While Star Wars doesn’t seem quite as popular today as it was when George Lucas first created it, Fanboys proves that the hardcore fans are still around. You know the type—those who argue about who shot first, Han or Greedo (as much as I love Han Solo, I have to admit that Greedo shot first and missed) and where Chewbacca is from (Kashyyyk). Yes, those topics are argued.
Fanboys takes place prior to the release of Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace. However, the story is being told years later, as viewers can tell by the end of the opening crawl. (Yes, there’s an opening crawl, just like in Star Wars.) The crawl ends with “sent from my iPhone.” One cannot see that line and not laugh—it sets the tone for the entire movie. From then on, the viewers fall in love with the characters—it’s too hard not to fall in love with them. They’re hilarious, yet naïve, which makes them endearing.
The movie follows a group of five friends, one of whom has been emotionally distant for a number of years. The names the audience knows the various characters by are Zoey, Windows, Hutch, Linus, and Eric (better known as Bottler). Each represents a Star Wars character in his or her own way. Bottler, upon learning of Linus’s failing health, convinces the other three men to go on a trip across the country to break into Skywalker Ranch and see Episode One. Along the way, they meet various people and the audience gets to witness a ton of cameos. Carrie Fisher pops up (the original Princess Leia, for those who don’t know), as well as Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi), Ray Park (Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace), Seth Rogan (in three different roles), Jason Mewes (Jay) and Kevin Smith (Silent Bob). Just when you think the movie can’t get funnier, William Shattner pops up with the line, “Are you kidding? I’m William Shattner, I can score anything.” The only person I expected to see that I didn’t was George Lucas himself.
Upon realizing that I’ve shown my inner nerd while writing this, Fanboys is still one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in a long time. While there are specific little moments that are meant for the true Star Wars fans to find, the cast makes the movie hilarious and completely worthwhile to see—even for non-Star Wars fans.
