Y2K Delivers an Undulterated Nostalgia Trip Full of Screams, Laughs, and Early Oughts Feels

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As a child of the ’90s who grew up with a love for pop culture and a fascination for technology, I can confidently say that Y2K is a film that perfectly encapsulates my formative years. The nostalgia trip it provides is nothing short of exhilarating, taking me back to a time when dial-up internet was the norm, AOL was king, and Limp Bizkit’s “Nu Metal” ruled the airwaves.

As a nostalgic fan myself, I can’t help but express my excitement for the unique blend that awaits us in Y2K! This movie offers a thrilling mix: 25% chilling horror, 25% poignant adolescence, 25% heartwarming romance, and 25% side-splitting comedy. But what truly sets it apart is its unbridled celebration of the late ’90s/early 2000s – a time period that resonates deeply with its creators, offering an exhilarating journey down memory lane for those of a certain age and a fresh perspective for others. And let’s not forget, it also features menacing machines born from the merging of technology – who could ask for more? To top it all off, Y2K manages to make some thought-provoking comments about our contemporary world. In my opinion, that’s the ultimate cinematic experience!

Experiencing Y2K is reminiscent of enjoying a bag of Gushers candies while playfully snapping yourself with an old-fashioned slap bracelet. (Why did these disappear from our trending lists?) From the very beginning, Y2K strives to capture the essence of 1999, from amusing away messages to the iconic song “The Thong Song,” and even the nervous excitement of spotting your crush among a sea of high school acquaintances at a crowded gathering. However, the nostalgia isn’t merely decorative; it permeates the film, emanating its unique earnestness that reminds us of waiting for a webpage to load, one pixel at a time, and relying on bicycles for transportation. This essence envelops all the characters, making them shine, and despite their occasionally absurd or annoying behaviors, you find yourself becoming fond of each and every one of them.

Jaeden Martell skillfully portrays Eli, the quintessential ordinary character, in the movie Y2K. This is a praise, as it’s challenging to encapsulate the essence of being an “ordinary strange kid” so effectively. Julian Dennison brilliantly steals the limelight as Eli’s friend Danny, and while I have one minor issue with the film, it becomes evident once you watch it. Rachel Zegler perfectly fits the role of Laura, embodying both popularity and nerdy traits, a character type she excels in. In fact, Zegler seems tailor-made for this part of a popular high school girl who pretends to be nice. Daniel Zolghadri and Lachlan Watson also deliver standout performances as an unusual friendship duo, complementing the Y2K ensemble nicely. Notably, Watson is exceptional in every role, so it’s no surprise! Catch them in Chucky and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina for more of their impressive work.


Indeed, life can’t always revolve around idealistic high school dramas. As the clock chimes midnight in 1999, technology – including your computer – turns against humanity, endangering them by transforming into their apparent desire: becoming slaves to machines. This theme could have been overly ambitious, resulting in a narrative that didn’t resonate due to focusing on a cluster of clueless teens who are merely trying to find friends, fall in love, and survive each day. However, Y2K manages to maintain a suitable scope for the story by highlighting that the machines are initiating their global conquest starting from just one small town.

This narrative of an underdog team, comprising Martell’s ordinary fellow, Zegler’s prominently known character, Watson’s unique misfit (whom we adore), and Zolghadri’s aspiring-yet-pretentious rapper hopeful (interestingly, Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst) alongside a few other companions, working together to save the world, comes across as one that resonates with us.

Despite understanding its boundaries, Y2K acknowledges a certain absurdity about itself and embraces it wholeheartedly. The movie’s monsters are so over-the-top and cheesy that they become slightly terrifying again. If you found yourself facing something so bizarre yet capable of sawing your face off, you would likely be screaming as well. Remarkably, the film uses practical technology Frankensteins, which introduces a touch of irony to the storyline. You see, the artificial intelligence controlling these machines manifests in physical form by combining various pieces of technology into odd-looking bodies. Since A.I. needs physical presence to take over the world, this seems quite fitting. One scene, where a machine body extends its wire fingers, is particularly noteworthy for its inventive design.

But despite this sort of silly sheen, the movie pulls no punches. There are deaths that hit without warning and A LOT of blood and gore. No one is really safe from the Y2K reign of terror, and that was definitely unexpected but gratifying from the film. Although sad! Because, as we mentioned, we really like many of the characters we meet.

In essence, the theme of Y2K still holds significant relevance in today’s world compared to its portrayal in the ’90s. Technology appears appealing until it malfunctions, and beneath its polished exterior, it isn’t truly beneficial. Interestingly, Y2K didn’t depict AI as a sophisticated, stylish villain, but rather as an eerie, ominous presence that aimed to disrupt your life in the most trivial ways. This portrayal of AI serves as a powerful critique that resonates strongly even today. Essentially, Y2K warns us about how annoying and potentially harmful AI could be in modern times.

I will say that I myself was never a teenage boy in the late ’90s, and so not all the parts of this movie’s nostalgia, humor, and perspective totally hit for me, and they may not for you. But in the end, as a film, Y2K knows what kind of movie it is, and it goes all in. And that’s worth a cheers with a whiskey drink, a vodka drink, a lager drink, and a cider drink.

Y2K is now in theaters.

Y2K ⭐ (3.6 of 5)

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2024-12-12 05:02