Here is the obligatory disclaimer about how I am not an avid fan of "Star Trek" the television series, in any of its versions and generations, and I don't think I've seen any of the films prior to this one. I've probably watched two whole episodes since entering my teens, and before that, I was probably only half paying attention. When I was in junior high, I came upon a bumper sticker that said, "Klingons, Ferengis and Borgs, Oh My!" and so I did a little scouting to find out what on earth that meant. I have seen countless spoofs (countless), so I feel that I am pretty well aware of the major catchphrases, characters and events that have entered into science fiction lore. That being said, I am not sure at all whether that puts me at an objective advantage or disadvantage when it comes to appreciating this particular slice of cinema.
I won't keep you in suspense. I liked it! At first I was profoundly disturbed by how pretty the characters of James Tiberius Kirk and Mr. Spock were, and what a departure that was from the dated looks of William Shatner and the immortal scowl of Leonard Nimoy. I found it highly unlikely that a guy as attractive as Chris Pine could end up as the captain of an intergalactic spaceship with a crew of thousands. I suppose this is the point, as the golden boy, Jim, not only succeeds in part from the legacy of his heroic father, who sacrificed himself to save hundreds of people, including his own son, but also from his dizzying intellect. However, he is continuously breaking the rules, getting in the way, destroying things, and somehow defying all odds, yet turning up time and time again with hardly a hair out of place, and a new great idea for how to save the universe. He couldn't be less of an underdog.
Spock, played bizarrely by the giant-featured Zachary Quinto, deals with the typical inner turmoil associated with being torn between the Vulcan code of emotional detachment, and his half-human heritage which is the exact opposite. His character exists as only slightly more than a foil, then a cheerleader for the mindbending efforts of Kirk as he expresses his disdain for order and no-win situations. Perhaps it is only my perception, but it seems like the character of Spock is the more difficult one to take on, because of Nimoy's legacy, and the constraints of playing a character that cannot be reinterpreted too liberally without losing the entire essence of his purpose on the Enterprise.
Guys, the plot is exciting and convoluted, and deals with black holes and alternate realities, and, to be quite frank, I'm still sort of wrapping my brain around that one. Suffice it to say, it's not the same old song and dance action movie premise. In the first scene of the film, Kirk's father takes over the helm of the Enterprise when the previous captain is summoned into a giant Romulan spacecraft emerging from a black hole. The Romulan leader, Nero, interrogates the erstwhile captain about taking responsibility for something that apparently hasn't happened yet. When this captain professes confusion, and names the star date as 2233-04 (or something, as if I could actually remember that), Nero becomes so incensed that he rams his giant pointy staff into the captain's chest, and opens fire on the Enterprise with great vengeance and furious anger.
Fast forward 25 years, and the new class of the Starfleet Academy is getting ready to start their training. Enter: Jim Kirk, destroyer of cars and initiator of barroom brawls, who cheats his way out of an unwinnable qualifying exam programmed by the one and only Spock, colludes with the one Dr. McCoy to shanghai himself onto the Enterprise when responding to a Vulcan distress signal. Spock has chosen the Enterprise over the Vulcan Academy because he is tired of being Vulcanly discriminated against for being half-human. They assemble the usual cast of characters, played refreshingly by charming young actors, and the lot of them get together and hyperspace here and there to seek out worlds unknown and stuff like that.
Star Trek is entertaining and exciting and, though this may seem like a backhanded compliment, not at all phoned in. I mean, think about it. With such iconic lines as "Set phasers to stun!" "Dammit man, I'm a doctor, not a physicist!" and "Live long and prosper," this could easily fall into tongue-in-cheek parody. However, the actors embrace both the dramatic and campy, but most of all, they completely own their roles. It took a while to get used to seeing some of the actors in the styling of 24th century astronavigators, like Karl Urban and John Cho, and it took me a while to figure out where I saw this adorable elf before:
(Answer: Charlie Bartlett)
It is a heavy burden to reinvent a classic. J.J. Abrams was up against a lot of naysayers, though he is not one to be discouraged by what some may tell him is not a good idea. He takes risks, chooses interesting projects, and even if something seems gimmicky, like Cloverfield or baffling, like any episode of "Lost," it's always a fun and entertaining ride. For the start of a reboot, it's promising. I do look forward to the second installment in the series, not as a sequel but as a second chapter. It officially joins the ranks of "Serial Movies I Look Forward To," alongside the James Bond flicks, the Batman series and the Iron Man franchise.
