Wednesday 13 May 2009

Star Trek

Here we go. This is where I add my voice to the growing chorus of admiration for J.J. Abrams and his new Star Trek movie.

Star TrekI was all keen to hate it too. Star Trek movies have a history of being bloated gabfests or extended TV episodes filmed in 35mm, but this wasn’t. It’s actually really good.

And I hate to admit it, but therein lies the rub. The reason it’s really good is that it’s not really a Star Trek film at all. It’s more like a Star Wars film. (Original trilogy of course, not the later ones. Which ironically were more like Star Trek films. But I digress…)

Enterprise It’s fun, it’s action packed, it doesn’t pay too much attention to previous canon or scientific principles, and there wasn’t even one scene where Starfleet suits sit around a conference table crapping on about how to deal diplomatically with those darn Romulans.

Rather, we get the classic original series approach of tooling around in starships, shooting first and asking questions later.

Zoe SaldanaThe ships are shiny and new, Kirk’s a young punk, Spock’s not quite as emotionless as we remember, Uhura’s sexy as hell and Simon Pegg as Scotty is just hilarious.

The series needed a serious reboot, and this was it. It’s a great universe with great stories to tell, but the stiff stylings of previous cinematic outings weren’t doing its longevity any favours at all.

What J.J. has given us here is most definitely Star Trek, Jim, but not as we know it. And it’s about goddamn time.

4.5 out of 5

4 comments:

Ameel said...

Aargh! Everyone I know seems to have already watched this film and I feel quite left out. But that's what happens when you're in the middle of shifting apartments. I will, however, make sure I watch it on Sunday so I'm not the odd one out at the skeptics trivia night on Monday!

Matt said...

Yeah, you better get on to that Ameel. I'm looking forward to dissecting it in detail on Monday!
And good luck with the move.

Gayle said...

I found the young Spock sorta sexy... is that weird?

Matt said...

Probably. But I found Kirstie Alley sexy as a Vulcan in Star Trek II.
So that's doubly weird. :^)