I begin today’s piece with a confession, folks. When I first heard there was going to be a Star Trek movie, rather, ANOTHER Star Trek movie, I cringed. And then I got angry–how desperate was Hollywood that they would drag the carcass of Star Trek, a series whose quality had been steadily plummeting for years with the lone exception of Star Trek: First Contact, and only because it was so Borg-heavy that you couldn’t help but pay attention. That and Patrick Stewart is sixteen levels of awesome. But I digress.
Young Kirk? I muttered derisively. Young Spock? How desperate is THIS?
And then I saw it.
Well, savor the flavor, folks, because I’m about to admit I was WRONG. This movie was just plain fantastic.
The plot is, basically, what it says on the box–it’s Star Trek. Specifically, a strange sort of prequel / alternate history featuring the Star Trek cast before they were the Star Trek cast. This time, they’re taking the original Enterprise out on a grand tour to destroy an enemy that’s far more fearsome than anything they’ve taken on yet. This isn’t hard because, technically, it’ll be their first enemy. Technically.
See, this sucker is going to fracture the canon six ways from Sunday and it’s going to have the single best explanation ever. While I was watching it, I gave a small cluck of disapproval and thought, they shouldn’t have called this Star Trek. They should’ve given it some fig leaf to differentiate itself–Star Trek: Origins or Star Trek: Beginnings or some such. But then, when I realized what they were doing–which I actually can’t tell you without spoilering–it made absolutely perfect sense.
I’ll tell you this much: this IS Star Trek. Or…at the very least…A Star Trek.
Yeah.
This is why I love this movie so much. Instead of just walking up and slapping established canon in the face and saying “Run along grandpa, this is OUR show now and this is how it all REALLY happened”, they actually created a perfect explanation for how they spawned their own Star Trek universe. They could do sequels now, and I’d probably be there to watch, because they have made their own Star Trek out of it. This IS Star Trek, and it coexists perfectly with the original. In fact, it’s actually impossible to compare it to any other Star Trek installation because it is its own entity.
However, if you WERE to make that comparison, you’d find that this is the new best Star Trek movie ever. Seriously, this beats First Contact, and for me, that’s saying a lot. Why? Because there’s everything here. There’s space opera, ship battles, comedy, great performances (getting Simon Pegg to do Scotty was an absolute stroke of GENIUS) and the kind of great rip-roaring adventure that makes science fiction SCIENCE FICTION.
It’s. Just. THAT. GOOD.
It is an adrenaline rush unlike many movies I’ve seen recently. I can’t remember the last time I left a theatre still buzzing fully an hour later. I am STILL feeling my Trekkie, an hour later. I may not sleep tonight. I am writing this sucker at one in the morning Eastern Daylight Time and I am STILL feeling it.
I don’t issue wholesale blanket recommendations very often, but seriously, if you can stand science fiction even vaguely, and you want to see a really shining example of really shining science fiction, then go. Boldly go, in fact. Go out and see this. It’s really too good to miss.
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STAR TREK - Angry Video Game Nerd | Electronics and Gadgets Review, Information, News and Sale said
May 8 2009 @ 4:16 pm
[...] Star Trek Movie Review–Warp Factor Awesome [...]
Paulsterine said
May 8 2009 @ 11:50 pm
Hey Steve great review mate , you have just made me really want and go see this, thx
zenyenta said
May 8 2009 @ 11:51 pm
We went to see it tonight. The theater was full even though the multi-plex had showings starting at half hour intervals. Our group agreed that we loved it even more than we hated last year’s X-Files movie. And we hated that a lot. There was really something for everyone in this and the cast was fantastic. I hope they do make sequels. I’d go to see every one.
mallo said
May 9 2009 @ 12:51 am
The review is dead on. I just watched the movie and while there are things that can be nitpicked by die hard trekky fans (and i heard some of them) it is more than worth seeing because it was still star trek all the way.
karl biggerstaff said
May 9 2009 @ 2:15 am
the wrath of kahn is still the best, however this is close 2nd…
i loved this movie, the youg characters nailed the previous series.
cant wait til the next… klingons maybe, young kahn.
karl biggerstaff said
May 9 2009 @ 2:17 am
it was nice to see star trek without the people acting like robots. back to the roots. a western in space… can’t wait til the next..
MCMalkemus said
May 9 2009 @ 12:48 pm
I grew up with the original series, and I am 100% happy this movie has been made. When the original series was cut from TV (Because of people with the last name of Nielson, mainly), I told people it was a mistake by the network, and that Star Trek would rise again. Seems like about ten years later it did. I’m predicting now that this current new crew will be together for many years… Lets hope the new Spock doesn’t suffer “I am not Spock” syndrome too soon.
Steve Anderson said
May 9 2009 @ 1:22 pm
This may be the first time in a good long while that I’ve been this happy about a major studio release, especially one that falls under the “remake” category. But it was their respect for the source material that really got me on this one–it is it’s own entity, like I said, and dovetails easily into established canon.
trekkie09 said
May 9 2009 @ 1:58 pm
OMG, I loved the movie.
The whole theater seemed to love it as it was packed with true fans of STARTREK. I guess everyone has been waiting and the marketing was great. It lived up to the hype as well so we know there’s gonna be a box office smash. You can get a free twitter background of the Star Trek movie at http://tweetcustom.com Mine looks hot! If you didn’t see the move, GOOOO! lol
Stuart Irwin said
May 10 2009 @ 12:49 am
Couldn’t disagree more. I thought the movie was utter crap. Not a science fiction movie at all! The science in it was bunkum and the visual effects were pathetic. A planet being drawn into a black hole would look nothing like what was portrayed, if fact it would look about a million times as spectacular. I am one bittery dissapointed Star Trek fan. This movie has destroyed the franchise for good!
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Steve Anderson said
May 11 2009 @ 1:31 pm
Stuart–well, you’re rather in a minority on this one. Personally, I’m glad you can stick to your convictions in the face of so many people telling you you’re an utter loon. But seriously–when’s the last time you saw a planet collapse into an artificially generated black hole spawned at its core? And how could the science be “bunkum”? It presupposes over two hundred years of research and development! Who KNOWS what we’ll find out by then? And frankly, I’ve got to disagree on that last–considering that it’s currently number one at the box office, it most assuredly has NOT destroyed the franchise. That’s just a statement of fact at this point–there, you’re absolutely wrong.
Tracy said
May 12 2009 @ 11:37 pm
Well, Stuart… God is still reeling from your blistering review of HIS book, so Abrams is in good company.
All I can say is “Wow!” I fully expected a snorefest, with every great scene having already been shown in the trailers. Boy, was I wrong! Now, I don’t know how many black holes Stuart has seen first hand, but I thought the effects were well done. The acting was excellent. I found myself smiling at the hints of the original actors in the contemporary actors’ performances. They made no attempt to copy Shatner, Nimoy, Kelly, etc. Each made the character his/her own, but gave us the occasional line or expression reminiscent of the original. The audience actually applauded; something that rarely occurs in theaters.
I was both elated and saddened to see Nimoy’s revision of Spock. It was great to see the old Spock again, but the reality that Nimoy is getting up there in years and this might be his last portrayal almost brought a tear. I would have loved to have seen Shatner worked in for a cameo.
My 17 year old daughter, who grew up with Trek, but enjoyed it only to the extent required to humor her Dad, really enjoyed the movie.
I find myself eager for the next incarnation of Star Trek. I thought this work was fresh, exciting and still faithful enough to the old Trek to keep the hardcore Trekkies (or Trekkers?) happy. I would have liked to have heard a little more of the techie talk that’s been a hallmark of Trek, but I can forgive this omission.
Great job, guys!
Ron said
May 13 2009 @ 12:55 pm
Loved the movie and I wish everyone to go and watch the film. This is how a great director makes a franchise great too.
Steve Anderson said
May 13 2009 @ 2:12 pm
Tracy–they actually TRIED to get a Shatner cameo. Shatner actually tried to get the LEAD role! They tried to bargain him down to cameo but he wasn’t biting for the most part, and eventually, they just couldn’t factor it in from what I read. Nimoy was a lot more willing to play ball.
Ron–heard that. Twas good stuff–hopefully the rest of the summer can be this good.
Adam said
May 15 2009 @ 2:37 am
First off, sorry Stuart, but I have to disagree with you on all counts. Especially blasting the visual effects.
Regarding Star Trek- It blew me away. I am a fan, but I didn’t have the highest expectations. I went to see it on IMAX (my first IMAX experience) and all I can say is WOW!! The only thing I didn’t think I would like is the redesign of the Enterprise from it’s profile shot in the press release, but seeing the movie totally changed my mind. I was a little iffy on the look of the Romulans and the design and capabilities of their ship (none of which detracted from it being a great movie in any way), but then I read the Star Trek: Countdown comic prequel to the movie and it all made sense. Simon Pegg was amazing as Scotty. I love Anton Yelchin’s portrayal of Chekov. What everyone has said here is 100% spot on, with the noted exception of Stuart. By the way, the IMAX theater was 100% booked solid for every showing and almost the entire audience applauded at the end credits when they played the original Trek theme. I want more movies like this one.
Tracy said
May 15 2009 @ 7:51 pm
Steve: I had heard that about Shatner, but still disappointed that it didn’t happen.
jack said
June 8 2009 @ 9:49 am
I was excited to see this movie but wow when I watched it, it turned me into a fan into a non fan. So many things are wrong with this movie.
Most of the origional crew is promoted to ranks which would take years to get. So instead of the crew earning it they were given ranks above other officers who have been in the federation for years and years. The new crew did not earn anything.
The timeline was changed so basically the older movies like the voyage home for example never happened. They were on Vulcan in that movie but Vulcan was destroyed. This planet was an important part of many episodes in the next generation as well but technically they never happened now so all of Star Trek has now been erased and a new time line has started. The Vulcans in Voyager may not have been born so who knows how it will change that and any other things for example.
All the fans of everything Star Trek before this movie, all the stuff they loved and liked has now disappeared. Why would they remove such an important part of history and something that built and helped shape Star Trek.
Uhura and Spock are lovers, this never happened and seems like a cheap attempt at love, it seems spock has tons of feelings for everything but in the old shows spock controlled his feelings for the most part.
Technology that will ruin things by making other things obsolete, like for example a transporter that has unlimited range and the technology was available in that old period of time. If this is the case, you don’t need ships for transportation, you don’t need cargo ships, just put your goods on the pad and you can teleport anywhere any distance. You can also go into the Delta quadrant and Gamma so in the future if this time line even happens which it may not because it was changed so much, if Voyager gets stranded, just teleport them back, and if there is a worm hold for deep space 9 it does not have to be used and will not be important because we would already have been there 100 years earlier.
So for erasing and destroying Star Trek and starting new I really don’t like this movie. I used to be a big Star Trek fan but not any more, I gave away my movie collection today because basically when I watch them, technically they never happened in Star Trek history so it’s really useless to watch them.
This movie is great for people who have never watched anything from Star Trek and who know nothing of Star Trek or it’s history. It’s full of special effects and thats about it.
Steve Anderson said
June 9 2009 @ 1:28 am
Tracy–same here, actually, but I can’t help but cluck my tongue in disapproval at Shatner. It’s really his own fault he wasn’t in this.
Adam–heard that. Thanks for the kind words.
Jack–of course there are things “wrong” with this movie. And you know perfectly well WHY they’re wrong. The worst part is you even make it perfectly clear WHY this movie works despite being “wrong”–it’s because of that new timeline that they can rejigger everything around, and yet NOT do any damage to the original canon! The original is the original, preserved in all eternity. What we’re seeing start here is a WHOLE NEW TREK EXPERIENCE. Literally anything can happen now because they’ve made it their own, utterly separate from the original. This is a masterstroke and I applaud them for taking it.
Art said
June 29 2009 @ 5:32 pm
JJ Abrams in essence is lazy. He said f__k you to 40 years of Star Trek and its fans. Well f__k you too JJ and your contempt for the franchise. Not a dime of my money will you get and I’ll encourage everyone I know online and off to not spend their money on this or future flicks. Unless perhaps in the next movie they decide to fix the timeline, which I’m sure Abrams is too lazy to do. It’s a lot easier to do a sloppy reboot than worry about continuity. Still mad…
Oh and Shatner was never approached at all about doing a cameo or any kind of other participation, at least that’s what he says.
alex said
December 1 2009 @ 11:01 pm
Man Jack, you are one pathetic loser!
alex said
December 1 2009 @ 11:03 pm
Art, it is people like you who give trekkers a bad name.
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