Star Trek Movie Reviews, Part III: The Good to Excellent Tier

The next tier in the Star Trek film franchise are the movies that are either good or excellent. These are the ones that succeed on most levels and are close to being in the top tier of classic Trek.

 

6.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Following up a strong entry into any series is a daunting task, especially when said entry is The Wrath of Khan. But The Search for Spock manages to hold its own quite well, featuring William Shatner's best performance in the series. Spock's resurrection is a bit of a stretch, pushing the realm of Fantasy more than Sci-Fi, but it does work. The most exciting sequence is the theft of the Enterprise while the all-too-brief space battle against the Klingons doesn't hold up to the standard set by The Wrath of Khan.

What holds The Search for Spock back, though, is its rather lackluster villain and  its rather predictable outcome especially since the title tells you everything you need to know about the plot of the movie. With a title like The Search for Spock, there's only one way this movie can end! It's also unfortunate that Kirstie Alley did not hold over in the role of Saavik as Robin Curtis is rather bland. Overall though, The Search for Spock is a solid entry into the Star Trek franchise. Full review

Story: 1.5 / 2

Characterization: 1.5 / 2

Acting: 1.5 / 2

Entertainment: 1.5 / 2

Music: .75 / 1

Visuals: 1 / 1

7.75 / 10

5

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Leonard Nimoy's second spin in the director's chair gives us Star Trek's funniest and lightest entry. This fish-out-of-water tale (no pun intended) sees the Enterprise crew in 1986 San Francisco trying to find a pair of humpback whales to save 23rd century Earth. Yes, the story is really that absurd but it's the focus on the crew fumbling around in the past that makes it work. It features some of the cast's finest, most laid back performances. The writing is excellent, bringing fresh and witty dialogue to the whole affair, particularly in the 20th century scenes (reportedly, Nicholas Meyer's biggest contribution to the script). It's one of the franchise's strongest entries. Full review

Story: 1.25 / 2

Characterization: 2 / 2

Acting: 2 / 2

Entertainment: 2 / 2

Music: .5 / 1

Visuals: 1 / 1

8.75 / 10

Tie-3

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

The return of Nicholas Meyer sees the Star Trek film franchise back in form (after the wreck of Star Trek 5) just in time for its 25th anniversary. The cast delivers strong performances for their swan song in a story that's a fitting farewell. The fall of the Klingon Empire is a remarkable parallel to the fall of the Soviet Union which happened not long after the movie was made, especially since the Klingons symbolized the Soviets in the 60s TV series. Cliff Eidelman's brooding and dark score is the series' most unique and the visual effects were the best up to that point, particularly in the climactic battle.

And of course, who can't forgo mentioning Christopher Plummer's mesmerizing turn as General Chang, the one-eyed Shakespeare quoting Klingon who is one of Star Trek's best villains. Nicholas Meyer doesn't ease the film's pace, constantly moving things briskly forward and setting a tone that's quite different from any other entry in the franchise. The biggest gripe that I have is that there are some small plot holes which allow things to fall conveniently into place, but this is very minor. The ending is perfect as the original Star Trek crew is allowed to sail off into the sunset. Full review

Story: 1.5 / 2

Characterization: 1.75 / 2

Acting: 2 / 2

Entertainment: 1.75/ 2

Music: 1 / 1

Visuals: 1 / 1

9.0 / 10

Tie-3

Star Trek

Taking the helm of the floundering franchise, JJ Abrams brings the fun and adventure back in this fast-paced, thrilling entry that successfully reboots the series while acknowledging what's come before it. The most daunting task for this film would be the casting, bringing young actors into some of Science-Fiction's most iconic roles. All around, they nailed it. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are excellent as young Kirk and Spock, making the roles their own. The rest of the cast is also great, particularly Karl Urban in a take that is a wonderful tribute to the late-DeForest Kelley. It's also great to see Leonard Nimoy return as Spock from the future for the first time in nearly 20 years.

The story presses forward with a sense of urgency, never really letting up until the final third of the movie. Unfortunately, that's when the script does make some big leaps of logic to make things work (Kirk coincidently runs into old Spock's cave which is within walking distance from Scotty) but you're so caught up in the fun of it all that you hardly notice. The finale is strong but doesn't measure up against the action in the middle part of the film, particularly the exhilarating space dive. Yet as the crew falls into place at the end and takes their place at the helm of the Enterprise, you can't wait for the next mission to begin. It's a very strong entry yet you can't help but feel like JJ Abrams has yet to bring the best. Full review

Story: 1.5 / 2

Characterization: 1.5 / 2

Acting: 2 / 2

Entertainment: 2 / 2

Music: 1 / 1

Visuals: 1 / 1

9.0 / 10

The Music of Star Trek, Part II

8. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock / James Horner
James Horner's second offering to the Star Trek franchise is solid but not as successful as his first. Maintaining continuity between the two pictures, Horner gives more prominent focus to his secondary theme from The Wrath of Khan, giving it it's best rendition in the sweepingly beautiful Prologue and Main Title. His theme for the Klingons isn't very successful, consisting mostly of a lot of banging and clanging in the percussion section. The score's best moments come during the theft of the Enterprise sequence and as the crew returns in their stolen Klingon bird-of-prey to Vulcan. It's a good score that falls into the middle of the batch amongst the excellent music consisting of the Star Trek film franchise.

Highlights: 1. Prologue and Main Title / 6. Stealing the Enterprise / 12. Genesis Destroyed / 13. Returning to Vulcan / 15. End Titles

 1/2

7. Star Trek: Insurrection / Jerry Goldsmith
For Insurrection Jerry Goldsmith presents a gentle theme to represent the Ba'Ku people and some of the franchise's finest action music. Despite this, he never seems to really receive the opportunity to let his music shine the way he does with his other scores. That's not through any fault of his own as Insurrection plays more like a two-part episode than a feature film (see my May 2009 review). For what he's given, though, Goldsmith delivers.

Highlights: 1. Main Title and The Ba'Ku Village / 4. In Custody / 8. A Few Loose Ends / 10. New Sight / 13. Insurrection / 14. Not Functioning / 19. The Drones Attack / 20. The Riker Maneuver



6. Star Trek / Michael Giacchino
Following JJ Abrams' leads, Michael Giacchino takes the music of Star Trek in a much different dirrection than the rest of the franchise. He presents three very strong themes for Kirk, Spock and the villain Nero with Kirk's theme being the most prominent. Having said that, it feels like Kirk's theme (as heard in the cue Enterprise Young Men) should've been more. The action music is very exciting though similar to Giacchino's previous works. Overall, it's a solid score though there seems to be more style than substance here.

A big gripe that I have though (without holding it against Giacchino's music itself) is the mixing of the orchestra. For whatever reason, there is very little reverb in the mix, giving the orchestra a very dry sound. Hopefully Giacchino rectifies this technique in future scores.

Highlights: 4. Nailin' the Kelvin / 5. Labor of Love / 8. One Proud Mother / 14. Enterprising Young Men / 19. Chutes and Matter / 30. Nice to Meld You / 32. I Gotta Beam Me / 36. Trekking Down the Narada / 39. Nero Death Experience / 43. That New Car Smell / 45. End Credits

$80 Million and Counting

Star Trek's finally been released. And not only do I find it be an absolutely spectacular movie, apparently so do a lot of other people. As of this morning, Star Trek's rating on RottenTomatoes was at 95%, with 226 positive reviews, and only 11 negative reviews. This makes it probably one of the most well reviewed movies I've ever seen on the website. While Metacritic.com lists it at 83% based on 37 reviews, that's still considered "Universal Acclaim" by that website.

So it's been well reviewed, and I wouldn't be surprised to see some technical acknowledgment by the Academy Awards next year, but does that translate to financial success? The answer is yes!

As of Monday night, from pre-midnight screenings on Thursday night through the end of the weekend, Star Trek has brought in $79.2 million! This is extraordinary for a Star Trek movie, considering the most successful opening weekend any Trek movie has had was First Contact's $30.7 million in 1996. Star Trek smashed that, and in its first weekend has already grossed more then Nemesis ($43.4mil), The Final Frontier ($52.2mil), Insurrection ($70.2mil), The Undiscovered Country ($74.9mil), Generations ($75.7mil), The Search for Spock ($76.5mil), and The Wrath of Khan ($78.9mil). It will more then likely become the biggest success of any Star Trek movie, considering the highest grossing film was The Voyage Home, at $109.7 million.

I encourage everyone to not only see it, but feel free to share your thoughts and feelings by commenting under my review of the film, and vote on my poll on what you feel is your favorite Star Trek movie! I have to be honest, I haven't yet voted because I'm waiting to take Maggie to see it so that I can get a better feel of how well it holds up on second viewing before I decide on what I feel my favorite film is. But I encourage you to vote on it! And if you can, see it in IMAX! Josh and I saw it in IMAX and it was quite an experience! That is the only way to see a movie! The picture was perfect and the sound was crystal clear! It was awesome!

All I can say is bring on the sequel!

Review: Star Trek

Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Produced by: J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof
Written by: Robert Orci & Alex Kurtzman
Executive Producers: Bryan Burk, Jeffre Chernov, Alex Kurtzman & Robert Orci
Cinematography by: Daniel Mindel
Edited by: Maryann Brandon & Mary Jo Markey
Production Designed by: Scott Chambliss
Costumes by: Michael Kaplan
Music by: Michhael Giacchino

Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Winona Ryder, Eric Bana, Leonard Nimoy

2009 / 126min / Rated PG-13 (for sci-fi action and violence, and brief sexual content)

Young James T. Kirk and Spock must overcome their own personal differences to battle a vengeful Romulan from the future who is bent on the destruction of the Federation.

If you want to make a prequel that not only successfully reboots a classic franchise but also honors that same franchise, this is the movie to look at. JJ Abrams' vision for the 23rd century changes everything we know about the universe of Star Trek (yet stays the same) and manages to tell a thrilling, epic adventure story.

As a long-time Trek fan, I had my reservations about this movie and what it was setting out to do. It's hard to craft a prequel where you feel suspense because you know how things will turn out in the end. That's not the case here, as writers Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman deliver a story with enough twists and turns that you quickly realize that this Star Trek universe is different from the one we've known for the last 43 years. With the shocks that take place here, you know that anything can happen. There are some real gutsy changes made to the Star Trek universe, but that's okay, because they're told with so much confidence and conviction that you believe in them and want to know where they're taking them.

There is so much to praise about this movie that it's hard to find a place to begin. Might as well start with the script. Orci and Kurtzman's script is smart. It's one of the first movies in a long time where I can remember not feeling like a scene or a line was wasted. Everything that takes place on screen is relevant. Nothing is filler, it all matters and plays a part in the bigger picture. The dialog is fresh and witty, yet familiar. Orci and Kurtzman brilliantly found the voices for each of these characters, as though they were involved in the original series themselves. At the same time, they manage to weave in trademark phrases from the series that would normally be eye-rolling, yet in the context in which they're used, they work. A fun little bit is the nice homage that is paid to the series red shirts with this movie's own red shirt character (you'll know him when you see him), and his outcome is quite fitting and somewhat amusing.

Their screenplay has all the perfect elements that make a great Star Trek movie. A great villain, plenty of action and adventure, thrills and excitement, an unexpected romance, and plenty of humor. In fact, this is easily the funniest Star Trek movie I've ever seen, even funnier then, yes, The Voyage Home.

My one issue with the script is how neatly everyone falls into place by the end of the movie. While it strains credibility, the nature of the movie and just how fun a ride it is makes it easy to forgive this minor nitpick.

The special effects are amazing. From the get go, this movie's visual design is amazing. These are the bests effects I've seen in a long time. The look and sound of this new universe is absolutely incredible and it sweeps you up in the atmosphere that is trying to be established. I was sold on the look of the Enterprise. This ship looks beautiful and its glory shots are quite a sight to behold. And the interiors of the ship are magnificent, from the bridge to the transporter room, corridors, sickbay. Even the inner workings of the ship in the engineering section, while different, were quite good and fit in. This is a grittier, more worn-looking universe, much along the lines of Star Wars, but it's a welcome change.

Michael Giacchino's score is top notch, with a brilliant theme that is so flexible it can be used in many different ways, from romantic, suspenseful to heroic. His score for the action is some of the most pulse-pounding action music I've heard in a while. His score is never distracting or overpowering. It completely enhances the film.

The pace never lets up. JJ Abrams' direction grabs you from the very beginning and never lets go until the very end. The pace is so good, the story so engaging, that the two hour running time flew by. I didn't want this adventure to end, I wanted more! Abrams knows how to grab an audience's attention, and he does with one of the most engaging sequences I've seen in any Star Trek movie. The first ten minutes are so thrilling, powerful and poignant that I had a lump in my throat by the time the main titles appeared onscreen.

One of my biggest worries was in the casting of this movie. For anyone else who is worried, worry no more. They could not have casted this movie any better. All the supporting players from Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Simon Pegg as Scotty, John Cho as Sulu, and Anton Yelchin as Chekov have completely embodied these characters. The make you forget that there was someone else in these roles before them. Saldana really standsout as her take on Uhura is greatly improved over Nichelle Nichols', having been given a more significant role. Simon Pegg is hilarious as Scotty.

Karl Urban holds very true to DeForest Kelley's interpretation of Dr. McCoy, but he nevers veers into parody. Urban is hilarious and while he didn't get as much screen time as I would have liked, he makes the most of the time that he has and becomes this classic character.

Eric Bana does not have a lot of screen time as villain Nero, but he is absolutely brilliant. Filled with menace and power, Bana pulls you right in. He might not be Star Trek's best villain, or even the most dangerous, but he is the perfect villain to test out this freshman crew. Bana does a magnificent job.

Bruce Greenwood brings a sense of credibility to the movie. Greenwood's Christopher Pike is strong and very fatherly, and Greenwood's performance in his limited screen time is quite good.

It's great to see Leonard Nimoy back as Spock in an extended cameo. I must say that his performance is quite good. I had forgotten that Nimoy was in the movie until he first appears on screen, mainly because the movie was so good and so engaging that I thought of nothing else. So when Nimoy first appears on screen, it's quite a thrill and helps to tie this new Trek into old Trek.

Now on to the two standouts; Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. This is their movie, and their performances would make it or break it. They make it. Quinto is very true to Nimoy's performance as Spock, and it must have been quite intimidating to share the scene with the originator of the role, but Quinto nails it. He not only manages to hold true to the original Nimoy performance, but he is able to bring something new to the table that adds a great depth and humanity to the character.

Chris Pine will probably rise to stardom from this role. He is James T. Kirk, to the point that you forget completely about William Shatner. Pine could easily have fallen into an impersonation William Shatner that would've made this seem like an SNL sketch, but he doesn't. Pine embodies Kirk, nailing the arrogant swagger, the cockiness and confidence, while giving him a lot of depth that not even Shatner could give until the movies. I totally bought Chris Pine as James T. Kirk, and when he finally appears as the captain of the Enterprise, you can't help but smile because you know you're watching an old childhood hero take to his rightful place.

Despite what the previews may say, Star Trek is not filled with as much action as you would think. Yes, the action is plenty, but this isn't an action flick. It's a buddy movie, with the attention always on the relationship between Kirk and Spock. Star Trek is a movie not driven by plot or action. It's driven by the characters, and that's incredibly important. The characters make the decisions on where this story goes. Much credit must be given to JJ Abrams would could easily have focused entirely on the spectacle, but he keeps the focus very personal. Watching the relationship between Kirk and Spock grow from disdain and anger is quite a lot of fun to watch, and you see the beginnings of what would become one of television's most endearing friendships.

The foundations for these characters is perfectly laid out without missing a beat. They are established as the movie flies on by without slowing it down. That's great character development; when the development takes place without interrupting the story. These characters grow from the events of the story, while at the same time driving it forward. The writing is brilliant, and JJ Abrams' direction is perfect. I look forward to their plans for these characters in the future. The groundwork has been done, now its time for JJ Abrams and company to play. George Lucas needs to take notes; this is what the Star Wars prequels should have been like.

I mentioned earlier there are big changes made. It's easy to see how many Star Trek fans are going to have problems with this movie because of these changes. But the thing they need to realize that this is a new Star Trek for a new time, and it needs to be different. One of the problems Star Trek suffered from in the past was that it was constrained by the universe it had created. The filmmakers made a wise decision in wiping the slate clean to explore new realms of story telling, but they did it in such a way that while they have created an alternate Star Trek universe, it is built from the universe that was already established. It's too bad many Star Trek fans are going to ignore this attempt, because it's one of the ways that JJ Abrams and company really tried to honor what has come before.

Star Trek is filled with spectacular special effects, breathtaking special effects, a beautiful musical score, perfect casting, and lots of thrills, chills and emotion that one can't help but be found breathless and smiling with glee when it's all over. This is both the most energetic Star Trek movie I've ever seen, as well as one of the most energetic and fun movies I've ever seen period. It's quite a ride! The characters are always the focus, and it makes for a wonderfully delightful movie experience that I can't wait to experience again and again. This could easily be one of the best Star Trek movies, if not the best. Only time will tell. In the meantime, it's a new Star Trek for a new age, and I've been beamed aboard this adventure.

Star Trek is back!

Star Trek: The Mandatory Upcoming Premiere Post (the 1st one, anyway)

Before today, I have made 30 posts since starting this blog almost a year ago, 31 if you count today's post. Of those prior 30, five have been in regards to Star Trek, and three of those have been about the upcoming movie due to hit theaters May 8th (see local listings for showtimes). Make this post 31, six about Star Trek, and four about the movie!

As anyone can tell, I am quite excited about the upcoming movie. After the letdown that was 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis (good in concept, so-so in execution) and the huge disappointment that was Star Trek: Enterprise (canceled after only four seasons on TV), I was beginning to wonder whether or not Star Trek could be truly great again.

When it was announced in mid-2006 that J.J. Abrams (the genius behind Alias, Lost and the director of the recent Mission: Impossible movie) would be producing and subsequently directing, there was a glimmer of hope. Along with him he brought Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci, writers from his previous projects and the ones who also scrippted M:i:III. Abrams' team consisted of a good mix of longtime Trek fans, casual Trek fans, and people who didn't know a whole lot about it. This meant insight from people who not only knew what Trek fans liked, but also who would know what it would take for Star Trek to appeal to the casual moviegoer.

Star Trek has spent too much time being the "poor Sci-Fi cousin" (so-to-speak) of Star Wars. With seven trips to the big screen (I unfortunately include the dreaded animated flick from last summer), Star Wars has made roughyl $1.9 billion in box office receipts! Its highest grossing movie was 1999's Episode I: The Phantom Menace, which brought in $431.1 million! Each of Star Wars' installments has had an average income of $274.0 million in the box office!

And Star Trek? The franchise has taken ten trips to the silver screen since 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture, with a grand total of $755.6 million in box office totals. Trek's most successful film was 1986's Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (the one with the whales, for those who aren't completely familiar with the franchise) which brought in $109.7 million, and remains to-date the first and only Star Trek movie to bring in over $100 million in the box office. The closest any other film came was 1996's First Contact (the one with the time traveling Borg) and that reached $92 million. The average Star Trek film has made $75.6 million.

The last figures for the new Star Trek (no subtitle) movie placed the budget somewhere near $130 million, and that doesn't include the big marketing plan Paramount is putting behind this movie. Paramount must like what they see if they put this much money behind it. Then again, I remember hearing great things about the last flick and look where that ended up: Number 2 opening weekend ($18.5 million) behind a Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy and a box office intake of $43.3 million.

What's the difference?

Star Trek has been Paramount's "golden cow", so to speak. It's been around since 1966, one of the longest running film and television franchises there is. Paramount can't allow it to die, what franchise does that leave them? So in an attempt to jump-start the franchise, J.J. Abrams was called upon and the decision was made to go back to the beginning. Star Trek is the origin story of Kirk and Spock and how they came to be aboard the Enterprise. Paramount is banking on the success of recent origin story/reboots like Batman Begins and Casino Royale to be duplicated with Star Trek.

It's an awfully big risk to take, because if you look for people who played Batman before Christian Bale, you'll find Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and George Clooney. If you look for people who played James Bond before Daniel Craig, you'll discover Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan. If you look at who played James Kirk before Chris Pine, you'll discover William Shatner.

That's a big difference. This is the first time in the 43-year history of the Star Trek franchise that the original characters have been recast. Star Trek fans are well-known for being extremely touchy, sensitive and very picky about their Star Trek. Why do you think the franchise has lost so much of its fanbase over the last 15 years? Because it became fragmented because you had those who preferred the original series, TNG, DS9, Voyager or Enterprise. There are fans who loved DS9 but hate Voyager, and vice-versa. There are fans who love Enterprise but hate the original series. There are fans of the original series who want this movie to fail because William Shatner's not playing Captain Kirk!

J.J. Abrams and Paramount Pictures are taking a huge risk in taking the franchise in this direction. To be honest, I don't care who plays Jim Kirk as long as they are convincing and don't make me pine (pardon the pun) for the days of Shatner as Kirk. In an attempt to try to link this new vision of Star Trek to the original, Leonard Nimoy returns as an older version of Spock. And if Leonard Nimoy's involved (remember he walked away from doing Star Trek: Generations because the script wasn't good enough) then there must be promise, right?

My big question is, what does Star Trek need to not only be fresh and original again, but to also be appealing enough to be successful?

Paramount has kicked their marketing campaign into full drive, because I have read a remarkable story about the "premiere" of the movie.

According to TrekMovie.com, tonight fans in Austin, TX were actually shown the entire new Star Trek movie instead of The Wrath of Khan and a 10 minute preview of new footage (a secret US premiere hours ahead of the gala world premiere in Sydney, Australia).

Two minutes in to the showing of Star Trek II, the film appeared to have ‘melted' and Star Trek star Leonard Nimoy came out in front of the audience holding a film can.

Nimoy asked them "wouldn't you rather see the new movie?" And apparently the crowd went wild. Nimoy stayed for the entire screening as did Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof.

The full report (including photos of the event and various reviews) can be found at TrekMovie.

Talk about a surprise! And reviews are starting to come out as well!

From the Hollywood Reporter:

Putting a much-loved but over-the-hill vehicle back in shape takes more than a new battery and a lick of paint. It demands a full-bore refit, and that's exactly what J.J. Abrams has given "Star Trek."

Paced at warp speed with spectacular action sequences rendered brilliantly and with a cast so expert that all the familiar characters are instantly identifiable, the film gives Paramount Pictures a new lease of life on its franchise.

The full review can be found here.

Lewis Bazley for the In the News UK

Remakes, reboots, reimaginings - whatever you want to call return visits to oft-explored franchise, JJ Abrams' take on Star Trek is hardly a journey into the final frontier. Yet in handing the Lost creator the reins to overhaul a landmark, 40-year-old TV series with ten film spin-offs, Paramount Studios have not just kicked off an inevitably lucrative new movie saga, but also managed to give a much-parodied source new life and devotees. Abrams has more than proved his dramatic and comedic credentials in the likes of Felicity, Alias and - before it went a bit mad - Lost and revealed a surprising talent for action direction in 2006's Mission: Impossible III but in Star Trek, he is now confirmed as the one of the most talented filmmakers of his generation. The pulse-raising, balls-to-the-wall action filmmaking on show here shows he is able to breathe new life into a potentially stagnant source, to find humanity in a profoundly absurd situation and to satisfy the fanboys while attracting new converts.

Nick Curtis for the Evening Standard

Abrams's version of Gene Roddenberry's idealistic space western isn't perfect. But it is confident, clever and above all spectacular enough to please die-hard fans and newcomers alike.

Debra Craine for The Times

Just when you thought that the Star Trek phenomenon had truly run its course, along comes J. J. Abrams's stunning prequel to resuscitate the most enduring franchise in sci-fi history. The past five decades have produced five television series and ten films - not all of them successful - so veteran Trekkers had no right to expect such a dazzling and beautiful rebirth.

Kev Geoghegan for the BBC

Star Trek is a decent film that does exactly what it says on the tin. It's big, flashy and action packed with impressive special effects. Kids will enjoy it and the snappy dialogue provides enough laughs for mum and dad.

Chris Tookey for the Daily Mail

J.J. Abrams had come up with a tremendous idea, inspired no doubt by the success of Batman Begins and Casino Royale, both of which had reinvigorated tired franchises by recasting and going back to basics.

The result is not only by far the best of the 11 Star Trek movies, it must rank as the outstanding prequel of all time.

So far every review is gushing positive about this movie. For a fan who was worried about whether this would be good (after all, the same writers behind this script wrote 2007's Transformers, a movie I really didn't like), this is excellent news. And considering I've read multiple reviews stating how this movie is what the Star Wars prequels should've been, that's saying something!

But will it be enough? In order to be a success, Star Trek not only needs that big opening weekend, it's going to need staying power, and it's going to have some stiff competition this summer.

May 1: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
May 15: Angels & Demons
May 21: Terminator: Salvation
May 22: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
June 24: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
July 1: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
July 15: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Aug. 7: G.I. Joe

And somewhere in there is Pixar's latest, Up.

So despite the nothing-but-good reviews Star Trek is getting, will it be enough to be a success and keep the franchise alive?



Just a quick aside, Paramount commissioned a script for a sequel two weeks ago, so I guess they're banking on big success, but only time will tell. Opening weekend is still two weeks away.

Star Trek Super Bowl Commercial

While watching the Super Bowl the other night (and it was a very exciting 4th quarter, I might add), this commercial aired. Of course, everyone knows that I probably cannot help but post it online for all to see!

The Return of Star Trek

Anton Yelchin, Chris Pine, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, John Cho and Zoe Saldana star as the new incarnations of Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Scotty, Chekov, Sulu and Uhura in the new J.J. Abrams Star Trek.

Most people who know me know that I have been and always shall be a Star Trek fan. For as long as I can remember, I have loved Star Trek. I grew up watching first-run episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation ever since I lived in St. Mary's, where I also remember watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture for the first time and loving it so much I wanted to watch again! Of course, little did I know that it was two-and-a-half hour movie!

I have so many memories of loving Star Trek, from seeing Star Trek V in the movie theater (today, I cringe at how bad it was) to seeing the best cliffhanger of all-time at the end of Best of Both Worlds TNG's season 3 ender ("Mr. Worf...fire!" is all I can say)! I've seen every movie since The Final Frontier (the 5th) in the movie theater. Star Trek helped flourish my young imagination and gave me the desire to write my own little Star Trek stories! I have countless Trek novels and comic books, still have a number of my action figures, and own 9 of the 10 movies and four seasons of Deep Space 9 on DVD.

I've seen Star Trek during its glory days and I've seen its unfortunate decline during the late-90s. Say what you will about what contributed to Star Trek's fall from grace. Many fans blame it on producer Rick Berman for just running out of ideas. Can you blame him? He was associated with Star Trek from its re-introduction to television in 1987 all the way to May 2005! Can't you blame him for being creatively bankrupt?

For me Star Trek topped out with the 8th film and my personal favorite Star Trek: First Contact in 1996 and the final three seasons of Deep Space 9 which finished in May 1999. I admit that Voyager was entertaining for me during its 7-year run, but I have a hard time watching most rerun episodes, and while Star Trek: Enterprise had promise and potential, it was evident that Star Trek in today's society was not what it used to be. Star Trek didn't have the appeal that it used to, and it showed not only in the ratings for Enterprise, but also Star Trek: Nemesis's (2002) box office intake of $43 million!

When it was announced in February 2005 that Enterprise would be ending that May and Star Trek would be taking a break, I felt that it was necessary. Not only did it need a break, it needed fresh hands to direct it. How quickly things moved because in early- to mid-2006 it was announced that J.J. Abrams would be producing a new Star Trek movie!

While it's been going through the various stages of production since then, they finished filming in the spring and the new film is set to be released in May 2009. J.J. Abrams has run a pretty tight ship, keeping leaks and information to a minimum. In fact, many members of the cast have joked at the secrecy involved in the production!

While not much is known about the film, it is well-known by now that this is an origin story of the original crew of the Enterprise. While many fans are cautious, there is much excitement in knowing that Abrams and his team of writers are huge Trek fans and the biggest vote of confidence comes from one of its stars: Leonard Nimoy. While the characters have been recast and the look has been updated, Leonard Nimoy has agreed to come out of retirement to play an older Mr. Spock because he loved the script! For those of you who do not know, Leonard Nimoy was offered the chance to direct 1994's Star Trek: Generations but turned it down because he felt it was too weak and pointed out many of the script's flaws. For many fans, Nimoy knows what is good for Trek, especially since he is the only member of the very original cast (I mean, the first pilot pre-Shatner) to survivor into what we all know now as Star Trek.

In the last couple of days, the first photos have arisen of the new crew and various shots of the new bridge set. I can't help but feel kind of giddy at what I am seeing and I'm very excited about the possibilities for this new film! My one disappointment? So far there are no images of the new look for the Enterprise! Ah well...guess I'll just have to wait for the trailer attached to Quantum of Solace, the new Bond flick!

Don't be surprised to hear a lot from me on Star Trek over the next nine months while I wait for opening day!



Zachary Quinto is the younger Spock.









The bridge of the original U.S.S. Enterprise has never looked better!