Review: Star Trek

Star Trek

OPENING: 05/08/2009

STUDIO: Paramount

RUN TIME: 127 min

TRAILER: Trailer

ACCOMPLICES: Official Site

SOUNDTRACK:

The Charge
To boldly go where no reboot has gone before!

Opening Statement
I never dreamt I would say this is as a film critic: Star Trek is a masterpiece, destined to go down as the one of the great adventures of all time.

Facts of the Case
Two young men are growing up with a similar destiny, choosing between two paths, one of which will ultimately define them. Half-human, half-Vulcan Spock (Zachary Quinto, Heroes) has learned to mentally lock away emotions in lieu of logic. Though committed to his home planet and his family, he is asked to attend Starfleet Academy on Earth to become a space-travelling officer. Meanwhile, in the fields of Iowa, a reckless, swaggering kid named James Tiberious Kirk (Chris Pine, Just My Luck) is hitting on women, drinking heavily, and getting bruised in bar brawls. When he’s approached by Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood, Thirteen Days) with the truth about his heroic father (and how the unborn Kirk barely survived the attack on the USS Kelvin), he’s given the invitation to tap into his potential by enlisting in Starfleet.

Kirk meets and becomes good friends with Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban, The Bourne Supremacy), a cantankerous medical-officer-to-be who’s not enthusiastic about space travel; sleeps with the green-skinned roommate of Uhura (Zoe Saldana, Guess Who), who is repulsed by his actions; and comes to odds with Spock after “cheating” the Kobayashi Maru scenario. As a result, Kirk is put on academic suspension, while Spock and McCoy are ordered to serve on the USS Enterprise. However, the clever doctor manages to get his friend onboard the ship at the same time Spock’s home planet is being violently attacked by Romulan madman Nero (Eric Bana, Hulk). Piloting a mining ship capable of creating massive black holes, Nero’s intentions are to exact revenge against not only the Vulcans but Spock himself who, 120 years in the future, will attempt to rescue Nero’s homeworld. Now, with Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) lost in the past, he must recruit an old friend to stop Nero’s destructive path.

The Evidence
It’s been only an hour since I left the cinema, and I’m still stunned. Quite simply, producer-director J.J. Abrams (creator of such popular television series as Alias and Lost) has pulled off the impossible. Along with screenwriters Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, he has not only succeeded in rekindling a practically dead franchise, but fueling it with thunder, awe, and compassion. The result is nothing short of a blazing inferno full of edge-of-your-seat adventure, white-knuckle thrills, and a genuine sense of wonder and excitement. And this is coming from someone who’s never been a “Trekkie.”

Over the course of two hours and six minutes, we see creator Gene Roddenberry’s vision enhanced and amped up, but still respected at every angle. There is a fine line being walked here, between satisfying the most staunch Trek purists and those who’ve never given a Klingon’s ass about the canon. In other words, there are a substantial number of winks and insider references, but they aren’t done in a way which would intimidate or scare off newcomers. Practically every previous Star Trek film was grounded in the overused universe of photon torpedoes and phasers on stun. They would expand upon themes and characterizations introduced in the series, which may have kept fans entertained but left everyone else out in the cold, shaking their heads in disbelief at the cult following. This new Trek should change all that, since this reboot/prequel has been specifically designed to appeal to a much wider audience. We’re talking the size of say, Star Wars or James Bond. It may not achieve that goal, but it comes close.

When Roddenberry passed away in 1991, Trek‘s popularity was arguably at its peak, thanks to the theatrical films and The Next Generation television series. Soon, however, the facade would fracture to a paralyzing point. Whether the damage had begun with the Next Gen movies or the TV series to follow, it was clear Trek fandom was waning to the point of Red Alert. With the cancellation of Enterprise (the fifth show of the franchise) and Paramount selling off all their Trek models and memorabilia, the party seemed to be over. When this “reboot” was first announced, some Trekkies got fired up, expressing their belief that Trek should be moving forward, not backward. Since Paramount tried both routes and failed, something had to be done, if the series was to continue exploring strange new worlds.

The first step was mending and polishing up this tired, scarred universe. The second was utilizing visual effects which were light years beyond what had been previously seen. Abrams’ world has the spirit and sensibilities of Roddenberry, with a shot of much-needed, heart-pumping adrenaline. The action is fast and furious. The space battles are eye-popping and exhilirating. The technology is still advanced but also feels transitional from our time. The comedy is hip and lively, never compromising the emotional drama. And even a romantic angle is brilliantly included. Best of all, the tics, tricks, and mannerisms of these beloved characters are familiar, but never slide into cringing imitations. Once we meet Kirk, as a boy cruising wildly (to a Beastie Boys song!) in the fields of Iowa, we accept him as Kirk. When we meet Spock, not letting his emotions compromise his way of thinking, we know he’s Spock. As soon as McCoy emphasizes how he’s a doctor and nothing else, he and the rest of the crew fall into place the same way. The trinity may merely be in their development stage, but it solidifies the origins of how they come together and will eventually grow.

Those who are still skeptical about the director’s casting choices should be relieved once they leave the theater. It’s a tough call as to who among them stands out the most, but it would be almost unfair to do so, as each character is given an equal chance to introduce themselves to audiences. To start, Chris Pine exquisitely channels Kirk’s arrogance and risk fetish, becoming even more compelling and layered than William Shatner was in the very first episodes of the ’60s series. Strongly matching him is Quinto, who’s impressive in his feature debut as the green-blooded, pointy-eared Vulcan. His intrepration is perhaps the most reverent and courteous. Saldana, never better, is set to become a memorable, sensual Uhura, hopefully never to be dumbed down by fan dances. Arguably the most delightful is Simon Pegg (Shaun Of The Dead) as “beam-me-up” Scotty, whose liveliness is infectious to the point of serenity. Rounding out the roster is John (Harold & Kumar) Cho’s riviting Hikaro Sulu, Anton (Charlie Bartlett) Yelchin’s realistically green Pavel Chekov, and a tender turn by the actress who plays Spock’s mother, who I shall leave to the viewer as a surprise.

Yet, Star Trek‘s most notable accomplishment is miraculously going back to its roots, without entirely dismissing the established history. This is an alternate universe, to be sure, but one which fits inside a 40-year-old glove carefully and comfortably. The amount of research Abrams & Co. did is noticeable in every frame, yeilding storytelling at its most organic. The film earns its thrills, unlike others which are more concerned about blowing stuff up. Star Trek mixes intelligence and action in a startlingly fresh way, even though motifs and quirks can be recognized from the franchise all the way back to Horatio Hornblower, which served as a major inspiration to Roddenberry’s sci-fi spectacle. Abrams achieves the same spectacle, but turns it into an unforgettable juggernaut, with a dramatic power reminiscient of the operatic 2001: A Space Odyssey. The difference being the narrative is continuosly at warp speed, never letting up for a single second. And this is exactly why Star Trek will attract freshman audiences, the ones who could care less what a Vulcan or a Romulan is, but will remain transfixed anyway at a glorious entertainment package which will garner universal acceptance.

Closing Statement
Make sure your local theater is equipped with seatbelts. This is surely one Summer blockbuster that demands repeated rides. Terminator and Transformers will surely try their best, but it’s going to take more than just crushed metal to blast down this sensational, souped-up Enterprise. As Scotty jovially announces after a key dramatic moment, “I like this ship! This is exciting!”

The Verdict
10/10

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