Posted by
Emmett of the Unblinking Eye on Friday, May 08, 2009 11:36:12 AM
There is something slightly audacious about calling the 11th film in the Star Trek franchise “Star Trek”. Not “Star Trek: The Early Years” or “Star Trek: The Beginning”, just “Star Trek”, as though it was to be the standard against which all of the others would be measured. But when you are as successful as producer/director J.J. Abrams has been, perhaps it was justified. And as it turns out, it is.
“Star Trek” is simply the best Star Trek movie since “Wrath of Kahn”. Although there was every opportunity to mess it up, Abrams and crew didn’t. They have managed to capture the spirt, action and (most importantly) the humor of the TV series. The cast is uniformly excellent, with Chris Pine (Bottle Shock, Smokin’Aces), Zachary Quinto (Syler of “Heroes”) and, in particular, Simon Pegg as Scotty all particularly noteworthy.
But there are quibbles. The movie tends to lose a little focus at the end, and there will be those who will gripe mightily about the liberties taken with the holy ‘Star Trek” history and universe. Although they try their best to explain it by the old “going into the past alters the future” chestnut, it’s still a little nagging.
But for someone like me, who spent many a Friday night (when no girl would have anything to do with me) watching the original Star Trek in Walker Hall at Pomona College, “Star Trek” reminds me of how much I liked the old show, and why.
So go see it. If you’re even a little familiar with the original Star Wars, you’re in for a treat.