Phasers on Stun, Star Trek is BACK!

Ed Note: Spoilers

If you're a Trekkie, and I mean a REAL HARD CORE Trekkie; well, you're going to have a problem with the first third of Star Trek. Maybe.

Then again, maybe you'll LOVE this movie. Yep, I think so.

Last night Paramount Pictures hosted the sneak preview event for the J.J. Abrams-directed prequel at the Navy Pier IMAX, and I have to admit it. I'm hooked. I should back up, though, because you want to know about the movie, right?

(SPOILER: RED ALERT! RED ALERT! DON'T READ BELOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!)

Well you decided to keep reading, so its not my fault if you get mad for knowing stuff that you didn't want to know.

First and foremost, we now know that Romulans aren't necessarily evil by nature, they got screwed over. This is a fundamental idea that I wasn't clear about before, but then again, unlike my partner, Tim, I had never seen the other movies and only partially watched the original series. Anyway, now a renegade Romulan named Nero (Eric Bana) is really pissed off at Spock (Zachary Quinto / Leonard Nimoy), so much that he waits 25 years just so that Spock can know the same pain that he does.

This story angle of loss-driven-revenge is a quality foundation Abrams uses to build layers of connections between the prequel and the TV series and previous movies in the Star Trek franchise throughout the movie. A key difference here, though, is that he accomplishes it in a way that addresses a criticism of other prequels like those in the Star Wars franchise. Rather than just create scenes without context, Abrams uses his skills as a story-weaver to comprehensively address so many questions that pop up for the serious viewer, that folks actually are satisfied with the suspension of disbelief experienced along the way. The result is a very well-written and produced movie that also takes the summer blockbuster to a whole new level.

Both casting and production elements (visuals, sound, effects) truly take on a scale that befits the pic's universal scope and goalpost-moving purpose. There is a sense of feeling like you are suspended in space, on the deck of the Enterprise, and the Romulan vessel as envisioned by Bad Robot's (Abrams' production firm) army of cinema artists and sound gurus. Indeed, in radio interviews earlier in the week, Abrams has said that he thought carefully about wanting to make this movie for all movie goers, not just for Trekkies. In my opinion he succeeded.

Casting Chris Pine as the swashbuckling Kirk was a master stroke. Not only does he carry the movie well, he actually embodies a more than a bit of the 'ol Shatner / Ford / Connery leading man, sex symbol qualities that carries each of them still today. The ensemble casting in tandem, though, especially the way Quinto literally became Spock (so much that he and Nimoy seemed to be a believable same persona), was so effective with each actor assuming their characters so completely...well, it blew my mind.

Anton Yelchin as Chekov, Jon Cho as Sulu, and Zoe Saldana as Uhura were superb; although I would have liked more character development behind them, as well as their individual roles in achieving assignments to the newly-minted Enterprise in the first place. I also was disappointed that more time was devoted to the friendship between Bones (Karl Urban) and Kirk beyond a simple setup scene.

All in all, I felt that the acting was very believable, but I know there will always be people who can't accept the new actors in the old roles. Get over it. If you're hanging on to the old folks in the old roles, you might want to remember...only one of them was able to appear in this massive pic, and that's because he IS one of the two leads in the original franchise. Nimoy still has it, and the magic when he appeared brought the instant screen cred that should shut all the purists' arguments down. Star Trek earns its bars, and by the end of the picture, he insures that the torch is properly awarded to the new cast in a very dramatic and fitting way.

4 1/2 stars out of 5 in my book. Go see it, and "Live Long and Prosper!"

(Thanks to WGN-TV9 Chicago / Paramount Pictures for the tix to the Sneak Preview.)

Comments

[rextrek]

AS a Major Trek fan....of all the movies and series....­I give this new movie 10 out of 10........ granted I prefer the 24th century technology­....but it was terrific..­.was not bored 1 iota! I have a StarTrek room at home. A Comm Badge tatttoo on my chest ..my licence plate is REXTREK,,,,and a Starfleet Academy sign in my back window of my 2008 Toyota Yaris Htchbk silver (shuttlecraft) looking car.

[damienv5]

I'm a lifelong Trekkie and fondly remember going to the the very first movie in theaters and almost all of the subsequent ones, excluding Nemesis.

I have almost nothing negative to say about the flick and what little I could say is just the purist in me dying a little and crying out in protest. This film can truly give Wrath of Khan a run for its money for best Trek film, a feat that none of the other films could ever really aspire to.

My hightlights were McCoy and the scene with the two Spocks, but the truly awe inspiring moment was the smile on my wife's face when it was over. She's a Trekkie now too at long last and I'm eternally grateful :)

[BlackJAC]

So sad what Scotty did to Porthos' successor, even if it was an accident.

[Montag2009]

I've been a Trekie all my life, and an amature writer mosts of my life. I've written everything from greeting cards to screenplays, but this film is the first thing in my life which has inspired me to write a film review.
Here it is: http://evolvedcolonies.blogspot.com/2009/05/star-trek.html

[LLNYRN]

If there's not enough praised heaped on this film already,

Props should also go to Bruce Greenwood.
I've loved this Dude since 'NOWHERE MAN", "THE SWEET HEREAFTER" and "THIRTEEN DAYS".
Very solid, underrated actor.
Did a great job as Captain Pike.

[FreedomAgain]

I thought it was a great movie and will usher in years of more Star Trek. They did a really good job. Now another generation can enjoy the dream of space exploration and adventures of Star Trek. I never much cared for the "Next Generation" Star Trek, but I did like this movie. The movie seemed to me like it was only a few minutes long because I was so into it. However, seeing the old actors and actresses replaced was kind of sad in a way. Now that the original Star Trek crew is older it reminds me that I'm getting older too. I've always enjoyed watching Leonard Nimoy, even in the "In Search Of" narration. Time for a mid-life crisis.

[cielGlitter]

Quintos is such a great actor and so much sexier than in the original series.
HAve you seen Star Trek Bloopers?
http://hahaha-havealaugh.blogspot.com/

[pdxsean]

I never cared for Star Trek in the past. I'd watch TNG if someone else was watching it, but otherwise it wasn't my thing.

I loved this new Star Trek movie, however, because first and foremost it is a modern, action sci-fi movie. Then, underneath, it's a Star Trek movie. The familiar themes of the original Trek made it easy to slip into, but the quickly severed backstory made it feel like it was my own, instead of the Star Trek my grandpa would have watched with my dad.

I completely agree with your assessment of the way Abrams masterfully tied up plot holes and brought everything neatly into place. While there was the usual actiony "yeah right" moments (two people shooting it out with a dozen, one small spaceship against the battleship) the rest of the story was so well-done that it was easy to let those go.

I gave it 4/5 but I am in general agreement, and look forward to a sequel.

[AnotherunhappyDemocrat]

I'm an old Star Trek fan. Indeed the reason that I didn't see TOS the first time around, is that I am not that old. I did see all the other series during their first runs.

I enjoyed this film, mainly because it was well made. And I have no gripes about the breaks in Trek continuity, especially since I feel that if you suspend disbelief - which is the whole point in Science Fiction - Abrams pulled off his reboot in a plausible way. And I am most grateful that Abrams has successfully injected new life into a dying franchise. Not only was this the first Trek film since 2002, but also there has been no TV Trek since 2005. If this film had flopped, we'd likely see no new Trek until 2020 at the earliest. Instead we get a sequel in two years, and who knows what television might follow.

Yeah Abrams!

[scottsbigmouth]

Well I knew there would be a spirited debate when I wrote this last Thursday night. I'm so pleased that so many of you have expressed your opinions. I asked a few friends of mine to give me their opinions too, and I am HOPING they will leave them here too. It means a lot that people take the time to share their thoughts about fun stuff on here, and it was the reason I decided to post the review here as well as on my site.

Thanks you guys! Love it or hate it, you've made my day by taking the time.

SF
--
Scott Foval
www.scottsbigmouth.com
www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-foval
foval.comal.com Email/IM

[provgrays]

It was very entertaining, though I don't get how old Spock and young Spoke could be talking to each other. I know. It's science fiction.

The new Uhura isn't half as sexy as Nichelle Nichols was. The new Scotty was positively giddy and Chekov's Russian accent was over the top.

Great action and it was true to the spirit of the original series.

[AnotherunhappyDemocrat]

Well-made film and a plausible reboot of a franchise that was near death. And to be honest, I was most impressed with Karl Urban's portrayal of McCoy; at times he seemed to bring McCoy back from the great beyond. I hate to admit this, being a Star Trek purist (well sort of), but this was one of the better Star Trek films I've ever seen.

[magneato]

Agreed.

[peterg76]

Someone has to say it.

Worst Star Trek movie ever!

I lost count of the recycled plots, clichés, ridiculous plot contrivances and outright stupidity.

[AnotherunhappyDemocrat]

If you honestly think this is the worst Trek film ever, then you need to watch some of the others more carefully. This film was much better than The Final Frontier, Generations, Insurrection and Nemesis.

[peterg76]

Funny, "Nemesis" was some of the material they shamelessly recycled.

[provgrays]

peter,

You are entitled to your criticism. In tne meantime, the studio will be counting its profits while preparing for at least two more sequels.