Go see Star Trek. Seriously, go see it. Its really good, really fun, and you don't need any prior Star Trek knowledge to enjoy it. Sure, some knowledge helps, but its definitely not required. J.J. Abrams and crew did, in my opinion, did a masterful job of a)introducing the characters, b)acknowledging the existing story canon, and c)establishing a new story arc that all viewers could follow and get behind. Earlier, I said that everyone should go see Watchmen, and while I still stand by that, I think that Star Trek is a far better "you'll enjoy this even if you nothing about the source material" movie.
Without spoiling it, I'll just say that the plot of the movie guards itself from criticism about changes to the Star Trek canon. Sure, it makes for a kinda weak plot, but plot clearly wasn't the point of the movie; the point was to set up the characters and the universe in which they operate so they can tell more substantial stories later in the sequels (and judging by the early box office numbers, I think a sequel's inevitable, if one hasn't already been announced; if it holds at #1 against Angels and Demons this week, I bet they announce TWO more movies). And the characters and character interactions were by far the best parts of the movie. I thought the cast did a great job of embodying the essence of the characters they were playing without resorting to imitations of the original actors. You could see how these characters could logically (sorry) progress into the characters of old. The scene of Kirk as a kid going on a joyride (the one you see in the trailer) was unnecessary, but there's also a scene of Spock as a kid that's just awesome. The action scenes were nice and flashy, but the character scenes were what I found the most interesting.
There were also plenty of Easter eggs planted throughout the movie to satisfy the hardcore Trekkies (or Trekkers, as I guess, from the video below, that's the correct term now). Nearly all the iconic lines from the old show were fit into the script, and every time one was uttered, it drew praise from the audience I was in. Kirk hooking up with the green-skinned alien-girl was a nod to a classic Star Trek episode. I've also read that was a tribble sitting on the desk when we first meet Scotty (I didn't catch this; guess I'll have to see it again). And, much like it was done in Casino Royale for James Bond, you don't hear the iconic Star Trek theme until the end of the movie, implying that its only at that point that they've become "the crew of the Starship Enterpise."
So go see it, you won't be disappointed. Also, watch this clip from last Saturday's Weekend Update on SNL; you won't be disappointed but it, either:
Live long and prosper.
1 comment:
generally agree. but kirk's birth, contemporaneous with his father's death, is way too cliche. hamlet and lion king, just to name a few, have the market cornered on the storyline. the chip-on-the-shoulder adolescence / emergence into manhood, and its necessarily attendant problems, is played out.
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