Galaxy Quest

My father has defined my understanding of "Star Trek" for my whole life. A devout Trekker, the man can find joy in every Trek property (yes, even "Enterprise"). Upon the release of "Galaxy Quest," it became a staple of our household. It's a movie that is informed by years of "Star Trek" and its related fandom, but even more than that, it's smart, funny, reverential, and just straight-up entertaining. Its most recent Blu-ray release, however, is an utter disappointment.

A bright space-adventure series from the 1970s, "Galaxy Quest," has begun to dim in its old age. Despite a fanbase that is passionate and committed, many of the stars struggled to find relevancy outside of the series. Now they begrudgingly participate in conventions in a misbegotten hope to be remembered. All that changes when a fledgling troupe of aliens misunderstands the series as "historical documents" and enlists the stars to save an entire alien race.

In retrospect, we all should've known that "Galaxy Quest" would be something special. While its concept has the possibility of veering into the land of mockery, it never succumbs to this simplification. It recognizes the often silly nature of ravenous fandom and confronts it directly with reality, in a manner that is measured and respectful. All this is before commenting on the cast that is hard to imagine being reassembled. While led by Tim Allen, it also includes Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shaloub, Sam Rockwell, Enrico Colantoni, and Justin Long, all of whom are executing at the top of their comedic games. "Galaxy Quest" is frequently light and consumable, but with things to say about fan culture that feel preternaturally relevant.

While I will always champion "Galaxy Quest," its latest release is a middle-finger to fans of the movie. A slew of special features was produced for the film's initial DVD release in 2000, and despite this being its second Blu-ray release, nothing has changed. Back in 2009, when "Galaxy Quest" got its first Blu-ray, most of the special features from the DVD were ported over wholesale. No effort was applied to create a retrospective or delve deeper into the movie. Hell, they couldn't even be bothered to upscale from the standard definition video of the DVD.

While this new Steelbook release touts a "20th Anniversary" label, do not be fooled: This is just a repackaging of the 2009 Blu-ray. There are no new features. The quality has not been improved. Perhaps worst of all, the studio couldn't even spring for the inclusion of a digital copy. Never have I reviewed a media release that was so blatant in its cash grab status (and I've reviewed multiple Disney re-releases). "Galaxy Quest" remains a witty and endearingly hilarious movie deserving of your time, but this Blu-ray release doesn't earn a single penny of your money.

"Galaxy Quest"
20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray
$19.99
https://www.paramount.com/movies/galaxy-quest