MTV’s best ‘90s duo is back, with Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe, a new movie more than a quarter-century since they “did” America. That’s welcome news for those who grew up chuckling along with Beavis and Butt-Head's lowbrow humor. Despite a quick revival in 2011, today’s audiences might not be as familiar with the sophomoric duo — unless they’ve happened to catch some episodes on MTV Classic — but Mike Judge is ready to introduce a introduce Beavis and Butt-Head to a new generation (of Paramount+ subscribers).
Its trailer dubs Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe as “the dumbest science fiction movie ever made,” and while that seems self-deprecating or at least self-aware, in the case of this titular pair (huh-huh), dumb was never a bad thing. But let’s let the critics be the judges of that. The reviews are in, so let’s take a look at what they’re saying about the movie, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe. Our own Eric Eisenberg rates the movie 4 out of 5 stars, saying it's very, very stupid, but the double-entendres and immature humor are as funny as ever for its intended audience:
Those who have never cared for Beavis and Butt-Head will still find no joy in Beavis and Butt-Head Do The Universe, and I have no idea if it will speak at all to newer generations – but it can be said with absolute certainty that the movie is a gift to Gen X and Millennial fans, and it should be cherished for the genuine idiocy that it is.
Danielle Ryan of SlashFilm rates the movie 8 out of 10, also saying it's unknown if Beavis and Butt-Head can win over any new fans, but those who have always enjoyed Cornholio and giggling at the double entendres will have a blast. This critic says the plot retreads some of the same ground as the previous movie, but it's still as genius as it is stupid.
It's been 26 years, but Judge hasn't missed a beat. The movie pokes fun at the ridiculousness of our modern world without ever making overt political statements or heavily referencing pop culture, making it a refreshing little escape from our own real-world stupidity. The boys even discover that they've spawned a multiverse, complete with 'Smart Beavis' and 'Smart Butt-Head,' but the joke doesn't overstay its welcome and Judge doesn't use it as an excuse to make a bunch of gags about multiverses in media.
Daniel Fienberg of THR says Beavis and Butt-Head still come off as funny and pathetic (in a good way), but he questions how deeply we really want to explore how the pair would act in the modern world. Either way, Mike Judge and the rest have done well by using their travels to make an actual movie and not a bloated episode of television:
Like 1996’s Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe actually feels designed for a feature-length running time, rather than a padded 22-minute TV episode. The plot, in which Beavis and Butt-Head’s desire to get laid leads them on a journey across space, time and Texas, is full of complications and sufficiently justifiable narrative detours, including a university and a prison. Although there isn’t some gigantic leap forward in the quality of the animation, there are actual set pieces, like an extended climactic car chase, and no shortage of wonderfully silly musical montages.
Owen Gleiberman of Variety says this is the sequel that nobody was asking for, but Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe is still snarky and likeable enough to get by:
Good cartoon characters tend to be ageless, and Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe is just clever enough not to feel like an anachronism. The duo’s creator and forever naughty guiding light, Mike Judge, flows the characters into the present day without a hitch in style or a stitch in time. Without ever quite saying it, he’s making them the butt of a joke-fantasy for the superhero age. Back in the day, though, it sometimes seemed as if Beavis and Butt-Head were the future — of what it can look like when youth culture totally cuts itself off from reality. At the time, there was a how-low-can-they-go comic danger to all that. Now they’re just one exhibit among many in our mad race to the bottom.
Kate Erbland of IndieWire grades the movie a B-, saying that Top Gun: Maverick is the summer's clear winner at pleasing a nostalgic fanbase, but Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe might be a lock for second place.
Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe doesn’t fully capitalize on a wealth of possible plots, send-ups, and diversions, but it makes a case for the dynamically dumb duo to return for still more inane wackiness (hehehehe, 'wack'). Certain things don’t go out of fashion, and that includes dim BFFs with a panache for finding themselves at the nexus of crucial events in human history. We’ve missed you two, come back soon.
It sounds like Mike Judge is bringing the nostalgia in all the right ways, even if (especially if?) it's all still very dumb. If you want to see the infamous duo try to navigate life in the 21st century, you’ll be able to do it much like we did it back in the ‘90s — on your screens at home. Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe will be available for streaming exclusively on Paramount+ on Thursday, June 23. Be sure to check out some of the other best movies on Paramount+, as well as our 2022 Movie Release Schedule to see what other films are coming to theaters soon.
