Star Trek?
 

Has anyone seen the new Star Trek film?

Possible spoiler alert .. do not continue if you hadn't seen the movie!




I saw it, was impressed with the special effects, thought there was too much glare in the scenes, felt the bridge was too crowded, thought the acting was okay, liked the scenes of Iowa, especially the arcologies. Didn't agree with the story, though. Felt it was just designed to generate a sensational buzz, not in keeping with continuity for the rest of the series. Now the series like TNG, DS9, VOY, all that exists in an alternate timeline. That implies that the TOS will be remade, not just a "reboot".

Thinking about this this morning, I wonder why so many things now days are being re-invisioned instead of improved or moving forward? My favorite anime Robotech, Dr Who, Star Wars with the Force (instead of an energy field, it's the midichlorians), GI JOE with ROC, now Star Trek.

Anyway, being one who likes Star Trek, and loves the intellectual aspects of it, loved the Motion Picture and the concept of a machine becoming alive, this movie didn't do me well. Oh I really liked the FX, no problem with the acting, all in all it was good, and it achieved it's mission to generate interest, but I feel that's all it did.. generate a buzz at the cost of continuity.

So I have mixed feelings about it.

I've been reading the reviews and they say that JJ Abrams wanted to create a franchise that'll work for the next 10 years. So he tweaked a lot of things but left a lot of room for things to go more 'classic'. He knows that he'll alienate a lot of old fans, bewilder a lot of fans, but he was trying to make it more accessible. And as far as I know, he pretty much threw the book out the window.

Awesome movie, great Quinto and Nimoy.

I saw it on Friday night, and loved it so much that I saw it again the next day! I'm a big Star Trek fan (DS9 is my favorite TV series of all time), and I absolutely loved this movie! There wasn't much I could find to nitpick about. I actually liked that they set it in an alternate reality, because it means that the original timeline is still there (and in my opinion is the "true" timeline). This will just be an extended "What-if" scenario, and I think it's off to a terrific start. I look forward to the sequel!

I think our differing viewpoints on the movie can be summed up by one thing, Death_at_Midnight -- you liked Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and I hated it. It was one of the most plodding, monotonous, heavy-handed movies I've ever had to sit through. I respect that there are people who enjoy it, but it's not my cup of tea.

Also, the movie featured Rachel Nichols (Scarlett in the new G.I. Joe movie) in a small role:


If that alone isn't worth the price of admission, I don't know what is -- and it gives me new hope for the Joe movie, too! ;)

WOW, man! I think you are the first person I have heard that did'nt think it was awesome. I'm glad you are honest with your opinion though. I saw it Friday and if I had time I would have seen it again! I have a couple of hardcore Trekkie friends that for the past year did nothing but scream about haw bad its going to suck (kind of like us with ROC movie), they can't believe how good it was! They even said "it was as good if not better than Wrath of Khan". And for a serious Trekkie like these guys thats a bold statement! I think it revived the franchise for those who were die hards for the Kirk Era! It gave them exellent, young, versions of their heroes that can begin the "Human Adventure" all over again.

Ahh! So the Orion girl is Scarlett? Wow! I would've never have known that if you hadn't mentioned it. That is cool.

I guess I'm just a hard one to please when it comes to certain things. I did like the movie, however I do doubt I'll see it again. Small things got to me though, like why are there thrusters at the ends of the warp engines? Warp engines create a warp field, for instance.

I did like the idea of using the warp core, with their anti-matter to briefly create a white hole--which is thought to be scientifically possible. Reminds me of Rodenberry's Andromeda, using Nova Bombs against point-singularity weapons.

Fortunately everything in Star Trek can be easily dismissed as being the alternate timeline Spock was speculating about. Too bad in many ways because I always thought Kirk's character had a richer background than what was shown in the TV series. Kirk had a brother, for instance. At least 4 TOS episodes dealt with elements from Kirk's past, specifically his service on another starship before coming to the Enterprise.

Personally I think there are other ways to really drum up lots of interest with ST. For instance Starfleet, wounded and traumatized by the Borg and Dominion war delevops a prototype commando wing. Fast action space-based adventure could revolve around a Kirk-like figure, leader of a squad of these Starfleet commandos. Use holographic emergency commandos for when the ship is overrun, each hologram programmed with all known fighting diciplines in the Federation, etc. Lots of possibilities there alone. Another idea Klingon Wars. Or even Star Trek from a Klingon perspective. Instead of the Enterprise zooming around, how about Klingon explorers, deep into some remote quadrant, exploring for possible expansion of the Empire. Imagine their personalities like that of a pirate ship: dicipline to the Klingon code, yet unpolished. They learn as they go, yet make many mistakes, but get better over time. Much like how Worf progressed.

Anyway, just some thoughts and musings. Not complaining though. It was an entertaining movie. Left me with lots of questions.. why use this mysterous red matter to make a black hole so close to Romulous? Made better sense to evacuate the planet.. and we know they have the technology to detect when a star is going to go nova. Use that material that scientist dude from ST Generations to collapse the star. Certainly better than living with a black hole in place of your sun. Having a space miner fuming to destroy worlds 25 years after over the loss of his girl seems odd to me. 25 years later and his anger is just the same. I guess that's possible.. after all, who can understand the mind of a Romulan?

Anyway, now I hear there's a sequel in the works. It would be interesting to see what that one would be about, and if there's an effort to correct the timelines. That's something though. Kirk always managed to correct the timeline. But, that's now a different timeline. ;-)

Well, that feels good getting off my shoulders. Thanks all for your patience.

I gotta say you are the first person to have anything bad to say about this movie. I loved the idea that the "reboot" was in continuity, very original idea IMO. Also haveing Nimoy as older Spock just cemented the "passing of the torch" to this new cast.

Personally I have never been a huge fan of TNG, DS9 ect. I was getting into enterprize when they cancelled it but that is another story. I would watch them if they were on but I wasn't a regular viewer by any stretch.

TOS has been a great love of mine since grade school. The idea of rebooting the series is a good one IMO. It appears tons of others agree with me ;)

Yes, I was disappointed that Enterprise was canceled too. I've been re-watching the episodes on DVD currently. Just one more ep and then I'm done, then it's DS9 all over again.

I also grew up on Star Trek, TOS. I'm more of a Kirk fan than a Picard fan.

Concerning anything bad to say about the movie, I think that's just a normal thing, that anyone of us can find something negative to say about anything. Just wait for ROC to come out, then I really think we'll see heaps of negatives.

But don't let my disappointment with the ST movie overshadow that the main thing I am pleased about is that it is an alternative timeline. TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY, even Enterprise, timelines remain untouched.

Now, human nature always remembers negatives more than the positives. I do hope in time that the positives from this new timeline develops into something wonderful to watch.

So now I wonder if ROC will be thought of as an alternative timeline to the Joe universe. Possibility for a Dio? The MASS Device II goes wrong in testing and opens a rip in space/time into the ROC universe and thus those ROC figures and vehicles can exist in RAH and modern era? That would be fun.

[QUOTE=Death_at_Midnight]Personally I think there are other ways to really drum up lots of interest with ST. For instance Starfleet, wounded and traumatized by the Borg and Dominion war delevops a prototype commando wing. Fast action space-based adventure could revolve around a Kirk-like figure, leader of a squad of these Starfleet commandos. Use holographic emergency commandos for when the ship is overrun, each hologram programmed with all known fighting diciplines in the Federation, etc. Lots of possibilities there alone. Another idea Klingon Wars. Or even Star Trek from a Klingon perspective. Instead of the Enterprise zooming around, how about Klingon explorers, deep into some remote quadrant, exploring for possible expansion of the Empire. Imagine their personalities like that of a pirate ship: dicipline to the Klingon code, yet unpolished. They learn as they go, yet make many mistakes, but get better over time. Much like how Worf progressed.[QUOTE]

As much as I loved the new movie, I do agree that going forward would have been a better idea. Rather than a prequel or reimagining, why not jump another 75 years or so past the TNG/DS9/Voyager era, and have a "Next Next Generation"-type series/movie? But they chose to do this instead, and I was pleased with the results, so I can't complain.

There was a set of novels about the sort of Klingon series you describe! The ship and crew first appeared in a "team-up" novel with (I think) the TNG crew, then went on from there. I never read the series, but I understand it was pretty well received.

Anyway, in my own opinion, now that the origin story is out of the way, I would expect that the next movie in this series will be a little closer to the Star Trek we know and love. I have nothing to back that up, of course; it just seems like it would be -- pardon the unintentional joke -- the logical way to proceed.

I just saw Star Trek last night, and I must say, it did not disappoint. With movies like this, I go in with high expectations, which possibly ruined my viewing experience of The Dark Knight and Wolverine, though both films did stand up in my opinion (however, check out the Wolverine game if you want a more enjoyable experience. It's glitchy in some areas but the story and gameplay is great and still holds up with previously established film canon.) This was definitely a film that I beleive was hyped beyond recognition, but it did live up to the hype. The idea behind it is enjoyable to keep things into continuity, though it conflicts with my own views on time travel if such a thing were possible.

On the technical side of things, I have to agree with Death on the glare: it was ungodly! While it did not detract from the scenes where it happened, it was still bothersome, though I am glad to hear that it is apparently in all print forms.

Now, I am by no stretch of the imagination a large fan of the Star Trek series. It's not that I find it more "uncool" than Star Wars, it's just that I have not seen many episodes of any of the various series that have been produced. It is odd how much knowledge I have of this series, considering I watch so very little. I was initially looking to enjoy Enterprise when it originally aired, but never was able to watch most of the series, though it did look promising. But, like many, of what i've seen, I'm a TOS fan. Like many say, it's hard to compare to the original. The stories were interesting and unique, not to mention it was pioneering for its time to have such a multicultural cast at the height of the Civil Rights Movement.

Of all the characters in the canon, the one which compelled me the most was Pike. My renewed interest in ST:TOS was to view the pilot episode "The Cage." It mainly interested me because nothing was really known about Pike before or after this episode, which probably aided my interest in this new film, because it gives Pike a defining role and the possibility to have a continued role in this new franchise.

Perhaps what really makes this movie, though, is that you don't have to be a hardcore "Trekkie" to love this movie, it appeals to all fans, new and old alike. Sure, it helps if you have a knowledge of what came before to get some of the little jokes and homages, but it doesn't detract, which really makes this film. All I would say is that perhaps encourage a second viewing. As with me and The Dark Knight, perhaps you will find it more enjoyable after another viewing.

If you haven't seen it, you should check out the Original Series' only two-parter, "The Menagerie." It uses footage from "The Cage" as flashback material, but also features an original story built around the flashbacks, detailing the fate of Captain Pike after his adventure on Talos IV.

I've been a long time fan. Although I don't consider myself a trekkie, maybe I am and I just don't know it. ;-)

Anyway, for those who don't know, there's been an effort from fans to continue the TOS storyline for a few years now. Star Trek New Voyages is an interesting site that has produced several episodes, even recieving support from legendary ST writers as DC Fontana and others. TOS actors like George Takei (Sulu) and Walter Koenig (Chekov) have also acted in some of these episodes.

They are quite good. The early episodes you can see it's rough, but they do get better--acting, story, CGI--the newer they are. Here is a link to the episode page: episode list.

lol -thumps hand on forehead- yeah that's right, it's "The Menagerie." yeah the cage is what it used footage from, that's why i thought it was called that. thanks for clearing that up Self-Modifier.

i LOVED Star Trek!

OMG!

I don't go out to movies very often. Not even sure what the last movie was! But this movie, man, totally awesome. It's like, JJ Abrams packed all the movies into 1. You got Kirk in the arctic land again (ST6). You got a guy who wants revenge (ST2). You got humor (ST4). You got BIG gnarly ship causing havoc (ST1). You get a glimpse at Vulcan (ST3). You finally get Romulans in a REAL ROLE in the movie (they never really showed up in any movie, Nemesis barely counts). You get time shifting (well sort of, ST4). You get Spock dealing w/ emotions (ST5). I won't move into the TNG stuff, but man, awesome movie. I wanna go again.

The previous movie was Nemesis.

I was thinking about how JJ Abrams played off the concept of a reboot. I think he did a great job because for me, it totally works!


SPOILER!






This Star Trek is in an alternative universe. Not a mirror universe but alternative. That all came about w/ Nero and Spock. Or moreso, Spock. So in theory, Abrams can really do whatever he wants with it AND not worry about ANYTHING from the past.

"You're not the captain?" Original Spock.

I admire the effort; I'm glad it's a success (especially with mainstream audiences), but I found the movie still too business as usual.

Spoiler:

-Lame villain (seriously, a pissed off labor foreman?)
-Big scary villain ship
-super weapon (WMD!)
-plot to destroying Earth and/or Federation
-time travel
-Overused Wrath of Khan plot structure remains (WOK is great, but like one person said in previous entries..."when did all Trek films become WOK?")
-Plot holes abound

One thing was missing was Data malfunctioning/going bad...which would be hard to work into the Kirk-era setting.

I did find the movie fairly entertaining and would go see a sequel.