Running Time: 93 minutes
This feature from A24 opens exclusively in theaters on December 6th.
While it all seems funny today, in 1999 there was a great deal of concern about the coming new year. With the worldwide implementation of computers and new technology, many were concerned about a potential data and processing issue that could result in chaos. Some were even fearful that it could cause power, utilities and banking information to disappear permanently. Of course, nothing disastrous happened, but the new comedy/horror film Y2K invents a worst-possible case scenario for this transition.
For high school senior Eli (Jaeden Martell), New Years Eve in 1999 means just another night of sitting around with best pal Danny (Julian Dennison), eating chips, playing video games and waiting for graduation. After stopping in at a convenience store and encountering popular girl-of-his-dreams Laura (Rachel Zegler), Danny convinces Eli to crash a huge class party and make a move while he still can. Emboldened, the lead agrees and the two do their best to try and fit in at the celebration. But when midnight arrives, things go horribly wrong. All electronic items begin attacking townspeople, leaving many dead. Eli and other survivors go on the run and seek shelter, eventually forming a plan to try and stop the technology before all humanity is overtaken.
First off, despite the poster art and some violent moments during the rampage, this is primarily a comedy. Imagine the 1998 teen movie Can’t Hardly Wait fused with the silly 1986 horror picture Maximum Overdrive, and that’s essentially what you’ll be getting. It’s certainly hard to take it seriously and even the filmmakers are often poking fun at tropes seen in those earlier titles. There are a number of references to 90s trends that are aimed to generate smiles instead of screams.
The story is simple. It is clear that Eli is a teen growing up and about to experience major changes in his life when he graduates, but is now being forced to face it head-on when those around him start dying violently. Early scenes with pal Danny are filled with off-color humor and even when the machines begin wiping out the major characters, it’s played for laughs. The bickering between kids (and some of the adults) usually ends in an amusingly quick and blunt death. In fact, there is a particularly funny moment on a driveway involving the fate of a character that has little or nothing to do with the uprising. Director/co-writer Mooney also gives himself a memorable supporting part as stoner video store employee Garrett. His bizarrely comedic encounter with a mechanical creation got a chuckle out of me.
But while much of the film focuses on the absurdity of the situation, there are few serious moments as Eli attempts to process the deaths around him. Something of this nature should cause panic, but we never get a clear idea of what he’s going through. He simply lashes out at classmates and the social cliques around him. In fact, the character doesn’t even seem all that concerned about his family (who might also be in danger or perhaps even dead). These occasional forays into more serious themes don’t work well. And while there is an amusing cameo in the final act, the climactic confrontation between teens and technology isn’t as exciting as hoped for.
Mileage will vary on this picture. Those nostalgic for the late 90s will see many familiar things in the background and enjoy the references. When the story embraces all of the silliness in having a group of teens being hunted and killed by Tamagotchi, flying CDs and other technology of the period, it’s a lot of fun. But the screenplay struggles to add tension to the events or include any deeper satire which might give it an extra bit of oomph. This reviewer had a generally good time with Y2K, but admits that the programming is also a little buggy.