Fanboys (2009)

It’s 1998 and five somewhat geeky friends, Sam Huntington (Detroit Rock City),Chris Marquette (Infestation), Dan Fogler (Balls Of Fury), Jay Baruchel (Tropic Thunder), and Kristen Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) meet up at a Halloween party. Events lead to the four boys heading out on a road trip to George Lucas’ ranch to watch Star Wars Episode 1 The Phantom Menace before it is released.

The movie starts promising but sadly follows standard road trip cliches, which means there is a drug experience, an arrest, romance, and too much self-realisation and male bonding. That rapid deterioration into predictability is a shame, because the Star Wars jokes, the fights with Star Trek fans, and the sexy Kristen Bell are a lot of fun.

Despite the disappointment of Fanboys being so formulaic, there is still enjoyment in the all the cameo appearances, including Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Seth Rogen (Pineapple Express), Jason Mewes (The Tripper, Bitten), Kevin Smith (Southland Tales, Daredevil) , Jaime King, (The Tripper, My Bloody Valentine 3D, The Spirit), Ray Park (GI Joe the Rise Of Cobra), Danny Trejo (Urban Justice, Alone In The Dark 2, Halloween), and, the best of all, William Shatner.

The scene that saves the movie is right at the end, when Kristen Bell appears in the Princess Leia slave girl costume. It is one of cinema’s greatest moments, and follows on from a long line of similar appearances of the costume by celebrities, wannabe celebrities, and cute SF fans.