What if a distant civilization, threatened by an evil empire, received TV transmissions from Earth that carried old Star Trek episodes, and instead of interpreting them as entertainment, they thought they were historical documents, that Captain Kirk, Spock, Sulu, and Scotty were real warriors, the best in the universe?

Why, theyd try to get these battlers to come to their rescue, wouldnt they?

This is the premise of Galaxy Quest, the 1999 movie starring Tim Allen as the Kirk-alike.

Make no mistake, this is a comedy; but it is a comedy with a lot of heart, and it is something that the martial artist can definitely relate to.

Imagine this scenario. Youve been a student of the martial arts for years and your neighbors have occasionally seen you come and go in part of your uniform. (Following dojo rules, you never wear your belt on the street!)

One evening, while youre watching a video, your neighbor bangs on your door and tells you her ex-husband is on the way over to kill her, and well, she knows you know how to handle yourself, so please protect her!

No, hold it a second, you want to reply, I study martial arts, sure, but this is REAL; I mean he could kill BOTH OF US!

And youre just about ready to cop out, when you see her fear is real, and its crunch time.

You need to step up, and fast.

Or, turn her out, plug up your ears, and try to get back to life as usual, though that uniform and your training will never feel the same.

Comedy aside, can you count on yourself to step-up?

This is the question EVERY character in Galaxy Quest must answer, and frankly, some of the replies are hilarious. Sam Rockwell, as Guy, the crewman so insignificant that the TV writers dispensed with his last name, that Guy, is hilarious and not to be missed.

Sigourney Weaver does a fun turn while trying to hide her crush on Tim Allen.

Alan Rickman, not generally known as a comedic actor, is incredibly funny as the Spock-type, but instead of pointy ears, his head looks a little like the Florida Marlins logo.

This movie has it all, and youll undoubtedly get a kick out of it, while its deeper message might provide you with a kick in the pants, if youre a martial artist