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Galaxy Quest

EMAILPRINTDreamWorks

Galaxy Quest reviews
70
8.1 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 28 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 25 votes
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Sci-fi

Written by: Robert Gordon
David Howard

Directed by: Dean Parisot

Release Date:
Theatrical: December 25, 1999
DVD: May 2, 2000

Running Time: 102 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: PG for some action violence, mild language and sensuality

Starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Tony Shalhoub, and Alan Rickman

Nearly twenty years after their hit TV seriers was canceled, the five stars of "Galaxy Quest" are still in costume, making appearances at science fiction conventions for their legions of die-hard fans. They unexpectedly find themselves back in action when a group of aliens arrive at a convention and whisk Commander Taggart (Allen) and his crew into space to help them in their all-too-real war against a deadly adversary. (Dreamworks)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

More than one joke or one idea. It's a thoroughly satisfying comedy --and a respectable space adventure, as well.

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91

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

A fast, loose, and very funny parody that pulls off the not-so-simple feat of tweaking Trekkies and honoring them.

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90

Dallas Observer Luke Y. Thompson

The makers of this film are clearly fans, and they've put more heart and genuine humor into this piece than Paramount has into the original franchise in years.

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88

New York Post Jonathan Foreman

An affectionate, often clever and unflaggingly funny satire.

80

Mr. Showbiz Cody Clark

"Trek"-heads will laugh hardest, but there are plenty of yuks for the uninitiated as well.

80

Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan

The wisecracks fly fast and furious

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80

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

Fast, light and funny, Galaxy Quest has a wide, generation-spanning appeal--and you don't have to be a die-hard Trekkie to enjoy it.

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80

LA Weekly Hazel-Dawn Dumpert

Dean Parisot's direction of the funny, affectionately satirical script by David Howard and Robert Gordon is crisp and assured.

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80

Variety Joe Leydon

One of the holiday movie season's more pleasant surprises. A mischievously clever and slickly commercial sci-fi comedy.

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75

San Francisco Examiner Bob Stephens

An exceptionally funny science-fiction comedy.

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75

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

No masterpiece, but in a season dominated by films as heavy -- and about as time-consuming -- as brain surgery, a little brain candy is sweet.

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75

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

The story is silly, the acting is campy, the effects are amusingly tacky. A mildly entertaining romp that pokes refreshing fun at its own occasional violence.

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75

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

The movie's humor works best when the illogic of the TV show gets in the way.

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75

Boston Globe Jay Carr

A clever, affectionate, and entertaining holiday snack for sci-fi fans. Falling somewhere between slick and cheesy.

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75

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

It's quite a lot of fun.

70

Film.com Sean Means

For fans of science fiction...Galaxy Quest is a sweet, funny valentine to their obsessiveness.

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70

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

You don't have to be a Trek weenie to have a good time at this spoof cum homage to fandom and the enduring appeal of cheesy TV, but it helps.

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70

Washington Post Rita Kempley

Funny without being flip.

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70

The New York Times Lawrence Van Gelder

It keeps its tongue firmly in its cheek, offers a few genuine laughs, moves swiftly, if not at warp speed, and is led by a talented cast.

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70

Village Voice Amy Taubin

The many eight-to-11-year-olds in the audience seemed completely enthralled.

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67

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Paula Nechak

Instead of making fun of the series' fans and their lifestyle, Galaxy Quest targets actors and how an onscreen image can forever lock a performer in a particular role. And that proves to be its saving grace.

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67

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

It's a one-note gag, but a superior gag performed with a minimum of cheese and a surplus of laugh-out-loud moments.

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63

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

The good-hearted Galaxy Quest delivers fun and confusion in equal measure, as it gently tweaks the fanaticism of "Star Trek"/"Star Wars" fans while validating it at the same time.

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60

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

Overall it's what it aspires to be--a pleasant time-waster.

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50

USA Today Staff [Not Credited]

Skirts dangerously close to being the thing it parodies: a second-rate space opera.

50

Chicago Tribune Mark Caro

It's a clever premise but not one that lends itself to an hour and 42 minutes of high jinks. You get the joke quickly.

40

Time Richard Corliss

In this space epic, no one will hear you laugh.

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30

TNT RoughCut Christopher Brandon

It seems as if it was made by people who have never actually watched an episode of Star Trek. So all the old poke-fun-at-Trekkies cliches are here.

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 8.1 (out of 10) based on 25 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Riren gave it a9:
Talk about a cult classic. The digs it takes at its source material and its questionable cast make this destined to be viewed more often in college dorms than anywhere else in the world. It's the sort of movie you'll be quoting or referencing to your friends to crack them up in the hallway or diner. It might score low on a scale of high concepts or Shakespearian comedies, but it's nowhere below an 8 on the culty fun scale. And for the love of God, watch it with "those friends" if you've got them. If you don't have them, you might as well avoid the movie altogether.

Joey K. gave it a10:
This really is a fantastic movie. It is brilliant and laugh out loud throughout the whole thing, and there is really nothing to complain about.

Josh H. gave it a10:
This is one of my all time favorite movies.

Nick H gave it a9:
Perhaps one of the most underappreciated movies of all time. Really funny, a great send up of Sci-Fi television.

CQ Xie gave it a9:
It's a fun, good natured movie, with a cast clearly enjoying themselves, nicely-done (and not over the op) special effects, and a funny, engaging story that is wonderfully consistent within itself. Very satisfying movie for the family (even my 15-year-old daughter and 8-yer-old son loved it).

Owen C. gave it a 9:
I hate spoofs and only saw this because I was stuck in a snow storm - but I found it was really great on many levels. Even a friend who hates SciFi, laughed his head off!

William A. gave it a 10:
It really is a great movie.

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