I remember the days leading up to 1999. There was a certain percentage of people prepping for the end of the world, while others did not fall for the hype. I was in my mid-20s during this time and I remember wondering what was going to happen at midnight. Being that we are all around still we know that all of the build-up was for nothing. We are still here and could look back at that time and laugh at how nothing happened that night.
Kyle Mooney and Evan Winter have created a horror-comedy that shows what would happen if the computers did turn on us. Think Maximum Overdrive meets Can’t Hardly Wait and you have a movie that is insanely silly but hilarious. Y2K has a fantastic soundtrack that is sure to bring back some fond memories and an appearance from Fred Durst that has to be seen.
Eli and Danny, played by Jaeden Martell and Julian Dennison, are best friends who are getting ready for Y2K. Eli has a crush on Laura, played by Rachel Zegler, but has never done anything about it to let her know. Meanwhile, Danny, is the wing man that is trying to get Eli to be with the girl that he loves. The movie plays out like a 90’s teen comedy where the lead is pining for the popular girl and keeps striking out. The two feel that things will change once they go to the New Year’s Eve party that the entire school is going to.
Credit: Nicole Rivelli
One of the great things that Mooney and Winters do during the house party scene is show the different cliques and highlight them with a song that exemplifies their group. From the Swing kids to the Underground Hip-Hop kids, and the Raver kids, they all get a moment to shine in this scene. I do have to mention that I was one of those underground hip-hop kids. I would be dressed like that some days and listened to most of the groups that CJ, played by Daniel Zolghadr, mentions. This is one of the few times I heard someone mention Freestyle Fellowship in a movie and I hope more people start listening to them after this movie.
Once the clock strikes midnight, things do change and they change for the worse. Here is where the movie takes a creative turn and turns into a horror movie. We see as the electronics start turning on the humans and slowly start combining to make killer machines. Seeing Tamagotchis connected to RC cars killing people feels ridiculous but it is also something that might happen if the computers decided to attack us in 1999.
Throughout the movie we see Eli, Danny, and Laura navigate the destruction created by the killer machines as they try to stay safe. As the group travels to a safe space the pacing of the movie slows down. It is in these moments when we learn more about the characters and how they perceived each other in school. These conversations bring back memories of The Breakfast Club. We see how the group has different opinions about each other but realize that they are all pretty much the same. I think we have all had these situations in our lives where we finally get to know the people we didn’t talk to by having a conversation with them.
One of the people that they meet during their travels is Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit. I will say that Fred Durst being in the movie takes it to another level in that he is not afraid to “go there” in this movie. Fred Durst becomes an integral part of the movie that pays out in the final act. Yes, I am saying his full name a lot but it will all make sense when you see the movie. Y2K takes you on a wild ride back in time and it only feels right that Fred Durst is along for this ride.
Final Thoughts: Y2K is a clever look at what could have gone wrong in 1999. The blend of humor and horror are greatly balanced throughout the movie. There are some slow moments in the middle of the film but everything picks up during the final act. Those that lived through Y2K will be hit with plenty of nostalgic moments thanks to the look and soundtrack of the movie. Y2K will certainly become a cult classic for the ages!
Kid-Friendly: This is R rated for not only the swearing and deaths, but there are also a few seconds of an adult movie played on the screen. Unless you want to explain to your child why the lady is naked and jumping on the man, I would stick to the recommendations of an R rating movie.
Violence: There are a lot of deaths in this movie that earn it an R rating. Although some of the deaths are silly, it is still a bloody movie.
On the last night of 1999, two high school juniors crash a New Years Eve party, only to find themselves fighting for their lives in this dial-up disaster comedy.