Current Fears of Technology Harken Back to Y2K (2024)
Title: Y2K
First Non-Festival Release: December 6, 2024 (Theatrical Release)
Director: Kyle Mooney
Writer: Kyle Mooney, Evan Winter
Runtime: 91 Minutes
Starring: Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
It may be hard for Gen Z-ers to understand but back in 1999, people really did think that the world was ending on New Year’s. This fear was palpable thanks to misunderstandings of technology in its early years. With fears of artificial intelligence irreversibly changing course on human evolution permeating the discourse on the technology’s impact, it makes sense to make the journey back in Y2K.
Amidst the festivity preparations and doomsday predictions Eli (Jaeden Martell) and Danny (Julian Dennison) are deciding how they want to spend their New Year’s celebration. Once they finally decide to step up and attend a party so Eli can ask out his crush, newly single Laura (Rachel Zegler), the clock strikes twelve and all the technology begins to freak out and kill everyone around them. The ragtag group of survivors from the house party must face off against the devices galvanizing to take over the world.
Charming tech horror comedy Y2K delivers laughs with its bright cast and witty script.
Straddling coming-of-age tropes with its zany premise, Y2K nails the heart of teen horror despite its intended audience skewing older. Eli and Danny’s quest to have the best New Year’s Eve and shed their nerdy reputations is met with resistance long before any piece of technology sparks to life. Bullies, popular kids, and adults messing with their vibe make it challenging for Eli to win over the girl of his dreams. Chock full of these familiar tropes, Y2K relishes in the simplicity of the times.
Its colorful characters and bright cast bring the concept to life in all its glory. Dweeby teenage protagonists scheming on how to get the popular girl while saving the world is a trope as old as time, but Y2K has a few tricks up its sleeve to still provide depth. A key character loss in the second act pushes Eli into a more sober charge against the technology that’s overtaking his world. This moment, along with some intriguing conversations that follow, re-directs the film to a more interesting path surrounding the progression and obsolescence of technology and its tie in with nostalgia. The characters muse between classic tropes and fresher perspectives on what it means to come of age in a society of rapidly progressing technology.
The late 90s aesthetic feels more than just a necessity to the story but a huge love letter to the simpler times of more ancient technology. In a time when everything, no matter how unnecessary, directly connects to the internet, Y2K shows just how widespread technology use was in society, as well as the ignorance to it. The young characters in the film are as technologically literate as one would expect yet they still struggle to fight against the tools they once used daily. Bright colors, bold designs, and a strangely free feeling characterize the aesthetics for the time. The quaintness of the fashion, slang, and pop culture works to the film’s advantage, allowing the fun elements of the late 90s to blend with the ridiculousness of its situation, and thus its fears.
That being said, some jokes don’t land as intended, either because of poor timing or tonal clashes, making the affair a bit trying at times. Often leaning into its silliness, Y2K sometimes trips through its momentum. Once the fire dies down from first tech attack, the film struggles to find direction with its story. Jokes are subject to either too fast or too slow refractory periods which takes away from the overall timing. Their over-reliance on the throwback jokes also wears thin, especially for those that aren’t as steeped in with the culture of the time.
It isn’t setting the world into a panic, unlike its inspiration, but Y2K is nonetheless a breezy horror comedy affair with enough action and depth to warrant a recommendation. Memorable characters, offbeat humor, and a fun story juxtaposing older fears against technology against new ones make this A24 offering punch above its weight. Some iffy comedy and pacing issues detract from its overall impact but aren’t major enough to completely write it off. Tech horror is here to stay, and in the age of AI, cybertrucks, and social media psychosis, there’s plenty of room to go further.
Overall Score? 6/10
