Misplaced Pages

Y2K (2024 film)

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
American film by Kyle Mooney

Y2K
Theatrical release poster
Directed byKyle Mooney
Written by
  • Kyle Mooney
  • Evan Winter
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyBill Pope
Edited byDavid Marks
Music by
  • Danny Bensi
  • Saunder Jurriaans
Production
companies
  • A24
  • Strong Baby Productions
  • American Light & Fixture
Distributed byA24
Release dates
  • March 9, 2024 (2024-03-09) (SXSW)
  • December 6, 2024 (2024-12-06) (United States)
Running time93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million
Box office$4.2 million

Y2K is a 2024 American apocalyptic science fiction comedy horror film directed by Kyle Mooney in his directorial debut, written by Mooney and Evan Winter. It stars Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison, Fred Durst, and Alicia Silverstone. It follows a group of high school students who attempt to survive when the year 2000 problem causes all technology worldwide to come to life and turn against humanity.

The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 9, 2024, and was theatrically released by A24 in the United States on December 6, 2024. The film received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed $4.2 million.

Plot

In 1999, best friends Eli, Danny, and Garrett discuss plans for New Year's Eve while their parents are out. Eli has a crush on his classmate Laura, but is too nervous to talk to her despite Danny's encouragment to kiss her at midnight. They watch as Laura and her friends Trevor, Madison, and Raleigh sneak out some alcohol and decide to crash a party held by Soccer Chris, Laura's boyfriend. While partying, Eli watches in dismay as Chris and Laura kiss at midnight until the power suddenly goes out.

As a student is found dead with a piece of a fan lodged in his head, a toy car arrives on its own and burns Trevor's face with a hairspray and a lighter, killing him. The terrified partygoers realize that all technology have become sentient and attempt to leave, but many of them are gruesomely killed. In the ensuing chaos, a VCR smashes Madison's head with a VHS tape, Chris' head is melted by a microwave, and a Tamagotchi drills through Raleigh's head. Eli, Danny, and Laura escape with juvenile delinquents Farkas, CJ, and Ash, but Danny is fatally impaled by a blade and Farkas dies when he hits the ground while attempting to rail a broken pole on his skates.

The group go to an old mill without electricity while the sentient machines kill several residents throughout the town. They also find Garrett and Laura's ex-boyfriend Jonas, and learn the threat is a collective consciousness of all electronic devices worldwide planning to enslave humanity. Laura successfully creates a kill code to shut down the algorithm, now dubbed itself as the "Amalgamation", but a computer attacks her. Eli douses it in water, shutting it down. The group is then cornered by the Amalgamation, who is using electronics to make itself bigger. Garrett tries to fend it off, but is decapitated. The group hide in portable toilets and ride them down a hill. They take refuge in a VHS store and meet musician Fred Durst, whom they encourage to join.

The group arrives at the local high school where, they learn, the machines are due to a new internet connection installed. They sneak inside and discover the townspeople have been reduced to mindless slaves by brain-implanted chips. CJ sacrifices himself to save Fred from a machine while the group learn the Amalgamation has now grown to a monstrous size and is forcing people inside it, converting them to the aforementioned slaves. Fred, Ash, and Jonas distract the machines guarding the townspeople to let Laura make her way into the Amalgamation, but it electrocutes her. Eli arrives in time to save Laura and attempt to insert the kill code himself, but fails to do so as the Amalgamation keeps electrocuting and mocking them. Eli then uses a condom Danny had given him earlier and wraps it around Laura's hand like a protective glove. While Fred, Ash, and Jonas continue distracting the machines, Eli and Laura successfully insert the kill code, shutting down the algorithm worldwide, destroying the Amalgamation. Eli shares a kiss with Laura and they reunite with the surviving townspeople as dawn breaks.

Five years later, in 2005, a now college-aged Eli, Laura, and Ash visit their friends' graves. While they leave the cemetery, Ash's new iPod starts to glitch, revealing that the algorithm has not been fully destroyed.

Cast

Production

It was announced in early March 2023 that Kyle Mooney would direct Y2K for A24. Jaeden Martell, Julian Dennison, Rachel Zegler, Lachlan Watson, Mason Gooding, The Kid Laroi, Eduardo Franco, Miles Robbins, Fred Hechinger, Alicia Silverstone, Tim Heidecker and Daniel Zolghadri joined the cast. Additionally, Weta Workshop worked on the effects for the film. In April 2023, Sebastian Chacon and Lauren Balone joined the cast.

Principal photography began in April 2023 in Ringwood, New Jersey. The following month, filming continued in Ringwood and Chatham Borough and in Clark at the recreation center, before wrapping.

Music

Y2K
Soundtrack album by various artists
ReleasedJanuary 17, 2025 (2025-01-17)
LabelA24 Music

The soundtrack for Y2K comprises a number of songs from the 1990s; the soundtrack album is scheduled to be released on CD on January 17, 2025.

Y2K soundtrack track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Performer(s)Length
1."Praise You"Fatboy Slim 
2."Tubthumping"Rachel Zegler, Lachlan Watson, Daniel Zolghadri, and Jaeden Martell 
3."Candy"Mandy Moore 
4."9 PM (Till I Come)" (radio edit)ATB 
5."Thong Song"Julian Dennison 
6."Break Stuff"Limp Bizkit 
7."93 'til Infinity"Souls of Mischief 
8."Freak on a Leash"Korn 
9."6 Underground"Sneaker Pimps 
10."Back at One"Brian McKnightBrian McKnight 
11."Faith"George MichaelFred Durst 
12."Ash and CJ Swings Freestyle" Lachlan Watson and Daniel Zolghadri 
13."Closing Time"Dan WilsonSemisonic 

Release

It had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 9, 2024. It was released on December 6, 2024.

Home media

The film was released video on demand on December 24, 2024.

Reception

Box office

In the United States and Canada, Y2K was released alongside Werewolves and Pushpa 2: The Rule, and was projected to gross $3–5 million from 2,108 theaters in its opening weekend. The film made $923,110 on its first day, including $300,000 from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $2.1 million, finishing in eighth.

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 44% of 94 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "Y2K earns points for ambition and sheer audacity, even if it struggles to keep the laughs coming while maintaining a messy tonal blend." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 49 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C–" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it a 65% overall positive score, with 50% saying they would definitely recommend it.

References

  1. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 8, 2024). "'Moana 2', 'Wicked' & 'Gladiator II' Driving Record Post-Thanksgiving Frame Near $132M – Sunday AM Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  2. "Y2K (2024)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  3. "Y2K (2024) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  4. Donato, Matt (March 10, 2024). "Y2K Review". IGN.
  5. Horton, Adrian (March 10, 2024). "Y2K review – uneven disaster comedy relies on 90s nostalgia". The Guardian.
  6. "Y2K". A24 Publicity. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  7. Grobar, Matt (March 23, 2023). "A24 Sets Disaster Comedy Y2K, To Be Directed By SNL Alum Kyle Mooney; Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison & More To Star". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  8. Grobar, Matt (April 21, 2023). "Thriller 'Wrong Reasons' From EP Kevin Smith Sets Release; A24's 'Y2K,' Liam Hemsworth Actioner 'Gunner' Add To Casts; 'Desperate Souls, Dark City' Gets New Trailer – Film Briefs". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  9. Kuperinsky, Amy (May 6, 2023). "Y2K movie filming in Jersey stars Rachel Zegler, the N.J. actor born in 2001". NJ.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  10. Grobar, Matt (April 5, 2023). "Apple Lands Jonah Hill's Keanu Reeves-Led Dark Comedy Outcome". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  11. Burns, Vianella (May 10, 2023). "Two Movies Filming Throughout Chatham Borough". Patch.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  12. "Lights, Camera, Action, Done: Crew Wraps Up After Filming at the Clark Recreation Center". TAPinto. May 15, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  13. "Y2K Original Soundtrack CD". A24. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  14. "Y2K". SXSW 2024 Schedule. February 7, 2024. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  15. "Films". A24. Archived from the original on February 22, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  16. D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 4, 2024). "Early December Weekend Box Office Won't Go Off A Cliff: 'Moana 2' Eyes Record $60M – Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  17. Rebecca Rubin (December 8, 2024). "Box Office: 'Moana 2' Scores $52 Million in Second Weekend, A24's 'Y2K' Craters With $2 Million Debut". Variety. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  18. "Y2K". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved January 4, 2025. Edit this at Wikidata
  19. "Y2K". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved December 6, 2024.

External links

Categories:
Y2K (2024 film) Add topic