STAR TREK: A Trekker’s Log

The new crew of the Enterprise

Personal Log Stardate: May 8, 2009

When I heard that Star Trek was going to be on the big screen again, I was excited at first. Unfortunately, when I heard that J.J. Abrams was going to direct it, I was completely stunned. Abrams has given us such wonderful television shows such as “Lost”, “Alias”, and “Fringe”. When it came to his directorial debut with another television series turned movie series, “Mission: Impossible III”, the third movie had lost its luster. So, you can say that I was less than enthusiatic about Abrams making the same mistake with a much more larger fan base such as Star Trek. That was strike one in my book.

Strike two came about when I found out that the new Trek movie was to be a prequel/reboot of the franchise. I was divided between Hollywood remaking the movies that stand the test of time and reimagining the same movies and TV Series to bring in a whole new audience. Keep in mind that Trek has a long history and and legions of fans that span the globe. After 43 years with ten films, five television series, and one Emmy-winning animated series under its belt, the question, “Will Star Trek thrive again?,” remains on the minds of Trek fans. Since the black sheep of Trek left the airwaves in 2005, fans seeked more from the Trek universe in the form of independent productions. Two productions that stood out from the rest are Star Trek: Phase II and Starship Farragut. I highly recommend them both if you want to experience true Trek.

Now to get back on track, some fans were awaiting to see this film because the Trek was “New & improved!” While other fans, the pure trekkers, are hoping that their beloved Trek does not stray too much from all they knew to this point. I admit, I am a pure trekker and believe me, it was very hard to admit that I was skeptical about the movie. The trailers leading up to the release were good and all but when I saw scenes that were out of context to the known Trek history, it was hard to swallow. After all, the cast and crew have big shoes to fill and one chance to make us fall in love with Trek again.

Of all the remakes and reboots that I encountered, Star Trek is in a class of its own! The eleventh film has not only beaten the odd-numbered curse, it abolished it! The new film kept the moments Trek fans knew and loved all these years and given us a thrill ride that kept us on the edge of our seats. I do admit that the time traveling element was not strong enough for a good plot but the rest of the film made up for it. Nero (Eric Bana) was to me a typical Trek villain. Nero lacked the command presence that former Trek villains Khan, Dr. Soran, & General Chang displayed in previous films.

Now, what can I say about the cast. The cast who filled the seven legendary roles have impressed me. It was wonderful to see how the Enterprise crew meet for the first time and how their relationships were built. From Kirk meeting Uhura at the local watering hole to Scotty giving the Enterprise more Warp Speed in an emergency, every character has their moment in the movie. I have to give praise to Zachery Quinto (Spock). He has given Spock a more defining character than ever before. It was amazing to see how Kirk (Chris Pine) tries to rile Spock up to bring out his human side – and it worked. The Kirk/Spock dynamic had a whole twist that fans will enjoy.

Whoever said, “Always expect the unexpected,” must have known that Star Trek would fit the bill. New fans will enjoy the action-packed battle scenes and the special effects are out of this world (literally!). Old fans will enjoy the comraderie of the legendary starship crew who has boldly gone where few remakes have gone before…. A Reboot Done Right and one of the best films for Summer 2009.

Final Grade: A

EM Review
by Dean Rogers