Star Trek Review [3]

Posted by Shawn S. Lealos on 05.12.2009

Does J.J. Abrams go boldly where no man has gone before or is the new Star Trek just another rehash?

Directed by J.J. Abrams
Written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman based on the characters by Gene Roddenberry

Cast
Chris Pine ... James T. Kirk
Zachary Qunito ... Spock
Leonard Nimoy ... Ambassador Spock
Eric Bana ... Nero
Bruce Greenwood ... Capt. Christopher Pike
Karl Urban ... Dr. Bones McCoy
Zoe Saldana ... Uhura
Simon Pegg ... Scotty
John Cho ... Sulu
Anton Yelchin ... Chekov
Winona Ryder ... Amanda Grayson
Chris Hemsworth ... George Kirk
Jennifer Morrison ... Winona Kirk
Rachel Nichols ... Gaila



I’m a Star Wars guy.

When talking about a variety of franchises, people often label themselves on a specific side of the fence. Superman or Batman? Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th? Star Trek or Star Wars?

I have never been a big fan of Star Trek. I enjoy the original television show for what it is - cheesy, goofy sci-fi. I think I enjoyed The Next Generation more than most people but didn’t care about any of the other televised spinoffs. Out of the ten movies, I only really like Wrath of Kahn. I went into J.J. Abram’s Star Trek reboot as a non-fan. When I came out of the movie, I believed Abrams made the movie that will unite all fans.

The biggest problem I had with the original Star Trek is the tech babble that most Trekkies live for. There are classes teaching the Klingon language for God’s sake. A fake language... Abrams began his reinvention of the franchise by eliminated some of the technical talk and then amped up the space opera that Star Wars fans love. There is a scene in the movie where James Kirk is left on an icy planet and the first thing I thought of was Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back. I imagined how funny it would be if some primitive creature were to attack him. Sure enough, it happened and I believed I was watching a Star Wars movie at that point.

It also should be noted that Chris Pine, the actor playing the young James Kirk, based part of his character’s personality on Han Solo. The relationship between Kirk and Spock (Zachary Quinto) is very similar to the one that developed between Luke Skywalker and Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy. This may sound like Abrams morphed Star Trek into its rival franchise, but there is just as much love for the original Star Trek fans included as well. With all the geek references, from Kirk’s commanding officer named Christopher Pike to the nuances and familiar quotes of various crew members, Star Trek fans have much familiar territory to admire as well.

This is a film that unites all fans for one giant, roller coaster ride of a movie.

For the second weekend in a row Hollywood is giving us an origin story of a familiar group of characters. Unlike Wolverine, which seemed to stumble as much as it enthused, Star Trek left me sitting with a giant smile on my face throughout the entire film. In the opening we meet Kirk’s father George who finds himself captain of the USS Kelvin after the ship’s captain is murdered by a crazed Romulun named Nero. George understands that every passenger on his ship will die unless he makes a difficult choice and sacrifices his own life to save everyone on board, including his pregnant wife (Jennifer Morrison of TV’s House, M.D.).

This very emotional opening sets the table for the coming-of-age story of James Kirk and Spock as the two future friends’ lives intersect as they enter Starfleet Academy. The two actors are solid in their portrayals of the iconic heroes. Pine starts off a bit shaky as an arrogant, disrespectful Kirk but by the end of the movie he is as much James T. Kirk as William Shatner is. Quinto mimics the attitude and mannerism of his predecessor more than Pine did, but adds touches of his own to the character showing the conflict in the split personality of the Vulcan/Human half breed. I find it strange to see Spock show the emotions he displays (and even stranger to see him kissing a woman), but it makes sense as he is still growing into the man he will become.

This movie was going to live and die by its eclectic cast. Thankfully, everyone brought their A-game. Karl Urban (Doom), a perennial B-level movie action star, is perfect as the temperamental Dr. Bones McCoy. He lends the character a sharp sense of humor and the loyalty that fans of the original series will recognize instantly. Two stars that surprised me when they were cast were comic actors John Cho and Simon Pegg. Cho brings his own take on the personality and attitude of Sulu and creates a character that is fun and exciting to watch. Simon Pegg is the highlight of the movie in his small role as Scotty. He is more crazy and energetic than James Doohan ever portrayed him in the original, but that can be forgiven because this is Pegg’s greatest performance outside of an Edgar Wright film. I would be remiss not to mention the great performance of Anton Yelchin (Charlie Bartlett) as Chekov. Chekov was one of the more forgettable members of the original crew but Yelchin brings an enthusiasm that makes sure you won’t forget him here.

The story involves the Romulun Nero (an unrecognizable Eric Bana) seeking vengeance on wrongs he believes was committed on him by the Starfleet and Spock specifically. The best villains are the ones who believe they are in the right and Nero has every reason to be angry at what happened to his home world. However, as with the best villains, he takes his revenge one step too far and his deeds become worse than any wrongs committed against him. There is also a great moment in the film where Leonard Nimoy makes his appearance as an elder Ambassador Spock. It is a great nod to fans of the original as the entire history of the franchise is treated with the utmost respect.

The music score is bombastic and adds to the heart pounding action. Abrams has come a long way since Mission Impossible III. The man who helped make television great again has finally made his first great movie. While the script is full of time travel anomalies and plot contrivances, the film moves at a crisp pace, the action holds up very well, the comedy is sharp, and the experience is a loud, energetic enjoyable movie. The CGI is spectacular and the movie does what Wolverine couldn’t do - take a predictable story with problems in the script and make it work as a fantastic summer blockbuster.

When the movie reaches its conclusion, you really want to see what happens next. It is a strange thing to see an origin story, a reboot of sorts, and when it is finished have no idea where they could go next. While some movies throw in clichés and copouts to make sure the movie ends in tidy order, Abrams makes sure you know his story could indeed be the start of something new. Forget everything you know from before because by the time this movie is over the crew of the Starship Enterprise will be completely fresh and new and nothing will ever be the same again.

The biggest success of Star Trek is in presenting a tired old idea in a completely new way. This movie is filled to the brim with love and respect to the source material and old fans will smile every time a character falls back on an old catch phrase. But the movie will also enthrall new fans, both ones unfamiliar with the classic show and those, such as myself, who always considered themselves a “Star Wars guy.” Young or old, Star Wars or Star Trek, everyone should find something in this movie to like.

The 411: J.J. Abrams has finally made his successful leap from TV to film. In his sophomore effort he has tackled a franchise that could have killed a lesser man and came out with the greatest Star Trek movie of all time. The cast is spectacular, from Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto to Simon Pegg and Anton Yelchin. Even Tyler Perry is inoffensive in his small role. The direction keeps the movie moving at a brisk pace and the score keeps your heart pounding at every beat. As a “Star Wars guy” I came into the movie simply curious at how they would deal with the origin story. I left the theater a fan. Star Trek is the first great movie of the summer and set the bar in a summer full of blockbuster sequels.

Final Score:  8.5   [ Very Good ]