There are times when you decide to watch a movie you saw years earlier and end up disappointed because it really doesn’t hold up well. Then there are times when you’re surprised just how enjoyable a movie still is after all these years. Well, I had just such an experience with a movie I haven’t watched in at least a decade: Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. 

I was a teenager when Bill & Ted’s first hit theaters – basically their target demographic. And, not surprisingly, I loved the movie. It makes fun of all the things any teenager might complain about – school, parents, boredom. Plus it’s a great adventure without being all that harrowing. And, without even noticing it, you end up learning a bit about history and time travel. Of course, it also made a star of Keanu Reeves, who mostly had tv roles prior to that.

So how does a teen comedy from the late 80s with a completely unrealistic plot hold up 30 years later? Pretty damn well. The comedy is still pretty stupid, but actually still funny too. And considering some of the time travel plots we’ve had in recent years (hello Hot Tub Time Machine), it still works. Even the music doesn’t feel overly dated. Of course, being a lover of all things time travel I did notice some potential paradoxes this time around, but this isn’t exactly a movie to think too hard about anyway.

As someone who isn’t much of a fan of most comedies, I’m glad I gave Bill & Ted’s a rewatch. Sure, there’s a bit of nostalgia value for me, but I did enjoy it. I might even watch Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey sometime soon. And who knows, I may even be willing to see the long-rumored third installment, Bill & Ted Face the Music, if it ever shows up.