Yeah, one of the really upsetting stains on the first two movies is the use of that slur, that really stood out hard rewatching the first two last night, as overall, the movies are genuinely wholesome and earnest, and have such a positive message about unity, even back then. I kind of wished they had done one of those "edited for TV" type dubs over the slur for the digital releases of the films. It's one of the few times I wouldn't have minded a "Yippie Ki Yay, Mr. Falcon" type edit.
I'm sure if Covid 19 had happened, there may have been some reshoots to smooth out some of the rough edges of the film, but I honestly think it was way better than it had any right to be, given how most followups to long-running series tend to drop the ball hard.
I initially was taken aback by Keanu's portrayal of Ted in the film, especially having the first two so fresh in my mind, but I honestly think it made sense for where Ted was at in the movie. Bill was the optimist, and Ted became the realist. Even in Bogus Journey, he was the one that was like, "I got a really bad feeling," so there was always that element of his character there. I imagine he would be the one to *cough* face the music first when it comes to the situation they found us in. Over the course of the film, he started to feel more like Ted to me, just an older version.
Keanu and Alex have such great chemistry on screen, so it's sad that we won't be getting more Bill and Ted from them, although, that's honestly not a bad thing. I think the trilogy did one of the few things many trilogies drop the ball on, and that's end on a high note (no pun intended, i think). But like I said before, I wouldn't mind seeing more films or shows with Thea and Willamina, as not only are they just as charming as Bill and Ted, but they didn't get as much of an arc as Bill and Ted did in their inaugural film (obviously due to having to split the screentime with Keanu and Alex), so it'd be nice to see them have an adventure removed from their fathers to give them more characterization. Overall, they were great, and I really enjoyed their "cliff notes" version of the first two films that they went on.
Death is always great, and I loved the scene where they convince him to rejoin the band. William Sadler is always amazing, and he felt like he had never stepped away from playing Death as far as being consistent with his performance from Bogus Journey. Him and Alex Winter did a fantastic job carrying over their characters despite it being 29 years since they last played him. Keanu may have had a little John Wick in him when shooting this movie, but it didn't take me out of his portrayal as Ted, like I said. It just fit with where his character was at for this story.
I honestly wouldn't have minded seeing more future versions of Bill and Ted, as those were definitely highlights of the movie. Honestly, the entire movie could have been filled with alternate versions of Bill and Ted (I love that every single iteration except for the 96 year old versions were assholes lol). I can't say enough how good it felt to watch a film that was absent of cynicism and bleakness. Such a breath of fresh air.
