GregHowley.com

Star Trek

May 11, 2009 - -

Linda and I saw the new Star Trek movie over the weekend. As a Mother's Day gift, I'll admit that it ranks right up there with Homer giving Marge a bowling ball for her birthday, but in my defense, Linda did seem to enjoy the movie to the point where she's now wishing that there was a weekly Star Trek series with these characters and actors.

Overall, I really enjoyed the movie. I never was as big a fan of the original series as I was of Next Generation, and I don't think Linda's been as big a fan of any TV show as she was of Next Generation, but we liked it. As an aside, Lia has inherited Linda's Star Trek miniatures, and every night before she goes to bed, she's got to kiss and hug "Card", (Jean-Luc Picard) "Twoy", (Deanna Troi) and "Keeno". (The Klingon)

Let's first talk about the casting. I thought it was pretty well done. The least impressively cast role was probably that of Kirk. The guy (Chris something?) did just fine. Nothing too impressive though. I'd have liked to see at least one tidbit of the Shatner erratic pausing voice mannerism, but it was fine. I'm a fan of Zachary Quinto, although I stopped watching Heroes after season two. He looks amazingly similar to a young Leonard Nimoy, and he pulls off the role of Spock quite well.

The guy who played Leonard McCoy was simply awesome. My favorite character in the whole movie. He's irrevrant, emotional, and just generally pissed off about stuff. When he was talking, I was generally smiling.

The late-movie intro of Simon Pegg as Scotty was pretty good, and the trans-warp talk was a good bit of geekery that I'm sure those who follow Star Trek tech ate up like candy. I do really enjoy Simon Pegg - loved Sean of the Dead, and Hot Fuzz has grown on me. He makes a pretty good Scotty, although he might be better with a bit more hair.

The guy who played Chekov did the voice brilliantly. Minor character, so not much else to say there.

The Sulu was also pretty good. I got a chuckle when they revealed that his advanced combat training was fencing, thinking back to the famous episode with a topless George Takei toting around a foil. When he actually used the sword, they did go a bit over-the-top with the aerial sword attacks. Too much west side story.

I really enjoyed the tidbits that were included for fans of the original series, although I'm sure I must have missed some of them. And they really worked in quite a lot of comedy and did it well.

The last thing I want to talk about is a bit of a spoiler, so I'll preface it with this spoiler warning.

Although I know that some have complained about the time travel/alternate timeline plot, I thought it was a stroke of genius. It creates an entirely new setting with an unknown future, and leaves us with the same characters, albeit different actors.

Comments on Star Trek
 
Comment Mon, May 11 - 3:04 PM by Frank
The guy that plays McCoy is Karl Urban, also Eomer of Lord of the Rings fame. I think he's a pretty darn good actor.
 
Comment Tue, May 12 - 1:06 AM by pmd
They're off to a good start but I think we need another movie or two before we start seeing real synergy between the actors like we did in the TV shows. I don't know who was responsible, perhaps Roddenberry... but the actors fit/performed together so well and they made it look easy. I'm thinking of the TOS and TNG casts specifically. I don't know if it was talent, casting, or what it was, but it just worked. As bad as Star Trek V was, there's still little gems like the "Row Row Row your Boat" scene where they managed to entertain in spite of the writing. DeForest Kelley's delivery of, "God, I liked him better before he died!" still amuses me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1rnIjFspc8



 
Comment Fri, May 15 - 6:43 PM by Osama
EXCELLENT review! I think we pretty much liked the movie for all the same reasons! SPOT ON!
 
Comment Wed, May 20 - 6:22 AM by mike
Been threatening to go for ages now. You-all have convinced me.
 
Comment Mon, May 25 - 2:16 AM by Trekie Review
I always considered myself a trekie long before the days I had meet any of you. I felt cheated when I watched this version.

It had nothing to do with the actors, they did an outstanding performance.

The Plot was simple and weak in its delivery: Very anti climatic from the middle of the movie.

The plot was Revenge...Wrath of Khan style. Yet the delivery of the villian with the capability of a WMD. That coud creat a black hole was ridiculas. Even though it was Spock who had delivered it to him accidently in the first place....not logical. If one drop was good enough to implode an intire planet. Why would Spock be carring enough Red matter to destroy an entire solar system. He would not.

The child hood scenes of kirk and the car could have been deleted and replaced with a rebellish adolecent years with simular outcomes.( too long of a history lesson)

Spocks life: as conflicting as it was as a child, was very informative in the make up of his being. But this is nothing new since the old series with his return to vulcan and meeting his mother and father in the old series was informative. The only thing that changed was the lost of his beloved mother.


I would give this movie a 3 out of 5 stars. But will give Hollywood another chance as well as a posibilty of a new series with these actors a chance to redeem the alternitive plot line with an alternitive universe..I believe there is going to be some form of series remake. Which I would probably be drawn into watching.

Live long and Prosper.
Vulcan Movie Report.