Is STAR TREK the Best Summer Movie of 2009?

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.

Film Review: THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (2008)

As a remake THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (2008) is one of the few films that I was looking forward to due to the fact that I’ve never seen the original one therefore there would be nothing in the way preventing me from enjoying the re-imagined one for the new age and a different audience. Now I like a good sci-fi film as much as the next person but even with all the amazing special FX on display in this film it’s a shame that the film is just mediocre in the long run.

The film is the story on an alien by the name Klaatu (Keanu Reeves) who comes to Earth in the form of a human being in order to help the humans change their damaging ways before the Earth is doomed. He finds help in scientist Helen Jackson (Jennifer Connnelly) who believes that she can help Klaatu with his mission. When she discovers that it is Klaatu’s mission to save the Earth from the humans she sets upon a mission to change Klaatu’s mind before the Earth is destroyed.

The film is very light on action until the big finale at the end and it plays more as a film on a journey/road trip from one place to the next sort of like STARMAN or CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, both of which were slow burning sci-fi dramas. This film comes off as a late Summer/early Fall release rather than a Winter blockbuster release therefore my expectations were not met. It’s also a film seem to meander through the plot going nowhere fast. There are some eye-catching moments especially at the end of the film when the alien protector GORT disassembles into millions of alien bugs that devour everything in its path.

Written by David Scarpa (based upon the original 1951 screenplay by Edmund H. North) THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL is made relevant to our times in regards to our constant disregard for the planet that we live on. Maybe with a more inspired director (which was directed by Scott Derickson) the film could have been better then it is otherwise it just comes off as just another easily forgettable big-budget blockbuster that falls flat.