Star Trek - Review

Wow.

If I could get away with a single word review, that would be it. J.J. Abrams Trek reboot, prequel, sequel (it can be looked at all of those ways) has made me a fan. Some background, I've never been a big fan of Star Trek. I remember seeing the movie where Spock was trying to save the whales when I was a kid with my father and watched it endlessly afterwards. I've never seen an episode of the original series... at all. The only episodes I ever watched of The Next Generation iteration were the ones where they used the holo-deck extensively. Never watched Deep Space Nine, Voyager, or Enterprise. I can say with little certainty that i probably saw all of the films post Generations, I was friends with some one who had a thing for Jonathan Frakes, so I was drug to the theatre every time a trek movie came out with Generations being the first one. They grew on me, I enjoyed them but never actively sought them out. There is my history with Star Trek in a few poorly constructed sentences.

Abrams however I am an avid fan of. It seems he has the film equivalent of the Midas touch, anything he is involved with turns into awesome. Lost is one of my favorite television shows ever, the Abrams produced Cloverfield was very fun for me, and even after hating Mission: Impossible 2, his awesomeness brought me back for M:I3 and did not disappoint. So when I heard the Abrams was taking the reins on Trek, I got interested. I followed the casting and what not and the one I was most happy with was Simon Pegg as Scotty. At that point aside from the now and again article about it i let it go. The trailers came out, suddenly I was dying to see a Star Trek movie. The advertising hit on such a level of nostalgia, that it even got me as, once again, not a huge Trek fan and made me excited to see what was coming. Well the wait is over and tonight I saw it, and like i said at the beginning, wow.

So this new iteration as i said can be considered a reboot, or a sequel, or a prequel. Orci and Kurtzman have somehow shut every canon worshipping Trek nerd up. The story involves a Romulan named Nero who watched his planet get obliterated killing nearly every one of his species and is out for revenge against Spock who Nero considers responsible.While going after Spock Nero ends up setting off a weapon known only as Red Matter which forms a wormhole through space and time where he ends up in the "past", which is our films present. You following? He decides that he can undo the destruction of his planet by destroying the federation and Spock. So this film is essentially saying that all of the things that had been done in the original series and the films still happened, however in an alternate timeline/reality. What we are now getting is new adventures of the original crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, which may have some similarities to previous events, but may end differently or the same. It not as confusing as I've just made it out to be but that seems to be the best way to clarify. Abrams, Orci, and Kurtzman have created an accessible Star Trek, for the young, the old, Trekkie, or casual film goer which is by itself an amazing accomplishment. Add to it that it doesn't feel recycled, or trying to hard, or pandering, or playing to the lowest common denominator, and that its just plain damned good fun makes it a masterstroke.

I'm not going to do a person by person breakdown with the cast because it is sufficient to say they all deserve fan recognition for these not quite reinventions of beloved characters. It just felt right to hear Karl Urban's Bones say "Dammit Jim!" and Simon Pegg shouting "I'm giving her all I've got!" and it didn't feel like they were winking at the audience when it was said. I had a damned good time at the movies tonight and have a new object of discussion with friends. I couldn't be happier with the film i saw tonight, only dissatisfaction i have is that it'll be several years before there is another one. I really feel that if this level of quality is kept this series will *ahem* (nerd alert) live long and prosper.

This is a TrailerDaze first, because this is officially the first film I've reviewed on here that i can whole-heartedly recommend that everyone go see. As soon as possible. I'm sure Anthony will drop by in a few days to drop his thought on you unsuspecting masses.

Until next time guys.