Y2K Ending, Explained: How Does the Group Take Down the Machines?

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As a film critic with over two decades of experience under my belt and a soft spot for nostalgic comedies, I must say that “Y2K” is a rollercoaster ride that takes you back to the turn of the millennium and keeps you laughing all the way. The movie masterfully blends humor, action, and a healthy dose of 90s/00s pop culture references that will have you chuckling from start to finish.

Warning: Spoilers for Y2K.

Y2K – A Horror Comedy

In essence, nothing transpired in real life. But in the movie “Mooney’s,” technology rebels at the stroke of midnight and starts attacking or absorbing humans. As we approach an apocalypse, characters Eli and Danny struggle to stay alive amidst these lethal machines. Contrary to expectation, this film is more a comedy than a horror, offering viewers quite an exhilarating journey while showcasing all the trends of 1999.

As the countdown to Y2K begins, it’s simple to overlook that this movie isn’t just another millennial coming-of-age teen comedy with a familiar plotline. Typically, these films feature an outcast teenager who harbors feelings for a popular peer. In this instance, Eli has been in love with Laura (Rachel Zegler) since they started attending school together. At a New Year’s Eve house party, he hopes to find the perfect opportunity to express his feelings. However, when midnight arrives, Laura is seen kissing someone else. This romantic moment becomes irrelevant as power surges occur and machines start to malfunction and take control.

One after another, several teenagers at the party succumb to grisly but amusing fates, causing Eli, Danny, and Laura to flee in order to increase their chances of escaping during the Y2K catastrophe.

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Laura’s Hacking Skills Come in Handy

While hiding in the garage with three other teens – CJ (Daniel Zolghadri), Ash (Lachlan Watson), and Farkas (Eduardo Franco) – they soon discover a need for an escape plan. Agreeing to head towards Garrett’s (Kyle Mooney) cabin in the woods without electricity, they prepare themselves. Tragedy strikes when Danny is fatally attacked by one of the machines, causing Eli to abandon his only friend he’s ever known. In a less fortunate incident, Farkas meets his end in a humorous way after attempting a skateboard stunt on a damaged basketball pole. Consequently, only Eli, Laura, CJ, and Ash are left.

Following their secure arrival at the Kollective, the team gets a brief respite. Not much time passes before one of the colossal machines emerges. They manage to restrain it, just enough for Laura to utilize her hacking abilities to peer into its software. This revelation uncovers that these machines share a common consciousness and aim to dominate the world by inserting chips in human minds. Intriguingly, the epicenter of this scheme is their very own high school. Eventually, the machine escapes and assaults Laura, but Eli swiftly intervenes, dousing it with bong water, effectively saving her.

In an attempt to protect mankind, Eli, Laura, CJ, and Ash choose to return to their school. As they traverse through the forest, they are ambushed yet again by one of the mechanical foes. In an amusing display, Garrett gulps down a bunch of pills and spins his diabolo sticks before trying to rescue them. Regrettably, he meets a swift end, leaving the others no choice but to fend for themselves within a portable toilet that subsequently rolls down the slope. Coated in filth but still breathing, the band moves on until they pause at the video store where Garrett previously worked.

Fred Durst Helps Save the Day in ‘Y2K’

At the video rental shop, the crowd unexpectedly runs into Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit, who was performing at a New Year’s Eve concert nearby when the machines started to malfunction. In this situation, Laura proposes that they neutralize the machines by inserting a unique virus stored on a flash drive into the main computer. Although everyone agrees except for Durst, Ash motivates him with an inspiring speech before handing him his signature red baseball cap. Once Durst understands their predicament, they release tension by damaging the store while “Break Stuff” by Limp Bizkit amusingly plays in the background.

Upon reaching the school, a device unleashes harmful CDs towards Durst. Swiftly, CJ pushes him aside, taking two of them to his head before meeting his end. The team moves forward, with Ash and Durst singing an acoustic rendition of “Faith” to divert the devices while Laura attempts to infiltrate the central computer system. However, she’s electrocuted when she tries to insert the flash drive. In a quick thinking moment, Eli hands her a condom for protection, and she makes another attempt. This was the same condom that Danny had kept for Eli’s first use someday. Just in the nick of time, she manages to connect the flash drive and disables the device, thereby rescuing everyone.

In conclusion, after all that had transpired, Eli and Laura eventually locked lips. Fast forwarding five years, Eli, Laura, and Ash pay their respects at Danny’s grave. Durst remains a famous musician but also doubles as an entrepreneur and politician. Leaving the scene, Limp Bizkit’s “Rollin'” echoed on the radio, perfectly encapsulating the humorous Y2K era ambiance that pervaded the film.

Y2K is currently playing in theaters.

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2024-12-07 05:33