Kyle Mooney’s directorial debut Y2K is absolutely bonkers and an instant cult classic. Absolutely see this one in a packed theater.
For those viewers that were alive, and especially in their late teenage years, on New Years Eve 1999, Y2K fully delivers on the nostalgia right from the start. Considering this film is Kyle Mooney’s directorial debut, he did a fantastic job bringing his type of humor to the screen. Y2K is absolutely bonkers thanks to practical effects. It’s campy, but in the best way possible.
Wave of nostalgia after wave of nostalgia, from the outfits, to the lingo, to the electronics, will have those who were around during 1999 thinking back on their younger days. About thirty minutes in, Y2K really hits as things go completely off the rails, dictating what we all thought was going to happen when the clock struck twelve… well, maybe a bit of an exaggeration.
This is one of those movies that begs to be seen in a packed theater, with an audience that has no idea what to expect. It is a wild ride and going on it with a group of people is for sure the way to go.
Seeing it at SXSW was an experience that not many others share. People were yelling, screaming, laughing, and cheering at the top of their lungs. Still, if you get in the right theater, Y2K will be an experience you will never forget. While it might not play as well at home, it is still sure to be a good time.
Someone called Y2K a mix of Can’t Hardly Wait and This Is The End and that is the perfect description. There is a touch of teenage love and drama among a ridiculous end of the world disaster that is not afraid to push past the boundaries of sanity.
The cast fully leans in, with everyone doing their part, however it is Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison, and Jaeden Martell that stand out.
This trio brings the heart and the humor in what is destined to become a cult classic. They are seasoned actors and it is lovely to see them going absolutely crazy together on screen. Julian really brings the heart to this movie with his character that helps that drive his friends to realize they can take on anything.
Mooney is no stranger to the comedic world. Before being a major player on Saturday Night Live he created skits where he allowed himself to commit to the bit. It is clear that he takes that into account while directing this movie. He also plays a supporting role in Y2K, a video store clerk who delivers a fair amount of laughs.
While we for sure thought the ending was going a different route, which perhaps would have worked a little better, Y2K still delivers exactly what it sets out to deliver. This is a movie that never takes itself seriously, which means that audiences shouldn’t take it seriously either. To be fair, it is filled with monsters built out of various electronics that set out to destroy and enslave humankind.
Y2K was made to give audiences a great time at the movies, and that is exactly what it does. It isn’t meant to reveal the meaning of life, and it certainly isn’t meant to make you think. Quite the opposite as this is one that you should just turn your brain off and enjoy, while cracking up.
Rating: 3 out of 5
NEXT: Imaginary Movie Review: M3gan Meets The Boogeyman
About Y2K
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.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.