Star Trek

I figured I'd kick off my film criticism career with a review of a popular movie, and a good one at that.

If this fresh start to the Star Trek series is any indication of things to come, this series will certainly "live long and prosper". It was a very bold move, to be sure. With a nerdy phenomenon such as Star Trek, it is difficult to please both the hardcore Trekkies as well as appeal to a wider audience. In fact, it is hard to do just one of those things, but Star Trek has done just that. It is a nonstop thrill ride of a movie, with enough action to please the younger generations, and enough of the traditional formula to please those fluent in Klingon.

Before the release of this movie, the largest question surrounding it was the ability of the actors to live up to their predecessors. It is difficult to imagine anyone other than William Shatner as Captain Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Spock, and George Takei as Sulu. The casting for this reboot had to be absolutely spot-on in order for the diehards to accept the actors' interpretations of the roles. It certainly passed with flying colors.

Zachary Quinto had the toughest task of anyone, having to stay true to the most beloved of all the Trek characters, while not trying to be Leonard Nimoy. It is especially difficult because this film had a hefty (and very welcome) dose of Mr. Nimoy. Quinto walks a delicate balance between the emotionless, logical Spock and the very emotional Spock we are not used to seeing. The film actually has several touching moments involving Spock, and the character is explored to depths never before seen. It was one of many, many risks that paid off for J. J. Abrams.

Chris Pine is fantastic as the brash, young, and gutsy version of James T. Kirk. Pine makes no attempt to be William Shatner, and frankly no actor would have succeeded in that endeavor. John Cho has proven himself versatile in his role as Sulu, which requires his usual comedy, but mixed in with dramatic moments and action sequences. Fortunately Abrams realized that the more Nimoy to be had, the better. Simon Pegg was the only choice to play Scotty, and Karl Urban returns to prominence in impressive fashion as "Bones" McCoy. Eric Bana is barely recognizable as the evil Romulan Nero, and his level of menace exceeds anything the previous villains had to offer.

Star Trek is, as expected, big on spectacle. The special effects are something to behold, and the excitement rarely lets up. However, the past success of the series has been driven by the characters and their interactions. The original cast had incredible chemistry, and that was why they came to be so beloved, not because of the technical wizardry. The same holds true in the newest addition. It took a lot of trust on the part of the director to allow the actors freedom in their roles, as the expectations were high. The chemistry is just as good as the original cast, and it is obvious that both casts had tremendous amounts of fun working together.

Star Trek had to do a lot right to succeed. In fact, it had to be almost flawless. It does have a few flaws, a few plot holes, which happens a lot when dealing with space-time travel. A few moments are in there just to keep the excitement going, which is understandable but still unnecessary. These pale in comparison to the positives of the film. It pulls off the near-impossible, by living up to expectations.

Rating: 9.5/10