Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991)
My first encounter with Bill and Ted was the trailer for this movie, so I don't think I fully appreciated back then how ridiculous the whole premise of this film really was. In the first film Bill and Ted are approached by a time traveller who promises to help them with their history report. In this sequel thing go absolutely crazy and it almost feels like a plot spoiler considering how far it is into the film before this actually happens, but I think it's essentially implied by the title: Bill and Ted die and have to deal with becoming ghosts.
Last time around Bill and Ted were given essentially the dream of any up and coming band. There were informed that they would produce music that would be so influential and amazing that it would correct the course of history. So perhaps unsurprisingly, it's all very confusing for them in the beginning of this second movie when they still suck. (Their girlfriends from Medieval England are better musicians than they are. "I mean Medieval England, Iowa...")
The initial interplay between Bill and Ted and their evil robot counterparts from the future is pretty funny. Their eventual confrontation with the grim reaper is also a pretty funny part. However, over the course of the film this is mostly more about inventiveness of ideas than laugh a minute comedy. That being said, it is still funny and endearing.
The final ending is too rushed. Everything gets sorted out a little too easily considering what has come before. Still, it's sweet and fun to the end. (I know that no song was ever going to be good enough, but "God Gave Rock and Roll To You" is the song that brings humanity together? Really?) The biggest problem for any suggestion of a "Bill and Ted 3" however, is less the time between movies, and more because the finale of this movie outlines the whole of Bill and Ted's music career. I think the only way to do a third film would be to have the whole thing take place in the future, because in the present everyone should already know who Bill and Ted are.
I do not have a clue why everyone keeps shouting "Station!"
I think Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey succeeds just as well as the first film, "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" in providing some silly and highly enjoyable fun. I could imagine them making a pretty awesome third movie if they wanted to.
B-