Bogus Journey: Way Underrated, Dudes! (From a Cinematography Nerd)

Okay, okay, so "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey" isn't exactly Citizen Kane, right? But hear me out! As a future director (hopefully!), I'm fascinated by how different this sequel is from the first film. It's, like, a total tonal shift. The first movie is all bright colors and feel-good vibes. This one goes dark, explores the afterlife, and introduces genuinely creepy characters. I think the set design in Hell is particularly creative. All those weird, personalized tortures? Twisted genius! And the way they use lighting – heavy shadows, flashes of red – totally sells the nightmarish atmosphere. It's way more visually interesting than most comedies, honestly. I was re-watching last night and noticed how much camera movement they use to create this sense of unease, especially early on when the Evil Robot Us's are doing their thing. It's subtle, but the shaky cam feeling adds to the chaos. Plus, Death is hilarious and William Sadler is a freaking national treasure. The whole sequence of Bill & Ted trying to outsmart him is comedic gold. They also use some pretty cool practical effects throughout the movie. I found myself wondering how many of those scenes were done before the age of CGI. Admittedly, the plot gets a little convoluted towards the end (time travel paradoxes always make my brain hurt!), and maybe it doesn't quite capture the innocent charm of "Excellent Adventure." But, I think this is a film that deserves a re-evaluation. It's weird, inventive, and dares to take its goofy premise to some surprisingly dark places. I mean, who has the idea of seeing their Grandma's torture room in HELL. Only Bill & Ted. Most triumphant! So, what does everyone else think? Am I alone in appreciating the… ahem… visual artistry of “Bogus Journey,” or are there other fans out there who see more to it than just a silly 90s comedy, or am I going bogus?