I’m not a “Trekkie” and I’ve only seen a handful of the various television series (I’ve not even seen that many of the original Star Trek series) but I’ve seen all the films and am very familiar with the characters through the movies. Being a little bit fed up with the whole remake/reboot and sequel mentality of Hollywood’s current brain-trust, I was not interested in this new Star Trek film. In fact, the only reason why I even bothered to go see it was because J.J. Abrams was directing and Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman were writing and these are the people behind the exceptional television shows Alias, Lost, and now Fringe. The movie had such great talent behind it that I couldn’t pass it up even if I wanted to. I’m so glad I didn’t as Star Trek has thus far been the best film of the summer season.
Prequels, in my opinion, rarely work and can destroy a franchise by claiming to go back to the beginning to explain how certain characters became who they are. Star Trek is no different as it takes our familiar crew of the Starship Enterprise back to the days of Starfleet Academy where many of them first met. Having learned most of this info from the original television and the films you’d think that there would be no where for the new film to go but Abrams and crew have crafted a familiar story that’s retold through a past that is changed when Romulans from the future journey back in time to change the past and thus their own future.
Now the whole time traveling thing has been done numerous times in the television show not to mention several of the big screen movies, so, using the same device in the new film felt a little like cheating at first but Orci and Kurtzman decide not to dwell on this device too long but instead focuses on its effect on the past (the present of the film).
I could go into more details about the plot but frankly its better if you watch it yourself as Star Trek is the best of all the Star Trek films thus far produced as it is not only a great sci-fi film but a great dramatic film as well with the peppered humor of Abrams Alias and Felicity through in for good measure. The other thing is that audiences of all ages and people who don’t even like sci-fi will enjoy this film. This cannot be said for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, which is now the second best film in the franchise (this film is liked by Trekkies the most). Before this new film general audiences only connected with the Erath friendly Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (which also relied on time travel) but this film has dated the most over the years of all the films.
Abrams cast is point on perfect at the iconic original crew of the Enterprise and all the characters get their moment to shine in this film (whereas in the later films the supporting characters became mere background characters at times). Abrams and crew should be commended in changing my views on remakes/reboots because up until this film I was willing to give up all hope on a summer with an actual good film.
Prequels, in my opinion, rarely work and can destroy a franchise by claiming to go back to the beginning to explain how certain characters became who they are. Star Trek is no different as it takes our familiar crew of the Starship Enterprise back to the days of Starfleet Academy where many of them first met. Having learned most of this info from the original television and the films you’d think that there would be no where for the new film to go but Abrams and crew have crafted a familiar story that’s retold through a past that is changed when Romulans from the future journey back in time to change the past and thus their own future.
Now the whole time traveling thing has been done numerous times in the television show not to mention several of the big screen movies, so, using the same device in the new film felt a little like cheating at first but Orci and Kurtzman decide not to dwell on this device too long but instead focuses on its effect on the past (the present of the film).
I could go into more details about the plot but frankly its better if you watch it yourself as Star Trek is the best of all the Star Trek films thus far produced as it is not only a great sci-fi film but a great dramatic film as well with the peppered humor of Abrams Alias and Felicity through in for good measure. The other thing is that audiences of all ages and people who don’t even like sci-fi will enjoy this film. This cannot be said for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, which is now the second best film in the franchise (this film is liked by Trekkies the most). Before this new film general audiences only connected with the Erath friendly Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (which also relied on time travel) but this film has dated the most over the years of all the films.
Abrams cast is point on perfect at the iconic original crew of the Enterprise and all the characters get their moment to shine in this film (whereas in the later films the supporting characters became mere background characters at times). Abrams and crew should be commended in changing my views on remakes/reboots because up until this film I was willing to give up all hope on a summer with an actual good film.
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