURING OF THE ALIEN HAS BEEN DISTURBING FOR OUR CHILD AS WELL AS THE DEATH AND THE SMALL CHILD LIKE ALIENS WHO ATTACK IN NUMBERS TO EAT ONE OF THEIR OWN WAS THE FIRST DISTURBING PART THAT MADE ME RECONSIDER THE MOVIE FOR OUR CHILD.AS ADULT WE DID NOT SEE ALL THAT CONTENT BEFORE HAVING A CHILD AND I HAD FORGOTTEN THOSE PARTS TO MY REGRET.ONCE AGAIN I WILL SCREEN THE MOVIES BEFORE HAND...!
What other families should know:

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Spoof type movie
This movie would be an excellent spoof movie if they had less breast shots.

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Parent of 3, 4, and 6 year old
February 12, 2010
 
Beware of the "more than mild" language for younger viewers
"God D--n" "sh-t" - among others were used in just the first few scenes of the movie. Also, more adult humor than expected.
What other families should know:

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Adult
May 3, 2009
 
This uses Gods name as filth
Movie would have been good except they Profane Gods name. They did not have to to make an adventure, as in Star Wars, but Hollywood will try to make it OK to use Gods name in place of a 4 letter filth word, I would rather hear the filth word.

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Parent of 12 year old
May 22, 2009
 
Great movie very funny!!!!!

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Kid, 7 years old
August 29, 2009
 
i love a parody of star trek,but it's kind of scary.
What other families should know:

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Kid, 10 years old
August 3, 2009
 
I like it
Some parts are surprising and scary and it has some violence but it has no nudity. This film is too violent for 6 or 7 year olds but for ten year olds (like me) it is very good.
What other families should know:

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Parent
August 2, 2009
 
Lots of fun!
It is entertaining and my 10-year-old son has watched it several times.

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This review of Galaxy Quest was written by
Topics:adventures, space and aliens
Studio:Universal Pictures
Director:Dean Parisot
Cast:Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver, Tim Allen, Tony Shalhoub
Genre:Comedy
Run time:102 minutes
Theatrical release date:December 21, 1999
DVD release date:May 2, 2000
MPAA rating:PG
MPAA explanation:some action violence, mild language and sensuality

This review of Galaxy Quest was written by
 

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