My sort-of review of Star Trek
If I had become a film buff in my youth instead of my adulthood and pursued an educational and career trajectory similar to that of my film-loving peers in this town, I might have learned to become more critical about the films I see and far more cynical about the industry than I actually am.
Long before I became a film buff, if I saw a movie with a friend and he criticized the plot, theme or dialogue of a flick I found entertaining, I’d say something like, “It’s just a movie. It was entertaining; that’s what matters.” I reserved my critical judgment for literature. So, now, while my cinematic critical capacity has increased, I still retain another important capacity, to enjoy a well-made movie with a weak (or contrived) story, provided it keeps me entertained.
Of course, if I see such a movie a second time, particularly on a small screen, I may start groaning as soon as the opening credits stop rolling. Such, I dare say, would I react to the Star Trek movie I just saw, particularly if I saw it again on the small screen.
A friend got me in to see a pre-release screening at Paramount. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie even if the story as as whole just plain didn’t make sense and some of it seemed to contradict what I knew about the original TV series, of which I have seen many an episode, know the names of the crew, but have little knowledge of the trivia and even less of the various characters’ backgrounds.
All that said, this is a big screen movie. And see it on the biggest screen possible. It’s a perfect potato chip movie, as LA Times film critic Kenneth Turan might put it. It’s tasty when it goes down, but lacks nutritional value. It’s what I might call a “movie movie,” pure entertainment. It’s a lot of fun.
As my friend put it when we left, there “wasn’t a boring moment” in the entire flick. It had near perfect pacing. So, head on down to your local multiplex, buy a bucket of popcorn, suspend disbelief and enjoy.
And if you’re a Star Trek fan, e-mail me after you’ve seen it and let me know if it was true to the various characters’ background as portrayed in the TV series. And let me know if you agree with my assessment of the casting of Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk. He seems to have acting skills similar to those of William Shatner, the man who pioneered the role.
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Is that supposed to be a shot at Chris Pine? If so, you should check out some of his other work, first.
As for Trek in general, far too many people have developed some sort of serious-psychosis about, well, the series psychosis…
The original series was, above all, fun, something that the idiot team of Brannon/Braga managed to have forgotten; which is why everything but TNG has been a (relative) bomb.
I just spent some time reading the “pro” reviews at movies.yahoo.com, and everyone but Ebert raved about the film. Considering that the story line related to manliness, courage, leadership, and personal audacity I’m not surprised Mr. Ebert gave it a “thumbs down.” He is generally a very good movie critic, but he has very specific blind spots; usually involving cojones. Especially when this involves Alpha males.
I especially can’t wait to set Karl Urban and Simon Pegg in character.
If anyone else needs a handle on this, try thinking about the “re-imagining” of Battlestar Galactica a few years ago. On the other hand, while the re-imaging worked, the follow-up writing sucked, especially after season 2…
Comment by Casey — May 8, 2009 @ 5:30 am - May 8, 2009
Casey, no, I haven’t seen any of Chris Pine’s work, so I take your point. Maybe he is a good actor, doing an amazing job imitating Shatner’s portrayal of Kirk.
Comment by GayPatriotWest — May 8, 2009 @ 5:43 am - May 8, 2009
Dan-
We went to see it last night at an unexpected Thurs showing. We both LOVED it. Chris Pine was incredible and believable as a young Captain Kirk. I expected Zachary Quinto (Spock) to steal the show, and was pleasantly surprised that Pine came through shoulders above.
This is a definitely MUST-SEE. And one of the few movies in the past 20 years where I plan to see it again.
Comment by GayPatriot — May 8, 2009 @ 6:06 am - May 8, 2009
I’ve read that Chris Pine was trying to emulate some of Shatner’s ‘Kirk-like’ attributes w/o being a charactiture.
Also, I don’t know about professional reviews, but Wil Wheaton liked it. I’ve communicated w/him via e-mail as one gamer to another, and follow him on Twitter. That cinched it for me going to watch it.
I mean it’s no Beowulf….
Comment by The Livewire — May 8, 2009 @ 6:38 am - May 8, 2009
Saw it last night. For the last year and a half I had been preparing myself to hate it…… Came out of the theater thoroughly pleased. I’m not going to give anything away, but I will say that even though it’s a prequel, it never falls into the “Star Wars” trap of trying to explain every little detail of the characters or stick so closely to the original series that you already know whats going to happen at every moment. There is one character who threatens to become a Trekkie Ewok / R2D2 / Jar Jar Binks, but thank GOD it’s never given the time to do so.
The casting is great. Everyone does a fine job here. The guy who plays Dr. McCoy does an outstanding job. For me, the show stealer is Simon Pegg as Scotty. He absolutely NAILS it. Gotta do some push-ups and get ready for work now.
Comment by Sonicfrog — May 8, 2009 @ 9:33 am - May 8, 2009
…. And, no one reverses the polarity, sends anything over a tachion beam, or realigns the dilithium crystals. I mean really, just how many times can you realign the dilithium crystals before you either start getting diminished returns for your efforts, or they simply blow themselves up in frustration for being jiggered with so much!
Comment by Sonicfrog — May 8, 2009 @ 9:59 am - May 8, 2009
Not a Trekkie but love seeing gorgeous men on the screen in good roles (and Chris Pine is a hottie)! I’ll take everyone’s collective word on it and go see it.
I’m also planning on seeing hotter-than-July Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in “X-Men Origins.”
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — May 8, 2009 @ 10:35 am - May 8, 2009
It will take a while for it to come south of the border. I enjoyed the original series and the movies with the original crew. Among my personal collection are Abbott and Costello movies. I have both VHS and dvd´s. I seem to remember in the theatrical release of the movie, Hit The Ice, Sonja Henie, a figure skating champion had a cameo appearance doing a routine, but in the cassette and dvd copies she has been edited out. It makes me wonder if I had dreamed her appearance in the original release.
Comment by Roberto — May 8, 2009 @ 1:03 pm - May 8, 2009
Do they make Sulu gay? I think George Takei would want that. He was hilarious in a guest spot on Psych.
Comment by Ashpenaz — May 8, 2009 @ 1:05 pm - May 8, 2009
Nope Ashpenaz, they didn’t touch on that.
On the Paizo boards It’s been debated to death.
They’d have to retcon Sulu’s daughter though.
Comment by The Livewire — May 8, 2009 @ 2:01 pm - May 8, 2009
Just because an actor is gay doesn’t mean they have to have their character gay as well. After all, isn’t that what “acting” is all about?
Look how many famous TV and film characters were portrayed as straight by gay actors. And vice versa.
Unless you are worried about typecasting, you should just play the part and leave your personal life out of it. That’s probably why a lot of good shows or movies suffered was because of the overlap between actor and character.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — May 8, 2009 @ 4:44 pm - May 8, 2009
Dan, I’m going to see it next weekend. Can’t wait! It will be weird to see “Sylar” as “Spock” though.
Sonic: If this movie does have a Jar Jar type character, I hope he dies a horrible death. Sorry, but I truly despised Jar Jar…
Comment by John — May 8, 2009 @ 5:25 pm - May 8, 2009
…“wasn’t a boring moment” in the entire flick….
Time to remember Star Trek The Motion Picture (1979). I remember waiting for the movie to end. It was a long wait.
Comment by Anon387823 — May 8, 2009 @ 6:35 pm - May 8, 2009
The Jar-Jar threat is there, but it never materializes.
Comment by Sonicfrog — May 8, 2009 @ 8:43 pm - May 8, 2009
[...] has likewise reviewed the Star Trek [...]
Pingback by Moe Lane » Some Friday Night links. — May 9, 2009 @ 12:34 am - May 9, 2009
For GPWest, and anyone else interested, check out Chris Pine in Blind Dating, wherein he plays a blind man who dates his therapist’s new secretary (Anjali Jay), a first-generation daughter of immigrant Indian parents, who still have very strong views about dating inside one’s “race.” The movie echoes My Big Fat Greek Wedding in certain respects. Eddie Kay Thomas plays Chris Pine/Danny’s earthy brother, and Jane Seymour as Danny’s therapist, who demonstrates an embarrassing habit of disrobing during Danny’s sessions.
An occasionally odd, but rather pleasant movie.
If you can’t get enough of chick-flicks, or rom-com, check out Just My Luck, yet another Lindsay Lohan vehicle, wherein Mr. Pine is case opposite Disney’s latest thespian triumph.
Almost forgot, he was also in Smokin Aces, as one of the psychotic Tremor Brothers.
Comment by Casey — May 9, 2009 @ 2:15 am - May 9, 2009
Whoops, did forget a Post Script.
I would like to take a moment to point out that William Shatner had a creditable Broadway career before he was hired for Star Trek, including A Shot In The Dark with Julie Harris and Walter Mattau.
It would seem unfair to focus all the snark on Kirk, when the series itself went downhill pretty much after the middle of the second season, not to mention the terrible third.
Uhura mucked with frequencies, Spock was fascinated, Scotty could keep up with neither the dilithyum crystals nor the engines (“me porr bairns!”), Sulu would look worried, Checkov Russianly sullen, and McCoy could protest he was a “doctor, not a XXX, dammit!” Oh, and Chapel would moon about like a love-sick girl.
Campiest episode? Spock’s Brain, not Shatner’s Delivery.
Comment by Casey — May 9, 2009 @ 2:35 am - May 9, 2009
My apologies. Post-Post-Script.
A few months ago, someone over at Ace of Spades cracked me up when they commented that the two best Star Trek episodes ever made were Galaxy Quest and Master and Commander.
Comment by Casey — May 9, 2009 @ 2:39 am - May 9, 2009
Casey, don’t forget Shatner’s role in the Twilight Zone episode “Gremlins on the Plane.” Classic.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — May 9, 2009 @ 11:49 am - May 9, 2009