Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey

Peter Hewitt, USA, 1991, 90 minutes

This sequel to the hugely successful Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure sees the return of the dopey duo from San Dimas, California, complete with additional surfer's vocabulary to confuse and amuse. Bill S. Preston Esquire and Ted Theodore Logan now culturally dominate the planet with their infinite wisdom - "Be excellent to each other", "Patty on dudes"- and the world revolves to the metallic "melodies" of their band, the "Wyld Stallyons". Peace is threatened, however, when De Nomolos (Joss Ackland), the baddie in the big trainers, creates androids of Bill and Ted with a mission to kill the real McCoys. Pushed over a cliff and looking decidedly dead, Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (the visually very digestible Keanu Reeves) embark upon their bogus journey through heaven and hell to "save the babes" back home.

Although fans of the original will no doubt miss Socrates, Billy the Kid and maybe even Napoleon, they can hardly fail to love the Grim Reaper (brilliantly played by George Carlin) who practically steals the show. From encounters with gruesome grannies with evil intentions, to an audience with God Himself, the film is stuffed with visual gags, wit and stupidity and surprisingly for a sequel, is even funnier and more engaging than its predecessor.

Review by Emma Wilson
Taken from EUFS Programme 1992-93