No doubt, even the most ardent Trekkie hated the last Star Trek installment ‘Nemesis’ – and the box office proved as much as it was a commercial dude. Which is why it took nearly 7 years to get the JJ Abrams (Mission Impossible III) exhilarating reboot of the Star Trek franchise off the ground; not satisfied with simply retelling the Star Trek tale – Abrams recreates the mythology breathing new, exciting life into characters that have long become icons of pop culture.
A wayward band of Romulans , Trekdoms favorite baddies, with their home planet destroyed by a Super Nova, lead by Nero (Eric Bana) are on time traveling revenge trip seeking the destruction of Vulcan and Earth, whom they blame for the destruction of their planet. This often used time travel trick effectively sets up the reboot of the Star Trek mythos. Their time traveling causes shifts in the past which remake Star Trek history and change the very characters that Trekkies have come to know and love.
Hugely enjoyable – Abrams has remodeled a Star Trek full of character and grit. Each role is perfectly cast – with each actor making the roles their own yet keeping enough of the spirit of the original Star Trek to keep the die-hards happy. Chris Pine is an excellent Kirk, a brash, bold troubled youth in this retelling – where ‘No’ is never an option and defeat is not a word he is familiar with; even as he is being beaten to a pulp by a group of Starfleet Cadets during the introduction of his character. Even more amazing is Karl Urban as Dr. ‘Bones’ McCoy, who has some of the most crowd pleasing lines and channels DeForest Kelly (the original Dr McCoy) flawlessly – yet still making it his own character. Zachary Quinto as Spock is nearly a twin for Leonard Nimoy (who has a major role in this version) and plays the part of an emotional Vulcan well. All of the performances are spot on and enjoyable, the only thing that is missing is the camp that many Trek fans have come to know and love – something that Abrams has thankfully left out of the equation.
This is a beautifully shot film – the ships are gleaming and filled with wondrous technology. The action is fast paced but not overwhelming, Abrams has a true eye for well paced sequences that do not overpower the viewer. Better still; Abrams has made a Star Trek film for the masses – one that does not need to be seen by Trekkies alone. You can safely go enjoy this film as a new fan as well as a die hard fan. This is the first and possibly best summer blast! This is the blockbuster to see – several times even. The Star Trek series has been given a new lease on life and JJ Abrams is its savior! 4 Stars
No comments:
Post a Comment