Galaxy Quest (1999)

• Information at Internet Movie Database
• Hollywood Jesus visual review.
• Looking Closer, review by Jeffrey Overstreet, "searching for truth, beauty and meaning in the movies."
• Movie Parables review
• "Galaxy Quest and Becoming Who You Pretend To Be," Steve Lansingh, TheFilmForum: Christian Conversation about the Movies.
• Themes
  • Alternate Reality/Illusion & Reality
    • The illusion of the television show becomes Reality for Mathesar and his crew. The illusion of the television show becomes the Reality for the Galaxy Quest crew as they become what they have pretended to be.
    • The Galaxy Quest crew is not who they've pretended to be in any way - even to each other as actors.
    • At the return home, the fans at the convention think that the entrance and the subsequent destruction of Sarris is just part of the act.
  • Baptism
    • The initial space-travel sequences where the crew is engulfed in a water-like substance, and then transported on a journey. The initial euphoria dissolves as they realize that the task is dangerous.
  • Call
    • The aliens come to the Galaxy Quest convention and then to Jason's house, asking him to accompany them.
    • Jason collects his cast-mates to show them the Real Thing.
    • Brandon is called (literally!) to assist the Galaxy Quest cast in their attempt to save the ship.
  • Confession
    • Jason tells Mathesar that he is not what he seems/claims to be.
  • Disillusionment
    • In the bathroom stall, Jason hears the kids talking about what a meaningless sham the Galaxy Quest cast and those who go to the conventions are living. He realizes it's true and sinks into despair.
  • Empowerment
    • The "crew" of a long-discontinued TV show is called upon to save an alien civilization.  Thinking the show represents "historical documents", the aliens have based all of their technologies on scenes from the show.  When the "crew" is taken to the bridge of the ship for the first time, they learn that they can operate the controls by doing whatever their characters did on the show.  As the Christian is called upon to "abide in Christ", so the actors find that being "in character" gives them the power to do things they didn't think they could do. (submitted by FUMC, Natchitoches, LA)
  • Faith
    • The faith of Mathesar and his ship-mates inspires the Galaxy Quest crew to become what they have pretended to be. (Live as if you have faith, and faith develops.)
    • Brandon's faith in a seeming illusion allows him to be helpful in the struggle.
  • Fate
    • Crewman #6 is convinced that he's going to die on the planet because he died 5 minutes into Episode #81. Tommy convinces him that maybe his fate is not to die on the planet, but rather to become the one who adds a bit of comic relief.
  • Interconnectedness
    • The television show is picked up by the aliens and used to build their real world.
  • Journey
    • The Galaxy Quest crew is transformed into who they've pretended to be as they pursue the quest and fight the enemies.
  • Possession (by Evil)
    • Sarris disguises himself as one of their own (Tommy) in order to attack the Galaxy Quest crew.
  • Redemption
    • Although Mathesar thinks that the Galaxy Quest crew has saved his people, it is the "innocent faith" of the aliens which redeems lives that have become meaningless for the crew.
    • The death of Alexander Dane's fan inspires Dane to become what he was perceived to be.

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