Monday, April 27, 2009

Star Trek

I seldom discuss anything not directly related to comics on this blog, but I can't help myself:

I really liked the new Star Trek movie!

Now, I'm not going to say, "IT ROCKED: IT WAS GREAT!" Because then this will devolve into a definition of "good", and some Trek-geek will tell me that it was crap because the directors clearly forgot that Scotty was left-handed or some such nonsense. The film did rock and it was great, but I'm not going to go there. Suffice it to say, I loved it.

The Star Trek mythos is one that, like those of the great comic book heroes (see? you knew I'd find a comic book connection...), is one that developed over several decades. But for all the expansiveness of its storytelling, it remained rooted in one spot for one reason: the original characters were completely linked to the actors who originated the roles. As long as that was the case, Star Trek, while an astonishing franchise, hadn't really become myth. "Jim Kirk" was William Shatner. Now that character (and each of the others) stands apart as an indepedent entity it a way it never has.

And how thick IS Chris Pine's neck? Yeesh, that's hot! Forget, Dorothy; let me surrender.

Kudos to the casting director and the actors; they do excellent work in embodying the characters rather than imitating or parodying them. I would have preferred a much more, hm, "womanly" version of Uhura, but balancing that out, Chekov is simply adorable. I defy you not to love him.

I thought the movie expertly balanced the need to have familiar touchstones for the traditionalist fans as well as appropriate updates for a new audience. In fact, I can imagine that someone who had zero knowledge of any of the Star Trek series would still enjoy this rollicking space opera.

Anyway, I shan't indulge in any spoilers, for there are more than a few surprises the Star Trek film. It certainly has refreshed the franchise for me. Not only will I see this film again, I can't wait to see where the next one leads.

18 comments:

  1. This is the first review I've read...I have been hanging out to see the new movie anyway, and this only makes me more excited! Thanks Scip! :D

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  2. I have not seen it... but I don't like the trailers I've seen.

    I don't watch the original series, but I'm pretty sure it didn't have the actors having fistfights with each other, yelling, explosions, leaping from explosions in slow motion going "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH" while interspersed with gratuitous sex scenes.

    From what I've seen, this is Star Trek: Dawson's Creek. Kirk 90210 where the cast is de-aged into horny, angry teens who wanna get into fistfights and jump into bed every 10 minutes. Star Trek:, young, hip, sexy, To The Max and Extreme!

    I did like the old movies where the cast were 70yrs old. A Sci Fi Grumpy Old Men movie series. It was the concepts, back n' forth banter and IDEAS I liked. I see the trailer for this new movie and... uh, no.

    Again, I don't watch the original series, but I'm pretty sure it was the same back n' forth dialogue and sci fi stories that made it good... not explosions every 5 minutes with Kirk leaping from them in slo motion... after a bloody fistfight and straight into humpy bumpy with uhura.

    May see it. May recant delightfully. You never know.

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  3. "I don't watch the original series, but I'm pretty sure it didn't have the actors having fistfights with each other, yelling, explosions, leaping from explosions in slow motion going "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH" while interspersed with gratuitous sex scenes."

    If you don't think the original series had

    the principles fistfighting each other;
    yelling;
    explosions;
    and gratuitous sex scenes...

    then, yeah, it's pretty obvious you never watched the original series.

    Because ALL of that happened. A lot.

    Really, if you're going to compare B to A, don't you think should AT LEAST be familiar with A?

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  4. Absolutely. Half of the original episodes had Kirk and Spock beating the crap out of each other....

    Thanks for the review, Scipio. I've been a Trek fan for basically as long as I've been alive. I was definitely going to see this, but you'e definitely racheted up my excitement level.

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  5. Glda you liked it, and I anticipating having a great time when I see it! I too wish that the new Uhura could have matched Nichelle's great figure, but at least Zoe's got a nice face for it.

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  6. So how many minutes of screen time did Finnegan get? That's the only question that matters.

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  7. Two questions:

    1. Was it too shiny? I read on io9 that Abrams admitted that he made it too shiny.

    2. Are there any goofy nods to the original ala Kirk's torn shirts or double ax handle punches to the gut? I'd love to see that if it isn't too cheesey.

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  8. I was lucky enough to see a free preview of the movie last week. And I can totally back up all of Scipio's statements about the movie.

    I don't want to spoil the movie for others either, so it's hard to comment on it.

    I'll just say that the movie leaves the STAR TREK franchise in a new position to boldly go where STAR TREK has never gone before!

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  9. Glad to hear it's good. I've been a little dubious because of it's attempt to tie back to "original" continuity via time travel, or whatever. I think I would prefer a cleaner, BSG-style reboot.

    But I'll go see it with an open mind.

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  10. I'd comment on this movie, but....dammit, I'm a doctor, not a film critic!

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  11. I wanted to see this simply for Simon Pegg as Scotty, which I, for some reason, find delightful.

    So I'm glad that it sounds worthwhile.

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  12. My friend Alex Harvey and I still hope that one day we'll finally see a Scot playing a Scott.

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  13. I don't get to see it for another month over here in Japan, so it's good to read that it may be worth the wait. Cuz I agree that the trailers royally suck.

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  14. Scipio, you were too hard on the anonymous commenter you replied to. I'm pretty sure there was no episode in the original series where someone leaped from an explosion in slow motion going "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH." I defy you to name one.

    From what I've seen and read so far, but I don't like this reboot at all. I don't like the new look of the ship and sets and I'm not crazy about the casting decisions. I liked the original series and all the continuity baggage that came with it! I'll go see the new movie, but I don't expect to like it.

    - Anonmyous Commenter #X

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  15. "there was no episode in the original series where someone leaped from an explosion in slow motion going "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH." I defy you to name one."

    Only because Roddenberry couldn't afford it.

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  16. I'm pretty sure there was no episode in the original series where someone leaped from an explosion in slow motion going "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH." I defy you to name one.
    Been years since I've seen it, but it sounds like "Naked Time" to me.

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  17. Okay, I finally saw the movie and I didn't like it. Chris Pine's Kirk was as brash as the original but with none of Shatner's charm. This crude oaf is supposed to be a ladies' man? Please! And I didn't love Chekov either. They turned him into a Wesley Crusher whiz kid with a bad accent.

    - Anonymous Commenter #X

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  18. The new Star Treck proves yet again why Spock is an ideal officer in Star Fleet -- nothing ever surprises him or catches him off guard

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