Star Trek (2009) (Review Part 1 of 3)

Star Trek (Part 1 of 3)

Star Trek is an adventure ride that respects everything that came before it and it’s a fun sci-fi movie to boot. Finally, a sci-fi movie that isn’t dreary and depressing, but take the established history seriously.

With a few glaring plot-holes, I still loved this movie. (I’ll get to the plot-holes later. The movie falls into one plot hole that has plagued the trek franchise for years.)

Think of this new Star Trek movie as a reboot, a sequel and a prequel at the same time. Because of actions from certain people from the TNG era, an Alt-timeline is created.

Director J.J. Abrams does an amazing job keeping the action going throughout the movie. He seems to like to keep the camera kinetic without it seeming confusing like other new directors. There were only a few action set pieces that seemed a little too frantic for my taste, but overall he knows his stuff.

With Brannon Braga and Rick Berman running the franchise into the ground through their pure egos and lack of talent (I’m looking at you VOY and ENT), it was time for the studio to bring in new blood. Because Braga and Berman weren’t going to let go until someone forced them out. And the studio did.

While I was a little apprehensive about a reboot, J.J. Abrams was the right choice to restart the franchise. (Though it I don’t see this being a reboot, and Abrams goes out of his way to make sure it isn’t just a reboot.) You see, Abrams actually respects the continuity and the work that went into the spin-off series and it shows here. (Take that JMS.)

Abrams creates a wonderful alt-universe that is filled with past Trek references.

Here are a few…

-There is mention of Cardassians.

-Admiral Archer is mentioned and is the reason behind the predicament that Scotty is in now. This is certainly the same Captain Archer and a funny mentioning of the Admiral’s dog.

-Future Spock working with Romulans, as noted in the TNG show.

-The Kobayashi Maru

There is also a wonderful shot of the crew getting their first sights at the new Enterprise in drydock. This shot will remind people of the scene from Star Trek The Motion Picture with Scotty giving Kirk the tour of the refit ship.

I also liked seeing the fleet go into warp and what happens to the Enterprise in that scene. And, that is a great moment for Mr. Sulu.

One of the most shocking things that happen in this movie involves Spock and his race. It gives the rest of movie a more serious tone because anyone can die, and someone important to the Trek mythology does in fact die. Abrams should be commended for doing this daring ‘event’ to his Alt-universe. (I would have liked to have seen reactions to the news around the Federation after this incident, but that’s just a nitpick.)

Abrams also does a novel job bringing modern action scenes into the movie. Space ships move differently, and more closely to the New BSG than the old Star Trek movies.

End Part 1

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