From left, Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler and Julian Dennison in “Y2K,” directed by Kyle Mooney. Credit: A24 via TNS
The Y2K bug, or the prediction that all computers would fail to operate at the turn of the 21st Century because their processors couldn’t change their internal clocks from 1999 to 2000, possesses a certain mythos.
Though the Y2K bug never wreaked havoc on a grand scale, the collective psychosis it caused, which sent people into a worldwide frenzy of doomsday preparation, already seems like the plot of a science fiction movie come to life.
A24’s latest film, “Y2K,” takes the absurdity of the Y2K scare one step further.
In the movie, the bug doesn’t simply spark technological mayhem — it also causes computers to become sentient and attack humans, leading to a more exaggerated apocalypse than the one predicted 25 years ago, in which computers simply ceased to function.
“Y2K” stars Jaeden Martell (“Defending Jacob”) as Eli, a nerdy high school student who tries to impress his cooler classmate and crush Laura — played by Rachel Zegler (“West Side Story”) — at a New Year’s Eve party. Circumstances become twisted when the clock strikes midnight and the computers come alive, resulting in a bloody revolt.
The biggest issue with “Y2K” is its struggle to pinpoint what kind of film it wants to be.
On one hand, the story features some cheesy, early 2000s comedy and on-the-nose nostalgic throwbacks, the most obvious of which is found in the casting of nu metal band Limp Bizkit’s leading man Fred Durst as himself.
On the other hand, “Y2K” rapidly flips the switch at times, leaning into certain gory sequences as full horror and trying to create emotional weight with the sudden deaths of side characters, who the audience barely has time to get attached to in the first place.
In truth, “Y2K” suffers from the fatal mistake of simply choosing the wrong characters to focus on.
Eli and Laura are pretty bland, stereotypical high schoolers; as a result, the motley crew of eccentric side characters prove to be much more endearing. The problem is that these side characters either all meet premature, bloody ends or lose screentime to the leads, who don’t even feel authentic to the time period being portrayed.
“Y2K” benefits from a highly idiosyncratic concept and a clear love for the tacky nostalgia of the turn of the century.
Unfortunately, all the blood spilled short-circuits the film’s processor, causing it to malfunction and preventing it from ever running smoothly.
Rating: 2.5/5
