Star Trek (2009) is nearly pitch-perfect
Written: May 11 '09
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Pros: -
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The Bottom Line: Deal with the fact that J.J Abrams changes things. Most likely the best summer 2009 movie. Forget renting it, see in on the biggest screen you can find.
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| sslabs's Full Review: Star Trek |
The latest Star Trek movie reminds me of so many Sci-Fi movies with such potential that bombed, flew off course, or ended up as mere shadows of their former selves. I could surely write a paper on it, but instead I’ll direct my attention to the original Star Trek films and the new J.J. Abrams reboot.
When it comes to Trek movies, they feel like the new Star Wars movies. It’s like someone kept making them because the fans were, and are so devout. On the fan side, there’s always this steadfast belief that the latest Star Trek would get it right, and it never really happened. Of all the old Treks, I always admired the first effort, and relished the second. After that they never really did bring back what made the first two so solid. With every Trek release, I made my way to see every effort (Next Generation included) because I felt as if I were seeing old friends, never expecting to be surprised. And that’s just how it was.
Now a breath of fresh air blows across the Enterprise in the form of director J.J. Abrams, along with Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman to pen the script. It’s a movie that’s all about the little things. It’s about taking what worked from the past, sprinkling in some clever writing, spot-on casting and timeless ideas. With a movie that is beautifully lensed, and scored to boot, Star Trek has finally broken through to another level of filmmaking. J.J. and the gang worked like madmen to silence the Internet fanboys, the old school fan, film critics and studio suits and succeeded. So how did this happen?
Let’s take a look at the story, cribbed a bit from my favorite Trek, The Wrath of Kahn. Revenge, it’s timeless, it’s universal, and let’s face it, we’ve all wanted it at some point. Casting Chris Pine was brilliant. He’s not too well known so no type-cast issues. He’s a fantastic actor, so he never fails to be believable as Kirk. If you want to see Pine’s range, check him out in a crazy movie called Smokin' Aces you’ll hardly recognize him. Don’t see him in a piece of garbage called Bottle Shock. Zachary Quinto as Spock was a brilliant pick. In Heroes, Quinto as Syler often shows a lack of emotion as he pops off someone’s skull. Sounds like a Vulcan to me. Karl Urban as Bones sounded a bit odd, until he delivered the goods on screen and shut me up pretty fast.
Eric the Hulk Bana plays bad guy Nero, however he’s almost unrecognizable. Covered in tattoos, gravel-voiced, with a kind of sourness dripping from every pore, you wouldn’t like it when he gets angry. Set before the first Star Trek television series, the story of the original Starfleet veterans we all came to know and love is told. We see a young daredevil, fist fighting, womanizing Kirk. A green behind the pointy ears Spock struggling with his emotions. We also spot a cranky, cynical Bones showing us nothing has really changed. It’s a little cliche, but it’s not ham-fisted, and throughout the film the latter is always avoided.
Looking at the original Star Trek movies and the Next Generation, they were just too slow, prodding for a false reaction and clunky where Abrams’ version is nimble, clever and exciting. The third generation is light on its feet, funny where it needs to be and always moving. While time is given to allow a character to develop, the film never lingers too long. You always feel like Abrams is having a quick conversation at any given moment ‘cause he’s got a dentist appointment. While it’s easy to praise what’s fresh, it’s also important to look at concessions and where J.J. cheated a bit. Unlike the TV show Enterprise Abrams didn’t dumb down the technology throughout the movie.
Instead, he made the Trek universe more advanced looking and feeling than virtually anything Star Trek you’ve ever seen. The bridge of the Enterprise is technically stunning even though it supposedly precedes the more advanced starships. Some might balk at Spock’s actions at times, deeming them as too carnal to be that of a modern Vulcan. Even some of the famous lines by now familiar characters were delivered in a hammy way. When Bones delivers his famous “Dammit Jim I’m a doctor not a...” It’s almost cheesy, however Urban is so likeable as Bones that you only notice the grin forming on your big dumb face.
Abrams wasn’t afraid to turn the camera on its side, to use a steady cam more often to give a sense of urgency, a feeling of speed, and bring something organic rather than feeling like a train on tracks. Often omitted by critics (but never overlooked by me) is the sound and score. I was surprised to find that most of the old time-y Trek sounds have been reworked and even ditched in favor of fresher sonics. The move succeeds wildly.
I witnessed this film twice, the first was a press screening mostly made up of theater employees, management friends and various hangers-on. My second outing was in a IMAX theater on a packed Saturday. At both events, the crowd cheered at the new sound and visuals that accompany Starfleet ships as they jump to warp. The IMAX sound system was better at conveying a thunderous light speed sonic boom. Director J.J. Abrams made going to warp a violent, guttural, heavenly, sky cracking event. Words clearly fail me, a poet might be better suited to describe the sound of this jump to faster-than-light travel.
The score was gorgeous, massive, and defiant with a confident strut. Even more genius, a soundtrack falling to a whisper, like an aural eye of the storm. Such antics allowed a stunning angelic choral arrangement to unfold, haunt, and bully it’s way to some emotional center you forgot you had.
If you enjoy a good movie, and committed a sin by not seeing the latest Trek on the opening weekend, make up for it. Run don’t walk to Abrams' stab at going where no man has gone before. This is the part where I cue up a scene in my mind. George Lucas hands the Star Wars keys to J.J. Abrams. Live long and.. may the force be with you.
Recommended:
Yes
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sslabs
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Member: Tony Flores
Location: Calistoga - Napa Valley Wine Country
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