Simply hearing that there is a new Star Trek movie is enough to make some grab their plastic Spock-ears and rush down to the local cineplex. The series has often pandered to that type of fan-boy that the rest of us would much rather see on TV than have to deal with sitting behind us at the theater. In fact, I’m sure that some of you reading this may need nothing more than the afore-mentioned title to make you lose interest and move on to the next article. If director J.J. Abrams has anything to say about it, those days might be gone for good. Abrams’ new installment to the age-old franchise boldly goes where no Star Trek film has gone before..kind of.
Although the plot is nothing terribly new or fascinating for Star Trek material, the young, hip cast create characters that are intriguing to watch as their origins unfold before us on screen. Abrams tactfully blends the perfect amount of action, stunning visuals, nostalgia, and pop-philosophy to create a chapter in the series that above all else is extremely watchable.
When we first meet young James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) he is brash, naeive and adventurous. Prone to bar fights, stealing cars, and chasing girls, the legacy of Kirk’s Starfleet captain father has gone before him. Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) convinces Kirk to enlist in Starfleet academy and follow in his father’s footsteps. Kirk, having quickly proved himself a natural completes the 4 year study a year earlier than the allotted time.
During Kirk’s rise we meet many of the other characters that will become so influential later in the story. He meets and develops a friendship with Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban), and initially squares off with that ever-historic Vulcan who places sheer logic over emotion, Spock. The two’s relationship becomes an ever present power struggle on the U.S.S. Entrerprise.
There of course are bad guys that are threatening the crew’s and the planet’s existence. There are Black holes and time travel, both of which seem to be topics that Star Trek has created its own rules about. The time travel theme is used in particular as a device to bring Old Spock (played by the original Leonard Nimoy) into the script. It seems to serve no other discernable purpose.
I am sure that unabashed Trekkies will find this a bit of a departure from the heart of the original series. You won’t find the same amount of moralizing from our characters that give the original series its running commentary on social/political issues. The result is a film that feels less like true science fiction and more like summer popcorn. Abrams gets away with it by offering picture-perfect casting to help create depth to characters that in previous installments would have seemed uninteresting to anyone not already invested in the show’s history. The film is true to the heart of the source material though and helps reboot this franchise for a 21st century audience. Future installments with this same cast and crew will not doubt “live long and prosper” for generations of trekkies to come.
4/5
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