Kenny (Carl Johan Rheborg) is a space cadet, both literally and figuratively, a bumbling wannabe Galaxy Hero whose blond locks make the sound of a squeegee when he shakes them.
Kenny Begins is the origin story of Kenny, who debuted in the 1997 Swedish miniseries Kenny Starfighter, although the notion of a “source myth” suggests a certain epicness, a gravitas, that is nowhere to be found – quite intentionally – in this entertainingly spazzy prequel film.
Still trying to earn his stripes at the Galaxy Hero academy, Kenny stumbles – entirely by accident – onto the plot of an evil overlord to rule the galaxy with the aid of a “power crystal” – trouble is, an Earthbound high school reject already found the crystal and is channeling its power to get to first base with his hottie lab partner. Along the spectrum of silly, Kenny Begins just about breaks the barometer (textual evidence: a Flying Winnebago and a trio of hired assassins named Earth, Wind, and Fire), but its commitment to utter inaneness is laudable, as are the well-choreographed action sequences and goofy-fun wordplay.
Kenny Begins screens Sunday, Sept. 27, at 11am and Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 9pm.
This article appears in September 25 • 2009.
