Star Trek: Movie Review

Star Trek truly is sci-fi at its best. Movie prequels should strive to be as good as this one. With the release of this thrilling space epic, the summer movie season is properly kicked off.

Known for his ingenious work on popular TV shows LOST and Alias, director J.J. Abrams triumphs again… this time at the box office. William Shatner’s Captain Kirk focuses on the starship Enterprises’ space adventures, while Abram's film seeks to explore the story of these beloved characters starting at the very beginning.

The Movie in a Minute

An adventurous youth, James T. Kirk never liked obeying the rules, always looking for ways to push the limit and live life on the edge -- literally. As a Starfleet cadet, he acts no differently, ready to test the patience of his commanding officers. His passion, however, serves him well when a ruthless Romulan called Nero threatens his fellow crew members on board the newest Starfleet ship, the U.S.S. Enterprise. With the fate of the world hanging in a delicate balance, Kirk must convince Capt. Spock to let him fight back.

What Star Trek Gets Right

Excellent script. Fans of the TV show can rest at ease. Famous Star Trek quotes are not overdone or cheesy in this new movie. On the contrary, screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman crafted a perfect script for the movie. While these writers paid homage to the classic show by adding a few key phrases, such as “live long and prosper” and “I’m givin’ her all she’s got Captn’”, each line was brilliantly placed allowing the solid storyline to unfold without a hitch.

A chance is taken with the development of a close relationship between two of the main characters. But the risk pays off, adding depth to their individual storylines.

Star Trek’s pleasant surprise is its comedic gems that loosen up the tension of the action film by giving it a fun summer movie feel. It’s the sort of laughs and thrills moviegoers enjoyed last summer in Iron Man.

Great cast and crew. Making a legitimate prequel, let alone a great one, is a hard task. Kudos to the cast and crew for pulling it off. Director J.J. Abrams recreates this Starfleet world with the help of an outstanding script, but it’s the actors who truly bring these iconic characters to life.

Chris Pine who plays James T. Kirk does a spot-on job capturing the essence of Kirk’s rebellious and strong-willed attitude. Zachary Quinto, best known as Sylar on Heroes, was a perfect pick for the role of Spock. Eric Bana (Munich, Troy) plays the villian, Nero, rather well. John Cho (Sulu), Simon Pegg (Scotty), Karl Urban (Dr. McCoy), Zoe Saldana (Uhura), and Anton Yelchin (Chekov) also were great as the Kirk’s friends and crew members. And Trekkies get an added bonus with the inclusion of original series star Leonard Nimoy, who reprises his role as Spock, as seen in the future.

Credit has been rightfully given to the great cast and director, but it also is due to the behind-the-scenes special effects artists who make this sci-fi, action movie believable. We’ve come a long way from the 1960s TV show, to say the least.

Not-So-Great Elements

One qualm fans will have with the casting director is Winona Ryder’s presence in the movie. Seeing her on screen jolts you out of the moment, disrupting the story’s flow. Moviegoers will find themselves questioning, “Winona Ryder is Spock’s Mom?” Tyler Perry also has a small role as a Starfleet council member in the film. Although he gives an adequate performance, he seems a bit out of place.

Also, Trekkies may not enjoy the film as much because it doesn't follow the classic structure of the TV show. Director J.J. Abrams takes some liberities, but in the end, he delivers an action-packed look at the early days of Capt. Kirk and his crew.

Parents of young children should know that Star Trek has a PG-13 rating for violence and brief sexual content. A bit of foul language is used, and one scene includes shots of partially nude girls in a bedroom. The film’s violence involves sci-fi action and a few instances of intense hand-to-hand fighting.

The Final Verdict

Chronicling the early days of the U.S.S. Enterprise, Star Trek sets to charter a course for fantastic prequels to come. Rumor has it that the sequel to this film is set for a 2011 release. Let’s just hope this phenomenal group of actors signs on again.

For now, moviegoers can enjoy this new summer blockbuster-in-the-making as it propels them into a final frontier just waiting to be explored.