MOVIE REVIEW: "STAR TREK" (2009)

BY: LEE RICE

Returning to a much loved franchise with new actors in old roles is a monumental task for anyone, but thanks to the quality of those new actors and an excellent screenplay that manages to turn nearly a half decade of Trek lore on its head, J.J. Abrahm’s relaunch of Star Trek is an exercise in brilliance.

I must admit, stepping into the theater I was plagued with doubts. I love the original series, I love the characters, and I love the premise. Starting all over with a younger cast seemed like a shameful attempt to cash in on the recent trend of prequel/sequel films that has been running rampant in Hollywood, and the trailers, most notably the "this isn’t your father’s Star Trek" commercial, didn’t do much to inspire confidence.

Then, the movie started, and all that was swept away.

I went in thinking that this movie could be the death knell of Star Trek, and in a sense it is, but out of that rises something new and incredible that I don’t have it in my heart to spoil for you here. Let’s just say that by the end, everything old is new again, and there’s a whole new universe to be explored.

Skip the next paragraph if you don’t want spoilers.

I can’t lavish enough praise on the script, which turns the old "time travel" ideas completely on their heads by having the guts to actually have them MEAN something for once. Face it, in the traditional Time Travel Story of the Star Trek series, everything is back to perfectly normal. Not so here, and hats off to J. J. for having the audacity to alter over fifty years of Star Trek cannon in one fell swoop.

Let’s talk about the visual effects. I’ve never been much of a fan of CGI, but the sheer beauty and detail of the work on ‘Star Trek’ puts George Lucas’ prequel trilogy to shame. I found myself constantly shocked as ever more beautiful and elaborate vistas were revealed, and if there isn’t a visual effects nomination in the future for this film, then there is no justice in Hollywood.

CGI aside, the set design is nothing short of breathtaking, and the future has never felt so close before.

But what about the characters? The original Star Trek had a cast of memorable characters that have all made their way into our cultural subconscious, so it’s tough for any actor to live up to that kind of legacy. Fortunately, the cast (which I originally made the mistake of dismissing as just a bunch of pretty faces) treat their roles with respect; altering the characters just enough that we get the sense that these ARE the original crew, only 8 years before they crewed the Enterprise. Chris Pine projects just the right mixture of cockiness and humor that we would expect from a young Kirk, Zachary Quinto (though he’s no Nimoy) brings us a Spock still struggling with his emotions, and the rest of the cast does an excellent job of showing us a younger, more insecure side of the characters we love.

The musical score and sound effects are a bit overpowering at times, and there is a bit of shaky cam that’s occasionally irritating, but these are small complaints, akin to scoffing at the effects of the 60’s original.

Although some die-hard fans might grouse and find fault with "Star Trek," it’s proved to me that my favorite franchise will go on seeking out new life and civilizations, and boldly going where no series has gone before.

Verdict: 5 casks of Klingon Bloodwine out of 5.

Kepla!