On February 17, 1989, the world received a most excellent gift: Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter gracing our screens as those lovable valley boys in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Bill Preston, Esquire (Winters) and Ted “Theodore” Logan (Reeves) face a gnarly challenge: pass senior history or Ted gets shipped off to military school in Alaska, putting a major damper on their friendship and potentially triggering the apocalypse.
Enter Rufus (the legendary George Carlin!), a righteous dude from the future sent back in time to ensure Bill and Ted ace that history presentation for the good of all.
With Rufus’ time-traveling phone booth (a sweet nod to Doctor Who‘s TARDIS), Bill and Ted embark on a bodacious journey, snatching up historical figures like Socrates, Napoleon, Billy the Kid, Genghis Khan, Joan of Arc, and Beethoven. It’s a race against time to bring them back to San Dimas for the most epic presentation ever.
But it’s not all air guitar and historical hijinks. Let’s be real, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, while surprisingly watchable in HD, does have some problematic moments. Bill’s dad’s marriage to Missy, a former classmate, is kinda creepy. And the princesses Joanna and Elizabeth? Initially, they’re just props, handed to Bill and Ted as rewards. Talk about a violation of women’s rights, dude!
And we can’t ignore that unfortunate homophobic slur uttered by Bill and Ted after Ted’s “death scare.” They often display non-toxic masculinity, showing emotional intimacy and regular physical affection. But that f-word moment reminds us that even innocent Bill and Ted are products of their time, still entangled in the toxic masculinity displayed by their fathers. They’re just like those historical figures they bring into the present.
These issues do leave a stain on Bill and Ted‘s legacy. Part of me wishes they’d just edit out the slur. It’s unnecessary and removing it would improve the film’s longevity. Thankfully, the film features Mr. Ryan (Bernie Casey) and the supreme of the Three Most Important Important People in the World (Clarence Clemons), both Black men, who aren’t stereotypes or caricatures, which was progressive for its time.
But let’s not forget that Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is also absurdly funny! Reeves and Winter have remarkable chemistry. In our dark world, seeing Bill and Ted’s beaming smiles and air guitar antics feels like hope. It reminds us that there’s a time and place for absolute silliness. And the saga continued with Bill and Ted Face the Music in 2020! Until then, be excellent to each other. And party on, dudes.
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Sezín Devi Koehler is a multiracial Sri Lankan/Lithuanian American, and author of ‘Much Ado About Keanu: A Critical Reeves Theory’ (April 29, 2025 from Chicago Review Press). Her bylines also include Entertainment Weekly, Scalawag Magazine, Teen Vogue, Tasteful Rude, and many others. You can also find her on Twitter ranting about politics (@SezinKoehler), Instagramming her newest art creations and lowkey cosplays (@zuzudevikoehler), and microreviewing horror movies on Facebook (@SezinDeviKoehler).
