Review 209: Star Trek
A cataclysm in the 24th century throws two ships back in time to the 23rd century, altering the course of history. With a different life where he never knew his father, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) becomes a brilliant yet cynical misfit who is finally convinced to join Starfleet by Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) in 2255. Three years later, Kirk, Vulcan First Officer Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the young crew of the new USS Enterprise, with guidance from Spock's future self (Leonard Nimoy), must figure out a way to work together to prevent the one responsible for the death of Kirk's father, the future Romulan known as Nero (Eric Bana), from destroying the Federation in a mad quest for vengeance.
The plot is just fantastic; Breathing new life into a franchise that's been burdened by six TV shows and ten films is no easy task and screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and director J. J. Abrams pull it off stupendously well.
Creating an alternate timeline that frees the film from the constraints of the franchise while simultaneously preserving original story elements. If Star Trek was classical music and Star Wars was rock n’roll, then Star Trek infuses that orchestra with some much needed rock n’roll.
Because of the aspect of time travel being included, what Star Trek presents is a effectively a rewriting of the past and the future. everything has changed, meaning things can easily happen differently than they did in the original canon, the film does this both to take risks and not to be burdened by continuity.
Having the film take place in an alternative timeline is also good for the fans because everything they know and love about the franchise is still valid.
It's a movie that's aimed at Trekkie's but also aimed at bringing in people who are not fans like me for instance. It's just so easy to have never been a fan or ever seen a bit of Star Trek and fully understand and enjoy this film and if you are a fan there's a lot to be said for seeing how it all started.
At the core of Star Trek is about the developing friendship between Kirk and Spock; this film is about two people who are such opposites that
they might end up strangling each other but instead they bond and thrive
together. And it's mesmerising to how that friendship between those two character develop and see such a iconic friendship begin. The best Star Trek stories were the ones that focused on the friendship between Kirk and Spock as an emotional core. Their's is a contentious friendship born out of tragic circumstances and they have to work together and eventually fall in love in a Butch and Sundance esque way.
J. J. Abrams' direction is unobtrusive, lighting up the screen with plenty of high stakes action and infusing the film with a sense of energy and spectacle rarely seen in Star Trek films and shows prior to this.
The cinematography is gorgeous and captures the glossy, futuristic look & feel of the 24th century, the special effects are amazing, the score by Michael Giacchino is beautifully spectacular, the production design is splendid (Abrams' vision of the 23rd century is just astonishing), the costumes are wonderful, the suspense is great, the make up is rich, it's fast paced, the scenery is breathtaking, there's also loads of humour thrown in, the locations for the planets are splendid, the action scenes are thrilling, well choreographed and expertly staged, the spaceship designs are terrific and the ending was superb.
The acting is spectacular, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho and Anton Yelchin play their roles effortlessly and really make the iconic roles their own. Maintaining their individual characteristics whilst also putting their own unique spins on the character.
Chris Pine effortlessly lays claim to Cap. James T. Kirk infecting the character with his own brand of infectious charisma. Initially starting as an intelligent but reckless young adult who keeps getting into trouble. By joining Starfleet and eventually becoming Captain of the Enterprise, he becomes a more responsible individual. This cocky, courageous, Han Solo type. A gunslinging, womanising, man of action who sure as hell doesn't believe in a no-win situation. He's not the hero that we want, but the hero that we need.
Zachary Quinto is outstanding as Spock, not only capturing the wisdom and logic that Leonard Nimoy bought to the character in the 60's but like Pine, adding a little subtle sass to the character. Which is nice.
Karl Urban is simply brilliant and excellently cast as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, expertly capturing the characters grumpy and sarcastic persona. Bones is an arbiter to Kirk and Spock's friendship and acts as a foil to the latter. While Spock is voice of logic and science, Bones is the voice of emotion and intuition.
As Uhura, Zoe Saldana balances the right amount of sex appeal and authority, portraying her as a cool, sexy modern woman who initially doesn’t tolerate any nonsense from Kirk but slowly but eventually comes to respect him as her captain.
Simon Pegg adds a great deal of hilarious comedy as Scotty,
Eric Bana plays a miraculous villain in the Romulan, Nero makes for a fantastically intimidating villain. He's purely motivated by revenge against the Federation whom he blames for not taking the necessary precautions to save his home planet, Romulus, along with his wife and people. He is just as ruthless as he is insane, he blows up an entire fleet of Federation ships and then proceeds addresses the crew of the Enterprise as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.
Bruce Greenwood is also terrific as Christopher Pike,
Winona Ryder, Ben Cross, Faran Tahir & Clifton Collins Jr. round the films huge cast.
Star Trek successfully breathes unlikely new life into a long-running franchise and I look forward to the sequel coming out this May, 5/5.
The Anonymous Critic.
The acting is spectacular, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho and Anton Yelchin play their roles effortlessly and really make the iconic roles their own. Maintaining their individual characteristics whilst also putting their own unique spins on the character.
Chris Pine effortlessly lays claim to Cap. James T. Kirk infecting the character with his own brand of infectious charisma. Initially starting as an intelligent but reckless young adult who keeps getting into trouble. By joining Starfleet and eventually becoming Captain of the Enterprise, he becomes a more responsible individual. This cocky, courageous, Han Solo type. A gunslinging, womanising, man of action who sure as hell doesn't believe in a no-win situation. He's not the hero that we want, but the hero that we need.
Zachary Quinto is outstanding as Spock, not only capturing the wisdom and logic that Leonard Nimoy bought to the character in the 60's but like Pine, adding a little subtle sass to the character. Which is nice.
Karl Urban is simply brilliant and excellently cast as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, expertly capturing the characters grumpy and sarcastic persona. Bones is an arbiter to Kirk and Spock's friendship and acts as a foil to the latter. While Spock is voice of logic and science, Bones is the voice of emotion and intuition.
As Uhura, Zoe Saldana balances the right amount of sex appeal and authority, portraying her as a cool, sexy modern woman who initially doesn’t tolerate any nonsense from Kirk but slowly but eventually comes to respect him as her captain.
Simon Pegg adds a great deal of hilarious comedy as Scotty,
Eric Bana plays a miraculous villain in the Romulan, Nero makes for a fantastically intimidating villain. He's purely motivated by revenge against the Federation whom he blames for not taking the necessary precautions to save his home planet, Romulus, along with his wife and people. He is just as ruthless as he is insane, he blows up an entire fleet of Federation ships and then proceeds addresses the crew of the Enterprise as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.
Bruce Greenwood is also terrific as Christopher Pike,
Winona Ryder, Ben Cross, Faran Tahir & Clifton Collins Jr. round the films huge cast.
Star Trek successfully breathes unlikely new life into a long-running franchise and I look forward to the sequel coming out this May, 5/5.
The Anonymous Critic.
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