I had alot of doubts about the new Star Trek motion picture and like you may all know I’m pretty picky when it comes to the the things that I hold dear to me being put onto the big screen. I went into Star Trek with an open mind however and left the theater with my mind blown, already wanting a sequel! I must say Mr. Abrams was truely the man for the job, completely breathing exciting new life into the Star Trek franchise. This incredible movie exceeded all of my expectations. In fact it may even go down for me as the best Trek film ever.
Originally, I had alot of doubts about our main man Chris Pine as the new James T. Kirk and while he was quite a bit different than the man we know and love he delivered the role on all levels. At times I must say though I did see a little bit of Shatner in his performance( though some people think I am just delusional ) , whether it was the way he spoke at times, or ran or even the way he crossed his legs while in the captains chair on the bridge. I was very pleased with him as the iconic Kirk and though I don’t think he’s better than Shat, he definately took the role and added something new to it while not being a laughable carbon copy.
One person who really blew me away was Karl Urban as Leonard “Bones” McCoy. All I can say is that he truely nailed the part. From the moment he walks on screen and opens his mouth there is no doubt he’s the perfect man for the job! Then there was Zachary Quinto as Spock who gave another amazing performance. Aside from looking exactly like Nimoy he also plays the part perfectly. It’s a little different take on Spock but in his younger years it truely made sense, his demeanor as he struggles between his human side and his vulcan side. However one part I could have done without was the supposed romance between him and Uhura. It seemed a little forced, a bit out of place in the storyline and to be honest I was less than impressed with Zoe Saldana as Uhura. I think Simon Pegg was a great Scotty( plus I must admit I have a soft spot for Pegg ) and Anton Yelchin did a fine job as well as Chekov( I still think they should have straightened his hair! ).
The plotline was amazing and while it completely changes the Trek universe as we know it it still keeps with the continuity of the previous movies. I thought Nero was a great villain, though a little more screen time for him would have been nice and I am so glad I read the ‘Star Trek: Countdown’ official movie prequel before seeing the film. It really explains Spock and Nero’s relationship in a way that was not presented in the film itself. I highly recommend checking that out if you have not already!
Go get “Star Trek: Countdown” the official prequel for the movie in trade paperback form NOW!
The movie’s effects were excellent, and while the cg was perfect it also had enough real make up and costuming to keep people like myself satisfied as well. The story was exciting and compelling too, but there is one moment of the film that really brings it all back home. The arrival of Leonard Nimoy as the much older Spock. This portion of the movie authenticates the whole experience, letting you know that you are indeed still watching Star Trek. It was by far my favorite part of the movie giving me chills and a big fat smile(Recently Nimoy stated he’s “on board for more Star Trek” if JJ wants him!).
So yeah Star Trek is officially “cool” even though in my eyes it always has been. This movie just reminded everyone how amazing these original characters turely are. They did this one right. It had heart, it had action, an amazing story and one thing it better have is a sequel because I want more! Here’s to Star Trek back on track in 2009! Who would have ever thought……
Universal Dork 
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