Star Trek review
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Star Trek
Paramount.
PG 13 126 min
Gang, I’ll always let you know if I’m unfamiliar with the origins of stories that become films, so trust me when I say that I am a huge STAR TREK fan.
I well remember the pilgrimage to see the very first film version and being sorely disappointed by a plot that centered around outsider Stephen Collins and V Ger.
Of course as the film series continued and the producers realized we only cared about the original characters the saga got a lot better.
To the producers credit, when the original stars got too old busy rich or dead to go on THE NEXT GENERATION wisely invented new characters to man the legendary Enterprise.
Still, though each has good qualities, not captains Stewart, Brooks, Mulgrew nor Bakula are on par with James Tiberius Kirk.
So just the idea of new kids playing the original crew in a prequel had me on edge with visions of BUTCH AND SUNDANCE: THE EARLY YEARS running through my mind, but friends, STAR TREK could easily be the best film I’ve seen in years. I’m not kidding.
It grabs hold and never lets go for the whole 126 minutes. There are no unnecessary explosions, no ridiculous plot turns and no out of character actions that make you slap your head and say “AAARRRGGHH! He’d never do THAT!!”
In the beginning scene Captain George Kirk sacrifices his own life battle in order to save the lives of his crew and passengers, two of which are his wife and unborn son. Before he crashed into the rogue Romulan warship he speaks with his wife, now safely aboard the shuttle, and they name the boy James Tiberius after their two fathers.
Young Jim (Chris Pine) grows up a rebellious daredevil around the cornfields of Iowa and eventually finds himself a reluctant Star Fleet recruit.
Across the universe on a hot red planet another rebellious youngster, Spock (Zachary Quinto) is battling to control his human half. A lifetime of fighting those who brand him unworthy of the cold but logical Vulcan ways ironically comes to a head as he rejects the honor of the Science Academy for a career in Star Fleet.
The two rookies take an immediate dislike to each other and that’s the thread that will wind through their first mission to battle the very Romulan renegade (Eric Bana) who led Kirk’s father to his death.
As the tale rolls along each of the crewmembers merge into their well-known roles on board. Karl Urban as Bones could almost be DeForest Kelly’s son and Simon Pegg as Scotty steals any scene he’s in. Jimmy Doohan would be proud.
One would have to nit pick to find fault with any of the characterizations and I brushed off any tiny oddity with not so much as a raised eyebrow.
Not even a puzzling turn or two in the script bothered me enough to gripe. Alternate universe? Time warp? Ahh why not? Anyway we can discuss those later rather than blow the whole plot right now.
Hey folks, it’s science fiction, right?
Gene Roddenberry once said “Good science fiction must first be good fiction.” and he’s right. This is great on both levels.
I loved every minute of this, but I’ll admit I give it an extra half letter grade just because I love the series and this film represents the origins very well.
I don’t give out many of these.
A+
WSS
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A
I loved everything about this movie.
The special effects were great, the acting was great, the script was fantastic and balanced humor and seriousness rather well.
Best Star Trek movie in ages.
And I hope this "reboot" goes on to produce another couple of movies of this quality.
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"A"
Great Review Steve!
I enjoyed it and have even thought about going back to watch it again on the big screen. Yes, I could have nit picked here & there but it was FUN and HOPEFULLY brings the Trek franchise back to life for a long time.
I remember, when I was in the Navy stationed at Norfolk Virginia, waiting in a long line that wrapped around a 5000 seat classic theater to watch "Star Trek - The Motion Picture". I was glad to see the Star Trek movie then but I remember it was boring and was basically a remake of the TV episode "Nomad" (I thought of at the time).
Then the all time acclaimed movie "Star Trek II - The Wrath of Kahn" came out, and another long line around the theater, which was a follow-up/sequel to the TV episode the "Space Seed" where Spock died. Great movie for Trek fans.
Since then though, having the aging existing cast, whom I've loved (whomever is left) and having the original cast members directing many of the subsequent movies, left some of the following movies a little stale. I like having a "Big Time" director doing "his thing" and restarting Star Trek's life.
Live Long and Prosper Star Trek!
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PLOT DISCLOSURE WARNING. IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE AND DO NOT WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE YOU SEE IT, DO NOT READ.
Steve,
Finally got to see it the other day. I do think the casting was very good, especially Quinto (Sylar for Heroes fans) who was the spitting image of Nimoy's Spock. The only one that put me off a little was Chekov, only because I felt the body type of the guy was totally off of the original. I was looking for that Beatle like haircut in a stockily built person the original character had. This kid was skinnier with curly hair and seemed too young.
I didn't even realize that was Winona Ryder playing Spock's mother.
A few plot devices made me raise my (Vulcan?) eyebrow: Spock and Uhura getting conjugal?
Kirk was essentially a complete reckless juvenile delinquent?
And more amazing was that they never found a way in this plot to go back in time and "fix" matters!
Vulcan is destroyed at the very outset of Kirk and Spock's career? And Romulus before that? That literally negates the plot lines of the entire original series. Spock's mother is killed? Vulcans become an endangered species?
No Tribbles!
Yes, I guess this was not your father's Star Trek.
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Oh I hear ya Gipper.
I gave most of those things a pass when they pulled out the old "alternate universe trick."
Kinda like red Kryptonite.
Hey Nimoy signed up ya GOTTA use him.
Tjhe Uhura Spock bit was not a problem.
She was, after all, all over him and not vice versa.
And while the Chekov look was odd the accent was spot on.
(no "it's a Russian invention" bit??)
WSS
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I saw it yesterday and thought it was total fun. I forgave the various changes in history because a) it opens the door for a totally new set of adventures for the new crew and
hey, why can't they go back in time later and fix everything? It IS fiction, after all.When I watched the credits I thought, "Winona Ryder was in this movie???" I missed that completely.
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I saw it yesterday and thought it was total fun. I forgave the various changes in history because a) it opens the door for a totally new set of adventures for the new crew and
hey, why can't they go back in time later and fix everything? It IS fiction, after all.When I watched the credits I thought, "Winona Ryder was in this movie???" I missed that completely.
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