Robin PottratzReview: "Star Trek" takes us on a good...not great ride *** stars out of 4
June 13th 2009 22:54
I wasn't sure what to make of the relaunch of Star Trek. I've never been a fan of the series...or for that matter J.J. Abrams (face it people, Lost isn't brilliant and Abrams isn't a genius). So I went into the much anticipated reboot of the Gene Roddenberry creation with a clean slate...a virgin's eye to the stories and characters. Most of the film is a lot of fun...and a lot of it features the frustrating plot devices that J.J. Abrams has used for years to fool people into thinking that he's a storytelling revolutionary. Still, in a multiplex that is full of crapola...Star Trek stands as an entertaining...yet still very flawed relaunch.
We first meet James T. Kirk as a baby when his father launches him from his crashing ship after an attack from Romulans...more specifically Nero, played by Eric Bana (having a ball as the baddie.) Flash forward and Kirk (Chris Pine) has grown up to be a motorcycle riding, devil may care rebel...until he's approached by Capt. Pike (Bruce Greenwood) to man up and join the star fleet academy. Of course, Kirk goes...becomes a hot shot who plays by his own rules, beds a green space babe (who did look hot despite the forest skin color), and eventually butts heads with the other star pupil at the academy...Spock, a half human/half Vulcan genius played with subtle nuance by Zachary Quinto.
Despite this origin cliche fest...the first half of Star Trek is actually pretty engaging and fun. We also meet Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban), Mr Sulu (John Cho), Checkov (Anton Yelchin...struggling with that Russian Accent) and hottie Uhura (Zoe Saldana).
So far...so good.
Then J.J. Abrams proves that he has absolutely no idea how to construct a plot and Star Trek loses its way. Next thing you know, Kirk is sent to the tundra...and back in time where he meets Spock as an older man (The Anticipated Cameo from Leonard Nimoy), then they meet Scotty (a fun and dorky Simon Pegg)...and they go back to the present, and we learn that the romulans went back and saw their planet destroyed...even though its the present...and then they cant get off the island (whoops, wrong nonsensical J.J. Abrams creation).
Fortunately, the actors make up for some...not all of Abrams shortcomings. Chris Pine has just the right amount of wide eyed wonder and brash swagger to make Kirk his own. The gold medal goes to Zachary Quinto for cutting deep as the emotionless Spock...and even Winona Ryder has a cameo...that isn't that distracting.
However, Star Trek is a frustrating...and at times laughable puzzle to try and assemble. I didn't have fun with that aspect of it...but what was fun were the action scenes, fights, and villain. Overall Star Trek is good...but its not great...I think if Abrams would have taken the film outside of his own head, it would have done the film a lot of good. Despite my complaints...there is enough to like about the film to recommend...and hopefully some improvement for the inevitable sequel.
My suggestion...bring back the big breasted green alien babe...I liked her.
We first meet James T. Kirk as a baby when his father launches him from his crashing ship after an attack from Romulans...more specifically Nero, played by Eric Bana (having a ball as the baddie.) Flash forward and Kirk (Chris Pine) has grown up to be a motorcycle riding, devil may care rebel...until he's approached by Capt. Pike (Bruce Greenwood) to man up and join the star fleet academy. Of course, Kirk goes...becomes a hot shot who plays by his own rules, beds a green space babe (who did look hot despite the forest skin color), and eventually butts heads with the other star pupil at the academy...Spock, a half human/half Vulcan genius played with subtle nuance by Zachary Quinto.
Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) lead the charge in the relaunch of "Star Trek"
Despite this origin cliche fest...the first half of Star Trek is actually pretty engaging and fun. We also meet Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban), Mr Sulu (John Cho), Checkov (Anton Yelchin...struggling with that Russian Accent) and hottie Uhura (Zoe Saldana).
So far...so good.
Then J.J. Abrams proves that he has absolutely no idea how to construct a plot and Star Trek loses its way. Next thing you know, Kirk is sent to the tundra...and back in time where he meets Spock as an older man (The Anticipated Cameo from Leonard Nimoy), then they meet Scotty (a fun and dorky Simon Pegg)...and they go back to the present, and we learn that the romulans went back and saw their planet destroyed...even though its the present...and then they cant get off the island (whoops, wrong nonsensical J.J. Abrams creation).
Fortunately, the actors make up for some...not all of Abrams shortcomings. Chris Pine has just the right amount of wide eyed wonder and brash swagger to make Kirk his own. The gold medal goes to Zachary Quinto for cutting deep as the emotionless Spock...and even Winona Ryder has a cameo...that isn't that distracting.
However, Star Trek is a frustrating...and at times laughable puzzle to try and assemble. I didn't have fun with that aspect of it...but what was fun were the action scenes, fights, and villain. Overall Star Trek is good...but its not great...I think if Abrams would have taken the film outside of his own head, it would have done the film a lot of good. Despite my complaints...there is enough to like about the film to recommend...and hopefully some improvement for the inevitable sequel.
My suggestion...bring back the big breasted green alien babe...I liked her.
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