Star Trek

[RStar]

The wherehouse looks to the sets were the one thing that bothered me as well. It just looked too different than the clean look in TOS (for those unaware, The Original Series). I was a little confused about the distruction on Vulcan. Didn't that go completely outside the realm of the history line already established, or did I miss something?

[Melonballer]

Originally Posted by RStar

I was a little confused about the distruction on Vulcan. Didn't that go completely outside the realm of the history line already established, or did I miss something?

It was supposed to. The movie is set in an alternate universe from the original Star Trek series.

[swanie]

OK...I really liked it. I'm teetering on the L-O-V-E word, but at this point I can say that I'm deeply "in like" with it. I entered the theater completely unspoiled, and for that I was grateful. I agree that the film isn't without it's faults, but overall I found it to be a ton of fun. And unlike the Star Wars prequels, I thought this was a completely worthy addition to the series. It got a hardy round of applause at our showing and regardless of the following gripes, the film still earned two very big thumbs up from the Swanies.

I thought the casting was fantastic, and though I agree that Uhura was my least favorite of the regulars I don't blame that one on the actress. I didn't buy her relationship with Spock at all, and frankly I'd be happy to never see Uhura-Spock loving ever again. I didn't despise the actress, instead my issue was with how the role was written.

I really liked Chris Pine's Kirk. I loved seeing the John Wayne/Capt. Kirk swagger come out once he donned the yellow shirt and walked on the bridge at the end. Kirk has always been a rebel. He's always been mischievous. He's always been a hound dog. He's always had a fair amount of confidence. I have to say that I loved watching his development into officer material during the course of the 2 hours.

For any old Alias fans there...did the big red ball bring back any memories? Mr. Swanie and I both looked at each other with a "you've got to be kidding me" look when it came on screen. J.J. was never able to explain away "the circumference red ball of whatever" during the show's 5 seasons, so I guess this was meant to be some kind of redemption? Regardless of his intent, it certainly gave us a good laugh.

I guess my biggest sticking point with the film is the idea of an alternate reality. In one sense, I see it as a brilliant move to keep the future prequels fresh and interesting. They can play with history of the series and throw us a bone here and there since not everything is bound to change (ie. the ceti eel and Pike, how Bones got his nickname, seeing how Kirk beat the Kobayashi Maru, etc.)...but my big complaint is that they're inevitably going to screw with the series' history too. With the exception of the destruction of Vulcan and could someone please explain to me how 2 Spocks can live side by side without causing the universe to implode somehow (isn't that one of the basic rules of alternate realities...that you're never allowed to meet yourself without suffering some dire conequence?)...I thought it worked reasonably well for this installment. I'd like to reserve my final judgment until prequel #2 comes out. I hope it continues to work, but I could see it sucking too.

And finally for my most minor gripe...I hated having to wait to hear the theme until the end. Once I was in my seat I wanted to hear "the" music and it was cruel and unusual punishment having to wait until the final credits.

[mousepod]

Hated it. I'm going to collect my thoughts and post more later, but yuck.

[JWBear]

Originally Posted by mousepod

Hated it. I'm going to collect my thoughts and post more later, but yuck.

Thank you! I'm not alone! (On LoT, that is. There are a lot of people out there that agree with me.)

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Or, as Onion News perfectly encapsulates it.

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

EXACTLY! Bwahahaha!

Except I didn't find the movie the least bit "fun and watchable". Take the name "Star Trek" off of it and I'd still consider it a terrible movie.

[innerSpaceman]

Really?

To the extent this will become one of those LoVE iT OR hAtE iT movies, with most people on the (correct) side of Loving it ... Star Trek might be destined to become one of my fAVoriTE MoVIEs eVeR.



Just got back from seeing it again, btw. Holds up completely. Might see it again tomorrow. So.Good.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

LOVED IT!!!!

I can't believe they did it. A reboot, an alternate universe, new and old at the same time.

I could easily nitpick things, as JW did (and I have more too) but I found myself laughing them off and enjoying the movie fully anyway, which surprised me greatly. They nailed so much that I love about Trek that the rest seemed unimportant.

My heart was in my throat for much of it...Vulcan! Spock's mom! *sob* Yet instead of getting angry at the writers I found myself involved in this alternate universe deprived of these things.

There were some amazing performances that drew on my deepest Trekkie emotions. There was a lot of nuance hidden in there. Bones was killing me - damn, he was amazing.

At the point where Kirk talks to old Spock in the ice cave, I felt a sharp pain in my chest as I fully grokked the death of the old show. These actors are beyond old, some gone. That era is beyond over. I truly felt a sense of grief while Nimoy told young Kirk of his friendship with him.

But, what this movie signifies is that these characters are defying death. It's a reverse engineered comic book. The show and actors came first - the characters developed later. And now, the characters have jumped out and beyond their origins and have become a mythos onto themselves, open to new interpretations, new adventures.

I laughed and cried and loved it.

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Or, as Onion News perfectly encapsulates it.

EXACTLY! Bwahahaha!

[Alex]

Much I liked a lot. A bit too much I didn't like. And a smidgen of stuff that was just god awful stupid (the two slapstick scenes particularly).

Solid B.

But that is a huge improvement since the last 7 Star Trek movies have probably averaged a D.

[Alex]

(isn't that one of the basic rules of alternate realities...that you're never allowed to meet yourself without suffering some dire conequence?)

I don't think there are "basic rules of alternate realities" though you're right that such a rule is not infrequent in the genre. Don't think it has ever been suggested for Star Trek though (and in reality, to the extent that alternate realities are hypothesized to exist, transfer of information from one to the other is also hypothesized as impossible so the issue can't arise).

Besides, old Spock is no longer the future of the current Spock, he's just another person.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Alex

I don't think there are "basic rules of alternate realities" though you're right that such a rule is not infrequent in the genre. Don't think it has ever been suggested for Star Trek though.

In fact, that was one of the nicely sly bits ... Old Spock explaining to Spock how easy it was to get Kirk to assume the universe would implode if 2 of the same people were to meet in a temporal paradox ... but, no, that's just a wive's tale. Hehehe.