This isn't so much a "have you seen the new Star Trek movie?" message so much as it is a "if you haven't seen it, what are you WAITING
FOR? GO! Now!"
The movie is - in a word - AWESOME.
I haven't been outright MOVED by a Star Trek film since Wrath of Khan. This one shamelessly pushed - nay - PUNCHED, emotional buttons!
I don't want to spoil things for you. I WILL say that what you've heard is true, and that this is a reboot of the continuity. Interestingly enough,
they have rebooted it in such a way that the OLD continuity still exists. This new Star Trek exists in it's own alternate timeline that branches off of the
old continuity.
There is a huge amount of respect for the old material (particularly the original series) but they have upped the stakes in a BIG, MASSIVE way. I applaud that
decision at the same time as I am almost appalled by the lengths they went through to hammer the point home. By the midpoint of the movie, you know there is no
going back and that anything can happen now. and yes, it's time travel, but this time, things are NOT tied up neatly by the end. That's the POINT.
Things have CHANGED.
There is a fair amount of rubber science in this one. There's also an attempt at acknowledging real physics (twice in the movie, we are treated to the
soundlessness of space, for example.) But the first rule they follow in this movie is "the rule of cool". If it's cool and it works, HANG the
physics! Which is just fine with me. Old school Star Trek was always just a bit wonky in that regard, and if the new movie wants to do it that way too, then
great!
On some technical geekery:
The Enterprise and other ships like her are MUCH more nimble in this universe! Less of a "graceful, but slow turning aircraft carrier" and almost
more like.... I don't want to say the Enterprise is as nimble as a fighter, but if we're sticking to naval comparisons here, then she's more like a
fast destroyer.
The dichotomy and physical difference between the upper decks in the saucer section and the engineering and hanger spaces in the secondary hull could not be
more surprising! The upper decks in the saucer maintain the old antiseptic, almost clean room aspects that we are used to. But when you travel down the
turbolift and exit in the lower hull, all of a sudden it is a RIOT of exposed structural elements, pipes going every which way, caution tape marked on the
floors, caution strobes, junction boxes, color coded lines... In short, the engine and environmental plant areas of the Enterprise are places that ONLY make
sense to an engineer! If you've ever seen the engine spaces of a real aircraft carrier, this will definitely seem familiar to you! But it's a bit of a
shock at first. We're so used to seeing the Engine Rooms as "clean" but after I thought about it for a bit, it really does make more sense this
way. The old series had to use relatively small spaces and camera trickery to suggest a larger engine room. And the elements that make up that engine room had
to be reusable for other props as well. (Think about how many panels and props in the old Enterprise engine room were re-used for something else in the
series?)
The hanger deck continues the Functional Industrial look and is HUGE. It seems to take up at least half of the secondary hull! Which makes sense, as you find
out in the very first part of the movie (with a different Federation Ship), policy seems to be to keep as many shuttle craft on hand as needed to evacuate ALL
the crew! That's a LOT of shuttle craft!
In fact, from what I can tell, the ONLY things that are in the secondary hull are the Engine and environmental/life support plants and the hanger bay. With the
sensor and deflector areas taking up a small amount at the very front. So no - there's likely no "secondary bridge" in the secondary hull, folks.
A word on the overall lines of the Enterprise herself. You've probably seen the pictures, but here's my impression. I was at first unsure. The basic
pattern is there and familiar, but the placement of the engine pylons at the extreme rear of the secondary hull seemed a bit odd. But in a nod to the fact that
this is supposed to be the -original- ship, the pylons do go straight up to the Engine Nacelles without that "swept" back look that the first 6
movies had. (The Enterpise from those movies still remains my favorite version, by the way.) But after seeing this one move on screen, I stopped doubting. It
works just fine on the big screen. (This version of the Enterprise, I am tentatively saying is my *third* favorite, behind the original/movie edition and the
"Sovereign" Enterprise-E. It's still a beautiful ship, though, and it may grow on me more.)
On the characters - Chris Pine is NOT doing Shatner, but he IS Kirk. And what he does during the "Kobayashi Maru" sequence will have you giggling out
loud if you remember a certain sequence from the Genesis Cave from Wrath of Khan.
Quinto is amazing as Spock, even more so since he has to play opposite Nimoy in at least one scene, and the comparison is forced - and I must say, my eyes
flick from the young Spock to the Old Spock and I'm thinking "okay... yeah. Yes. That works." Well done Mr. Quinto!
Karl Urban as "Bones" McCoy... DAMN... Just... DAMN. It's EERIE. It's like they traveled back to the 60s and got Deforest Kelley in a
timewarp to bring him forward to play the part again! And like always, Bones STEALS every scene he's in. MORE McCoy! Please! (And we get a slightly
different take on why they call him "bones" here as well, which is also worth a giggle.)
Uhura - (can't remember the name of the actress right this moment) Very well played. Comes off as VERY competent. Very much a professional, and at the same
time... Ah... I am SO GLAD they have the miniskirts BACK. ^_^
(As in my signature below - My life has been made so much easier since I admitted to myself that I'm a pervert...
)
Simon Pegg as Scotty. It's Peregrine Took in risers with an engineering degree and he's BRILLIANT. ^_^
The other cast members get moments to shine, but I just wanted to hit the main ones.
I'd say more about the Eric Bana's Nero, but I don't want to spoil things too much. Just to say - he did a good job with him and the motivation for
his villainy has a solid foundation.
The story has holes in it that if you want to nitpick you can. It's a case of "don't look at this too closely" but the film moves at such an
incredibly fast pace that over 2 hours later I'm going "What? That's ALL? I wanted MORE!"
And that CAN'T be a bad thing.
OH! And the music - THE MUSIC. I HAVE TO HAVE THAT SOUNDTRACK!!
This is as successful a reboot as you could possibly ask for.
I haven't been this jazzed about a Star Trek film since Wrath of Khan.
FOR? GO! Now!"
The movie is - in a word - AWESOME.
I haven't been outright MOVED by a Star Trek film since Wrath of Khan. This one shamelessly pushed - nay - PUNCHED, emotional buttons!
I don't want to spoil things for you. I WILL say that what you've heard is true, and that this is a reboot of the continuity. Interestingly enough,
they have rebooted it in such a way that the OLD continuity still exists. This new Star Trek exists in it's own alternate timeline that branches off of the
old continuity.
There is a huge amount of respect for the old material (particularly the original series) but they have upped the stakes in a BIG, MASSIVE way. I applaud that
decision at the same time as I am almost appalled by the lengths they went through to hammer the point home. By the midpoint of the movie, you know there is no
going back and that anything can happen now. and yes, it's time travel, but this time, things are NOT tied up neatly by the end. That's the POINT.
Things have CHANGED.
There is a fair amount of rubber science in this one. There's also an attempt at acknowledging real physics (twice in the movie, we are treated to the
soundlessness of space, for example.) But the first rule they follow in this movie is "the rule of cool". If it's cool and it works, HANG the
physics! Which is just fine with me. Old school Star Trek was always just a bit wonky in that regard, and if the new movie wants to do it that way too, then
great!
On some technical geekery:
The Enterprise and other ships like her are MUCH more nimble in this universe! Less of a "graceful, but slow turning aircraft carrier" and almost
more like.... I don't want to say the Enterprise is as nimble as a fighter, but if we're sticking to naval comparisons here, then she's more like a
fast destroyer.
The dichotomy and physical difference between the upper decks in the saucer section and the engineering and hanger spaces in the secondary hull could not be
more surprising! The upper decks in the saucer maintain the old antiseptic, almost clean room aspects that we are used to. But when you travel down the
turbolift and exit in the lower hull, all of a sudden it is a RIOT of exposed structural elements, pipes going every which way, caution tape marked on the
floors, caution strobes, junction boxes, color coded lines... In short, the engine and environmental plant areas of the Enterprise are places that ONLY make
sense to an engineer! If you've ever seen the engine spaces of a real aircraft carrier, this will definitely seem familiar to you! But it's a bit of a
shock at first. We're so used to seeing the Engine Rooms as "clean" but after I thought about it for a bit, it really does make more sense this
way. The old series had to use relatively small spaces and camera trickery to suggest a larger engine room. And the elements that make up that engine room had
to be reusable for other props as well. (Think about how many panels and props in the old Enterprise engine room were re-used for something else in the
series?)
The hanger deck continues the Functional Industrial look and is HUGE. It seems to take up at least half of the secondary hull! Which makes sense, as you find
out in the very first part of the movie (with a different Federation Ship), policy seems to be to keep as many shuttle craft on hand as needed to evacuate ALL
the crew! That's a LOT of shuttle craft!
In fact, from what I can tell, the ONLY things that are in the secondary hull are the Engine and environmental/life support plants and the hanger bay. With the
sensor and deflector areas taking up a small amount at the very front. So no - there's likely no "secondary bridge" in the secondary hull, folks.
A word on the overall lines of the Enterprise herself. You've probably seen the pictures, but here's my impression. I was at first unsure. The basic
pattern is there and familiar, but the placement of the engine pylons at the extreme rear of the secondary hull seemed a bit odd. But in a nod to the fact that
this is supposed to be the -original- ship, the pylons do go straight up to the Engine Nacelles without that "swept" back look that the first 6
movies had. (The Enterpise from those movies still remains my favorite version, by the way.) But after seeing this one move on screen, I stopped doubting. It
works just fine on the big screen. (This version of the Enterprise, I am tentatively saying is my *third* favorite, behind the original/movie edition and the
"Sovereign" Enterprise-E. It's still a beautiful ship, though, and it may grow on me more.)
On the characters - Chris Pine is NOT doing Shatner, but he IS Kirk. And what he does during the "Kobayashi Maru" sequence will have you giggling out
loud if you remember a certain sequence from the Genesis Cave from Wrath of Khan.
Quinto is amazing as Spock, even more so since he has to play opposite Nimoy in at least one scene, and the comparison is forced - and I must say, my eyes
flick from the young Spock to the Old Spock and I'm thinking "okay... yeah. Yes. That works." Well done Mr. Quinto!
Karl Urban as "Bones" McCoy... DAMN... Just... DAMN. It's EERIE. It's like they traveled back to the 60s and got Deforest Kelley in a
timewarp to bring him forward to play the part again! And like always, Bones STEALS every scene he's in. MORE McCoy! Please! (And we get a slightly
different take on why they call him "bones" here as well, which is also worth a giggle.)
Uhura - (can't remember the name of the actress right this moment) Very well played. Comes off as VERY competent. Very much a professional, and at the same
time... Ah... I am SO GLAD they have the miniskirts BACK. ^_^
(As in my signature below - My life has been made so much easier since I admitted to myself that I'm a pervert...
)Simon Pegg as Scotty. It's Peregrine Took in risers with an engineering degree and he's BRILLIANT. ^_^
The other cast members get moments to shine, but I just wanted to hit the main ones.
I'd say more about the Eric Bana's Nero, but I don't want to spoil things too much. Just to say - he did a good job with him and the motivation for
his villainy has a solid foundation.
The story has holes in it that if you want to nitpick you can. It's a case of "don't look at this too closely" but the film moves at such an
incredibly fast pace that over 2 hours later I'm going "What? That's ALL? I wanted MORE!"
And that CAN'T be a bad thing.
OH! And the music - THE MUSIC. I HAVE TO HAVE THAT SOUNDTRACK!!
This is as successful a reboot as you could possibly ask for.
I haven't been this jazzed about a Star Trek film since Wrath of Khan.