Star Trek Review

Its strange how one Star Trek prequel is better than all three Star Wars prequels

I'm not in any way a Star Trek fan or even a sci-fi geek. I couldn't care less about complex and brainy facts and knowledges that goes into any sci-fi series' storyline. Granted I'm being able to follow the storyline of Lost, but I'm too lazy for anything like Battlestar Galactica or even Star Trek. Not to say that I don't know absolutely anything of Star Trek. I have seen some of all five series (Original, NG, DS9, Voyager and Enterprise) and gotten to know the characters inhabited in the series, mostly in the original and NG series. But everyone knows of Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Sulu, "Bones" McCoy and Scotty... and maybe Chehov. Though Star Trek have been pretty much dead for a couple of years, its probably time the series have to be reinvigorated and refreshed. All in the hands of Lost creator, J.J Abram.



Before I went to see the movie, I decided to prepare myself of Star Trek knowledge and insisted in watching what considers to be the best Star Trek movie and one of the most loved sci-fi movies, which is Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Every geek talks of this film and is been viewed as kind of a cult classic, with some moments that are memorable and parodied to death such as Shatner screaming "KKKKHHAANNNN!!!". And even though I'm not a huge Star Trek huge, Wrath of Khan was great to watch. As a film itself, it was entertaining and enjoyable with a story that is easy to follow. And there was some cool and even sad moments as well. It was the essential Star Trek movie to get into the entire series. I said to myself "I will be glad if the new Star Trek movie is like The Wrath of Khan". And sure enough, the 2009 Star Trek movie was like that. And I'm glad I watched Wrath of Khan before this because there are some elements from that movie and taken into this new Star Trek film.



Since I'm not a total Star Trek fan, I wouldn't have to worry about the entire continuity of the series. But hardcore fans can rest easy because that factor have been resolved in probably the most smartest way, in a solution where the director cheats his way into creative liberty (the same way Kirk cheats in his Kobayashi Maru test :P) This is not much a spoiler, so I'm gonna tell that the movie deals with time travel and alternate reality (kinda like Lost) and that move gives a refreshing reboot just like for Batman Begins. You have given a whole new storyline and timeline of the Star Trek universe and yet it still feels like Star Trek. The characters remain intact with the original predecessor with an added youth and edginess to them, even when the new Kirk (Chris Pine) gives that Shatner-esque impression. The move of have an alternate reality is genius to me because of many things. You can cheat in giving out details that aren't true to the original continuity and promise the fans new stories and adventures with the newly-casted original characters. Hell, if there is a new Star Trek TV series with the new cast and produced by J.J Abram, I would gladly watch it.

Its pretty much hard to ignore Simon Pegg...

In the film, Romulan miner-turned-badguy, Nero (Eric f*ckin Bana) is very much pissed off that his home planet was destroyed by a supernova and his wife and his unborn child were killed along with it, all because the original Spock (Leonard Nimoy) didn't get to save his planet in time. This led to both Spock and Nero's ship to be catapulted into the past to the point where young Kirk was born after his father was killed by Nero's ship. The film then chronicles the young and rising years of both the rebellious Kirk and the tormented Spock as they are enlisted in Star Fleet Federation and boarded upon the Starship Enterprise.



Its a good thing that J.J Abram took a course from the reboot series of Battlestar Galactica because every shot in space is spectacular. The use of shaky-cam and zoom-ins makes it as raw and edgy and even as epic as space itself. Its not like its predecessors where it is a plastic model floating through a canvas, but it looks like there is literally a spaceship flying through space. From the freefall to the planet to the space battles, it is really breathtaking. Most of the major characters were given a well-enough screen time as well their own great moments in the films. Especially for Sulu, who is a representative of all Asia (my race), have his time of awesomeness in the film. Two characters that were my favorite picks were Karl Urban as McCoy and Zachary (Sylar) Quinto as Spock. Learning from Wrath of Khan, McCoy is to Kirk as Ron is to Harry and Urban did a great job in providing the chemistry between Pine and himself, being the straight serious man to Kirk's wild libido ala The Odd Couple. Spock had the added advantage of character development, having being born of a Vulcan father and a Earth mother where he is tormented and bullied by his own kind. Thus trying to prove to them and himself his own capability and intelligence despite his "disability".

When you have Eric (f*cking) Bana in your film, you know its gonna be awesome.....
Except for the Hulk.... I take that back..

Though the cast performance are not entirely brilliant, it is chiselled and crafted well. The humor of the film can offbalance the film for a while and the references to the original series can range from subtle to completely obvious. Much like Wrath of Khan, I definately enjoyed this and had a complete warp-speed blast. Something that the old hardcore fans can relish on and for the new fans to be introduced. Thus I rate it:



4 out of 5 stars



Its funny how Star Trek geeks are now considered cool again and yet Star Wars geeks still remain..... what is the opposite of cool?