Time and/or distance can make a person homesick. After watching the new Star Trek movie, I was very homesick.
I was homesick for directors who could actually direct, actors who could actually act, plots that were actually plotted, and science fiction actually based on science.
A friend of mine, a truck driver by trade, sums up the typical plot line for many modern movies:
- Fight scene
- Explosion
- Explosion
- Car chase
- Fight scene
- Explosion
- Roll credits
JJ Abrams’ new movie, Star Trek, doesn’t follow this pattern exactly, but pretty damn close.
Before this movie, I enjoyed Leonard Nimoy’s performances but I never thought of Leonard Nimoy as a great actor. But compared to Zachary Quinto, Nimoy is a genius! I’ve liked Quinto’s performances on the TV show Heroes. But in this movie, Quinto’s voice is more like Mike Tyson than Spock.
And Chris Pine just didn’t do it for me. I didn’t expect him to imitate William Shatner’s characterization of Kirk. But Pine just didn’t project the Kirk I had hoped for: an overconfident rascal of a star captain.
I loved Simon Pegg as Scotty, Karl Urban as McCoy, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, John Cho as Sulu, and Anton Yelchin as Chekov. Also, Eric Bana, who I’ve enjoyed in the past, just wasn’t menacing or evil enough to me. And what was up with Nero blaming Spock for the destruction of Nero’s home planet? Spock was supposed to stop a supernova?
Science fiction is the greatest transporter device of all time. Science fiction movies like Jurassic Park, Soylent Green, and Planet of the Apes (1968) have transported me to places far, far away from my home state of Wisconsin. I expected the same take-me-away experience from Star Trek. But during this whole movie, I never left my theater seat. I was painfully aware of where I was. As a Star Trek fan, one would think I would find comfort in the old familiar faces, alien races, and conflicts, but I didn’t. Yes, the special effects were spectacular, but the rest of the time, I was bored. The time travel plot has been done to death.
Article comments
1 - Matt
Review Summary:
WHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 - Jordan Richardson
Watch more modern movies.
3 - The Crow
To Jordan:
Your assumption that I watch more old movies than modern movies is illogical.
4 - fui
I think Star Trek 2009 is an amazing movie. As for why Kirk and Sulu can hardly win against Romulan, it's because Romulan is genetically far stronger than human. The actors and actresses are awesome too, they really can act. And even if the movie is technologically far more advanced than the old ones, I think JJ should stick to the technology equivalent to earlier Star Trek movie to match the timeline. I adore this movie and personally think nothing is wrong with it. And Zachary Quinto (who played Spock) definitely has unusual talent in voice-acting. You should hear the newest Star Trek audiobook.