Star Trek 09 review thread

[Bounty]

... I could have sworn I had a spoiler warning before the UGO link. Did Bean have to edit that in or was there something else wrong?

[Lusankya]

I vaguely remember the warning being smaller originally. That could be the difference.

[Havok]

... I could have sworn I had a spoiler warning before the UGO link. Did Bean have to edit that in or was there something else wrong?

I remember seeing it.

[Macunaima]

Found some more, all with some degree os SPOILERS -- and the last one is quite long:

It helps that the new Kirk-Spock dynamic isn't yet one of warm friendship. Instead, Spock's logic and Kirk's rebelliousness clash, and it is Spock who captains the Enterprise. "Out of the chair," the Vulcan wearily instructs James T Cuckoo. The story may be the least interesting aspect but New Star Trek, like Old Trek, invests in creating engaging relationships and rivalries that are more engaging than many recent films firmly placed on this planet.

I couldn't wait to write this week's column and let everyone know how good the new Star Trek movie is.

This reboot of the franchise that began life as a TV show in 1966, the year I was born, is nothing short of spectacular. The hairs on my neck were on end in the first 10 minutes, before the title credits had even come up. The film really is that good.

Starting with the immortal line Space The Final Frontier - used in many of the 10 previous Star Trek films - director JJ Abrams tells us the origins of James T Kirk, Mr Spock and the rest of the USS Enterprise crew with real style, flair and vision.

Here, finally, the property is being given all the support any fan could ever ask, and it seems like the hardcores have decided that they won't support it because it's not the "Trek" they know and love.

But... it is. And it's new. And somehow, that combination of earnest homage and carefully-constructed reboot turns out to be the exact right way to not just bring "Star Trek" back to life, but to also extend that life to an audience that's never been truly interested before. It's neither fully sequel nor completely reboot, and so Abrams and his creative team have done something I've never really seen someone try before, and certainly something that no one's ever accomplished with this enormous confidence and skill. It's just plain fun, it's crafted with a genuine affection for the iconography of prior "Trek" but not with the sort of slavish devotion that crippled Singer's "Superman Returns," and I think it gives Paramount permission to go anywhere they want when they bring this cast back for the now-inevitable sequel.

[DaveJB]

I believe that last guy (Drew McWeeny) wrote one of the earliest reviews for Nemesis back when he worked for Ain't It Cool, several months before the film's release, and absolutely tore it to shreds. Sounds like the new film is winning over both fans and casual viewers, at least if the reviews so far are anything to go by.

[Bounty]

The truth is that we found ourselves missing the old cast, but most audiences won’t care: Star Trek works fine when taken on its own terms as a modern special effects-driven action flick. It is also hardly the train smash some fans feared it would be. (It’s better than any of the Star Wars prequels for starters. Shorter too.) Newbies to Trek should check it out and long-time fans should also lend their support. After all, the financial success of this Trek will determine the very future of the franchise and the universe will seem a much colder place without any Trek at all, even if it is somewhat “off” Trek . . .

[Bounty]

Another review! Maybe this one will finally be negative!

Audiences who are anticipating a thrill-ride from re-imagined Star Trek blockbuster film from director JJ Abrams won't be disappointed.

And the good news is you don't have to own a plastic pair of pointy ears to enjoy it.

...oh. Never mind.

[Ghost Rider]

It's not that they are all positive, but they are reviews in the same fashion as "TREK HAS BEEN REVIVED, now filled with 100% more action and Badass characters...what's not love!!!".

Really, I would ask is there any substance to something I am not already suspect of given director, and the subject manner. Sorry if this strikes as being too paranoid but that's the facts of the matter in many people who've been burned by Trek over the last decade.

[Bounty]

No, I see what you mean. A lot of the reviews that have been coming out are from pretty small publishers and they're probably just psyched to have gotten into an advance screening. Still, it's been two weeks since the press started getting screenings, I would have expected that at this point there'd at least be a few openly negative reviews; the fact that there aren't strikes me as a pretty good sign, even if the reviews we do get are a bit wishy-washy.

I'm also not handpicking the good reviews. Again, if anyone has others, please post them.

Does anyone happen to know when Ebert usually reviews films? Release week or sooner?

[Bounty]

Again not a review as such, but an impressive aggregate:

The Broadcast Film Critics Association has given Star Trek the Critic's Choice merit and a 93 rating. For reference, TDK scored 96, Iron Man 90 and Brokeback Mountain (to have a non-nerd "good movie") 92.

[Stofsk]

Two possibilities occur RE the universal positive reviews: the movie really is as good as everybody keeps insisting it is, or JJ Abrams' marketing machine is working overtime.

Note that both possibilities could be true.

[Bounty]

If it's the marketing machine than I expect the RT rating to drop like a stone come next Friday. If it isn't... right now I'm hoping it'll settle in the 80-85 range.

[Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba]

Ebert's reviews are only released either on the day of the film's release or the Thursday of the week of the film's release.

Then again, since his surgery a couple years ago he's been in 'semi-retirement', generally only reviewing really big movies and lots of little indie pictures. For example, he gave no review to Crank 2 or most horror movies that come out these days. I strongly suspect he'll review Star Trek, since it's one of this year's big releases, but he just does want he wants these days (one of my favourite recent reviews of his involved him going off on a tangent about how awesome his rice cooker is for a while - which later evolved into a full blog post on the virtues of his rice cooker), so we'll see.

[Bounty]

I'd be really surprised if he skips Trek. he's did Wolverine and 17 Again, for Pete's sake... if he can stoop to that he can stoop to Star Trek

[Aeolus]

I just saw the new trek at a sneak preview and I really really enjoyed it. I have always been a huge fan of WOK but in my opinion the new one is better. I can't state enough how much i liked it.

[JLTucker]

I just saw the new trek at a sneak preview and I really really enjoyed it. I have always been a huge fan of WOK but in my opinion the new one is better. I can't state enough how much i liked it.

This can't be possible. Remember, we are all not lucky enough to go to an advanced screening according to Alyeska.

I am tired of the rave reviews, to be honest. Hopefully next week we will see the film torn to shreds. When I read reviews on films, I look at the bad ones and make a judgment call.

[Aeolus]

I just saw the new trek at a sneak preview and I really really enjoyed it. I have always been a huge fan of WOK but in my opinion the new one is better. I can't state enough how much i liked it.

This can't be possible. Remember, we are all not lucky enough to go to an advanced screening according to Alyeska.

I am tired of the rave reviews, to be honest. Hopefully next week we will see the film torn to shreds. When I read reviews on films, I look at the bad ones and make a judgment call.

I am not sure how many bad ones you are going to find.

[Big Orange]

I do get the nagging feeling that this movie will be this year's Speed Racer in terms of box office performance, even if it is not terrible per se, it is going against Wolverine: Origin, and judging from the trailers and what we're shown of the villain it generally seems a lot like Nemesis.

[Bounty]

judging from the trailers and what we're shown of the villain it generally seems a lot like Nemesis.

Except anyone who's seen it says it isn't?

[DaveJB]

I do get the nagging feeling that this movie will be this year's Speed Racer in terms of box office performance, even if it is not terrible per se, it is going against Wolverine: Origin, and judging from the trailers and what we're shown of the villain it generally seems a lot like Nemesis.

It's not going up against Wolverine in the same week, which is what's important - in fact nothing of note is being released on the same day as STXI. Odds are it'll get whacked in its second week of release by Angels & Demons, but usually summer blockbusters make enough money in their first week to judge their success or failure on.

Besides, the success of TVH and FC proved that there's still something of an audience for Trek in the mainstream, while Speed Racer has never really been proven to be popular enough to guarantee it any real box office success, so that's not a valid comparison.

[Jon]

Without spoiling too much Nero's reasoning for his actions are much better defined and 'justified' than Shinzon's stupid ass plan- the only real similarity between them is being bald.

[Stofsk]

Without spoiling too much Nero's reasoning for his actions are much better defined and 'justified' than Shinzon's stupid ass plan- the only real similarity between them is being bald.

Plus, let's be fucking honest: Eric Bana kicks the living shit out... the other guy.

[Ghost Rider]

Without spoiling too much Nero's reasoning for his actions are much better defined and 'justified' than Shinzon's stupid ass plan- the only real similarity between them is being bald.

Let's be honest, a fucking gerbil's planning to enter the recording industry is a better idea then mister "I need progenitor's blood and want to kill the Federation for the glory of my slave masters!!!". Nemesis was such a crock.

[tim31]

Also, and it's been said ten thousand times before, but Eric Bana screen presence > Tom Hardy screen presence. Why are people so worried about that?

[Big Orange]

judging from the trailers and what we're shown of the villain it generally seems a lot like Nemesis.

Except anyone who's seen it says it isn't?

Well to me it seems to be a more successful Nemesis that has sharper and less burned out writers/producers behind it, in a addition to a fresh faced cast. The Romulan villain and his strange, oversized flagship (with planet busting capabilities) still have allusions to Shinzon, though I trust the motivations are much less muddled and he is more of a genuine bad ass (instead of being a pompous milquetoast like Shinzon). Even though Heroes and Sylar have both gone down the toilet in the past year, Zachary Quinto seems to have the most screen presence and biggest fan base to sell this movie.

I don't expect this movie to be terrible, but I expect it to be big blazing ball of watchable adequacy much like Cloverfield (which although did well dropped off the radar quickly).