If there was ever a product of its time, it would be Beavis and Butthead. The comedy duo from the mind of Mike Judge (later responsible for King of the Hill, Office Space, and Idiocracy) predated South Park and had more crass laughs than The Simpsons could attempt. Not quite lost to time, the couch-dwellers made a short-lived comeback on MTV in 2011, but now that streaming services are the norm, he’s been tasked with creating more content for the franchise, starting with Beavis and Butthead Do the Universe. How does this kind of humor hold up in 2022?

Beavis and Butthead are just as goofy, unintelligent, and aroused as they were in the ’90s, and this time, they’re taking it to space. Through several strokes of stupidity and winding up in the wrong place at the right time, these two manage to become masterful astronauts-in-training and get the chance to dock in space. The main laugh of the film is that these two, in their smooth brains and a misinterpretation of one sentence, believe they are going to “score” with an attractive astronaut captain.

If you can get on board with this easy, tongue-in-cheek joke, you’ll be laughing from this point to the very end of the movie. It’s so simple but is stretched in so many ways that it manages to not get old for 60+ minutes. After some shenanigans in space lead them through a wormhole from the 90s to the current year 2022, they encounter a quote-unquote “smart” version of themselves from another universe, complete with the same mannerisms but having an actual purpose and drive to accomplish it. Their interactions with normal Beavis/Butthead also provide tons of laughs. I can’t recall a minute of this film where I took my eyes off the screen or wasn’t laughing. It’s a fantastic comedy with no frills.

Apart from the obvious laughing that’s going to happen during a Beavis and Butthead Do the Universe viewing, there are also some tender moments thanks to unexpected character development from each of our metalheads. As Beavis and Butthead is a recurring, static cartoon, these moments don’t hold much weight in the grand scheme and they don’t have to, as they serve as motivation and accomplishment for two characters we’ve come to love over the years.

With music being a staple for the franchise, it’s with pleasure I can say a classic Black Sabbath track plays during an appropriate action scene, sure to get some heads banging for a 50+-year-old song. In addition, there’s some Fat Joe/Lil Wayne and Michael Bolton here and there for some strong variety in mood music. The animation style is retained from the original show, moving at a smooth pace and never contrasting between characters on-screen.

Mike Judge is nearing 60 but still knows how to cater to just about everyone with a crass sense of humor. Beavis and Butthead Do the Universe is a true return to form for the two knuckleheads that I’ve been watching for half my life. As adult animation is in a renaissance with Smiling Friends, Rick & Morty, and tons more being watched by millions, Beavis and Butthead deserve to be in the same conversation, even almost 30 years after they started gracing our screens.

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9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Nonstop Laughs
• Top-Notch Animation
• Stellar Voice Acting

Cons

• Still Not For Everyone