SNL mainstay Kyle Mooney makes his directorial debut, lampooning mass hysteria in the absurdly apocalyptic first trailer for A24’s Y2K.
It’s New Year’s Eve 1999, and the general public is predicting an apocalypse when the new millenium hits. (For all the kids out there, we really thought the world would end on New Year’s Day 2000, don’t ask me why). But teenager Eli (Jaeden Martell) is only concerned with getting a New Year’s Eve kiss from his crush Laura (Rachel Zegler).
Alongside his best friend Danny (Julian Dennison) and Laura, Eli is stunned when the power goes out at midnight, and electronics start coming to life and killing humans. As Y2K turns out to be real and the emerging technology of the time plunges the world of anarchy. Now, this teenage loser must stand up to save humanity…. and just maybe, get the girl at the end.
Comedy director Kyle Mooney utilizes his SNL roots to create a sweetly biting satire about mass panic for the emergent Gen Z generation. While a clear rib on COVID-19 fears, the film feels more tender and innocent than its bonafides would suggest, opting for a tone more reminiscent of early 2000s teen-comedies.
Star Martell plays a geek-chic type to perfection, nailing the early 2000s put-together nerd without leaning into caricature. Co-stars Zegler and Dennison aren’t featured heavily enough to rise above cliché, but the entire cast seems game to play. And while the apocalyptic imagery sometimes betrays the film’s limited budget, the sheer absurdity of a Tamagotchi murdering people makes it clear the film’s comedic lens.
If Mooney can strike the right balance between throwback and heart, he’ll have created the next in (hopefully) a new wave of throwback indie films to the 2000s. And, my god, that makes me feel old….
Directed by Kyle Mooney, Y2K will release theatrically on December 6, 2024. The film stars Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler & Julian Dennison in the lead roles.
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