Y2K could be considered nostalgia bait only, but Kyle Mooney brilliantly sidesteps this criticism by tying the premise inextricably to the Y2K scare.

In 1999, the Y2K scare was spreading. What was a relatively easy and fixable computer glitch turned into fear-mongering and people believing that society was heading toward the apocalypse. Y2K plays right into that conspiracy, but instead of society falling apart because the computers have all shut down, they have upgraded into full-blown monsters ready to eliminate the humans that hold them back. The film is the directorial debut of Saturday Night Live alum Kyle Mooney and was written by Mooney and Evan Winter. 

Y2K takes place on New Year’s Eve in 1999 and follows the story of two best friends Eli, played by Jaeden Martell, and Danny, played by Julian Dennison. They are loners who mostly hang out together or with the middle-aged man called Garret (Mooney) at the video store. Eli has a crush on Laura (Rachel Zegler), the it girl of the school who secretly moonlights as a computer nerd. The film opens with Eli and Laura messaging on AIM. The internet is a perfect equalizer where a loser and a popular girl can break social barriers. When Eli and Danny learn that Laura and her college boyfriend have broken up, they crash the New Year’s Eve party at Soccer Chris’s house to give Eli the chance to kiss his crush at midnight. When the clock strikes twelve, the lights shut off, which stops the party in its tracks. The party quickly learns that all the electronic machines have bound together to wreak havoc on any humans in their way. Blood is shed, and teens die gruesome deaths. Now it is up to our eclectic gang of survivors to band together so they can attempt to shut down the evil computer bug and its soldiers.

Martell is making a great transition from child actor to young adult. Eli begins the film as a shy, nervous kid, but as the night continues, his kindness becomes an asset to the story. Martell plays a perfect lovesick teenager. Zegler gets to mark raunchy comedy off the list of classic genres every movie star should make. Laura may look like the Homecoming Queen, but she is just as quirky as the next weirdo. Her technological prowess is easily believable considering Zegler is savvy on social media. She continues to make everything she is in even better. Rounding out our central trio is Julian Dennison, most famously known for his role as Firefist in Deadpool 2. It was smart of Mooney to have him keep his Kiwi accent for the film because he stands out from the crowd. He’s an icon and he was the life of the party. 

Although the main focus is on the trio of Eli, Danny, and Laura, many supporting characters make great impressions, too. The New Year’s Eve party provides so many hilarious moments for everyone to shine, even before the machines start to commit murder. Eduardo Franco has found his perfect niche of playing the stoner skater boy in everything he possibly can. Mooney, Mason Gooding, Lachlan Watson, Daniel Zolghadri, Alicia Silverstone, Tim Heidecker, and even The Kid Laroi are all so funny and enjoyable in their roles, too. 

There is much to love about the movie. The premise is hilarious, the actors are charming, and it is remarkably stylish. I cannot attest to how period-accurate every detail was (being that I was only a few months old!), but it still hits a certain nostalgia pressure point in my brain. From the Nintendo 64 and AIM to the DSL mention and a Tamagotchi, it is a wild but welcome sight to see where we came from to where we are with technology now. Also, the Tipper Gore mention was a deep cut, but it brought a chuckle from Baby Boomers in the audience. Somehow, despite being violent and brutal, it is surprisingly comforting. 

As much as I love a tight 90-minute movie, Y2K felt rushed. On a basic level, the film is about a global computer apocalypse. However, there is a serious and relevant, although not subtle, social commentary about how dominating technology is in our lives today. We only see that in action for a short time towards the end. It is unfortunate because Mooney and Winter have such brilliant ideas, yet we do not have a chance to live in them. Had they had time to start to cook, it would have taken the film from good to great. At least the comedy stays consistent throughout the run of the film, especially Mooney, who clearly had a blast playing Garret. 

At first glance, Y2K could be considered nostalgia bait only, but Mooney brilliantly sidesteps this criticism by tying the premise inextricably to the Y2K scare. The basic idea of computers coming to life to kill humanity is a premise that could be executed in the current year, but setting the film in 1999 adds flair that makes Y2K stand out from other teen comedies. The combination of the lovely performances and the gory violence alongside the inspired premise makes for a satisfying watch. Mooney proves himself to be an adept filmmaker in his directorial debut. If Y2K indicates Mooney’s potential, we should watch out for whatever comes next for him. 

Grade: B

Oscars Prospects:
Likely: None
Should be Considered: None

Where to Watch: In Theaters