OK, let’s get in to this …

On shear principle, I hate the idea of re-envisioning the original Star Trek. Roddenberry’s great characters were born on the TV screen, so unlike great characters of literature, actors William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley ARE Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy and not just interpretations of another medium. I’ll offer perhaps the most bizarre comparison: Calvin & Hobbes, the great daily comic strip. Bill Watterson said the two were created for the two-dimensional media of the page, to be read and not heard, or put in motion via animation and certainly not to be ‘brought to life’ by real people. In a surreal way, I think this applies here, in that Calvin & Hobbes are two-dimension, static images for the printed page – William Shatner IS James Tiberius Kirk.

Second, the concept of an alternate timeline can be a brilliant story device as well as a lame excuse to do anything you want. It also sets a precedent that in another 40 years (or even 20), another Hollywood whiz will be given the task to resurrect the cash cow that is Star Trek, recasting and re-envisioning the characters again (and again, and again … ). Instead of building on the epic foundation Roddenberry’s original series established (and built upon by Next Generation), the Trek entity seems to be fated to a Catch-22, never-ending cycle of deconstruction and reconstruction of the same characters, to the whim of the times and changing audience tastes.

Not to mention there will logically be alternate timeline versions of The Wrath of Khan, Jean-Luc Picard, the Borg, etc. etc.

Finally, the last few weeks of the ad campaign blurted the arrogant “This isn’t your father’s Star Trek.” Nice way to piss off the hardcore fans. My knee-jerk reaction being “Well, my father’s Star Trek was good … so, your’s must be crappy” … and that to be accurate, the dumb asses should have said ‘it’s not your grandfather’s Star Trek’ … but that doesn’t really help my own argument.

I guess those would be the CONs. And for the record, any hardcore Trek fan that embraces these principles is absolutely justified in doing so, in my opinion. I won’t argue against anyone who believes this way, also acknowledging such a fan can’t or won’t be won over.

Two friends have been opposed to the very idea of Abrams’ new Star Trek (a third such person also existed counting ME). One person has seen it, and one will not. I’ve related the one person’s (expected) negative review, giving it a 3 out of 10, including statements “ … it was so bad, I wish the original series never existed …” and “ … for the first time, I know why I don’t want to live forever …” --- semi-serious quotes from him, and hilariously overboard to me.

The other friend MAY watch it on DVD, or cable. He feels Hollywood ruins all the things he loved as a kid (Spider-man, The Wild Wild West, and the Steed-Peel version of The Avengers), and the entire concept of re-envisioning Star Trek is unacceptable. He just wishes the characters would be left alone aka retired.

So, again … I was shocked at how much I enjoyed “Star Trek – 2009”. I took one last deep breath before the lights went down, accepting the fact I wasn’t 20 years old, nor was the original cast; time moves on; and if Abrams screwed-up, I always had the original series. Times they were a-changing, but only a segment of the potential movie going audience will even know this (it won’t hit them until “Star Trek – 2045” ). I.E., I went in to it with an open mind.

RED ALERT! RED ALERT! – SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON

Instantly, I knew this version of Star Trek was different, and would have a ripple effect that would be the alternate timeline. James Tiberius Kirk is born, with no mention of his brother … and his father dies. Ben Cross was very good as Sarek, and yet, he didn’t look anything like the Sarek that Mark Leonard created. And the first meeting of the crew is Kirk and Uhura.

Yes, this an entirely new world of Star Trek.

First, let me say that I get it --- I completely understand WHY the alternate timeline was not only used, but required. In re-envisioning Star Trek, this alternate timeline does something rarely done in Hollywood (especially on the big screen): it honors, respects and preserves all that is Roddenberry’s original masterpiece. And ultimately, I appreciate that. No hair-pulling, tantrum-inducing, head-up their rear-end RETCON (i.e., re-writing the past to fit a new future).

Secondly, following the original series timeline excludes ever really having a true prequel of the original cast’s first gathering. [Please don’t hold me to exact specifics as I relay this, fellow Trekkers]:

Kirk served under Captain Garrett for years, then became Captain on the USS Ferragut

Spock served 11 years on the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike, who had followed its original captain, Captain April.

DeForest Kelley’s first appearance as Dr. McCoy was “The Corbomite Maneuver”, the 10th episode of Season 1.

Chekov and Sulu rarely helmed the Enterprise’s controls together until the third season. Walter Koenig became a cast member in Season 2, at a time George Takei was off filming “The Dirty Dozen”.

Nichelle Nichols’ character was a hot, communications officer who could sing --- she never was given a first name (the same for Sulu, at least not until one of the feature films). So, her past is really up for interpretation.

THUS, the Crew of the Starship Enterprise never had a needed prequel get together, because it never happened. Chalk it up to MISREMEMBERING, lol. And do you think any Hollywood power player was going to embark on a new Star Trek and NOT have the original crew together? And … honestly, would Trekkies have accepted a new Star Trek (prequel) without the original crew being together?

Back to the movie …

Kirk meets Uhura, which has been teased in trailers and reports as a romantic relationship – something I hated, simply because it smacks of being against regulation … in my original series frame of mind. However, it only made sense that a hound like Kirk would have at least tried to hook-up with Uhura at some point in time.

OK – Here is where this movie started to win me over. Enter: Captain Pike. I DID NOT KNOW Pike was in the movie, and I was loving this.

Spock rejecting the Vulcan Science Academy was great.

Kirk meets McCoy --- a newly divorced, grounded doctor now joining Starfleet because the ex took the whole planet and left him with only his ‘Bones’ --- nice. And again, Karl Urban was great.

The Kobayashi Maru – YES, but being administered by Spock? Me no like. Spock’s mother dies? Why?? Vulcan Destroyed?? What the Hell??? Still, the story had me along for the ride, and again, this is a different timeline.

[ By the way, I had no freakin’ idea who played Spock’s mother --- she looked sort of familiar, but not enough to care or distract me from the plot. Winona Ryder!?! Holy Crap!]

The crowd cheered when Spock saves young Kirk, and applauded at the line from “The Wrath of Kahn” (there was also a happy murmur when Nero pulls out the slug to use on Pike).

“Are you out of your Vulcan mind?” – one of the biggest laughs in the theater.

Mr. Scott enters the mix. I did not like the Star Wars influence in the form of his co-worker. Damn you George Lucas!

Uhura and Spock??? What the Hell???? Again, I was not happy thinking Kirk and Uhura would hook up, but this really caused me to jam on the brakes. I really don’t get the need for this. Let Spock get involved with someone, fine. Let Uhura get involved with someone, fine. NOT TOGETHER in the name of all that is Roddenberry!

Several times, we are reinforced that this is not the universe of Ambassador Spock. ‘Whatever are futures were have changed’. Yes, I get it completely, and I’m OK with it.

The crowd cheered when the Enterprise appears out of warp to defend Spock’s ship.

It was a great ride. It will never replace the original ride – the original Trek. But JJ Abrams has given those who still want and need the original Star Trek a new hope (damn, Lucas again), without pissing on what can never be replaced.

I’ve seen it a third time, and my friend loved it, except … Why wasn’t Shatner in it? I explained the whole cameo aspect of it, and he simply said, “But, still …”. I wish Shatner would have been there, to wash out the bad taste of the “Generations” fiasco. But I also thought, ‘you know, Kirk is most likely DEAD when Romulus is destroyed … imagine how Trekkies would react to bringing him back from the dead. (oh, … mmm, nevermind, not a good plot element to argue).

What Abrams has done is both blasphemous and brilliant. He has created a new Star Trek, and preserved the original Star Trek in its glorious entirety.

When I heard about the casting of a new Trek film, I thought to myself, ‘OK, the original series only showed 3 of the 5 year mission – pick it up there, since the movies sort of pick up with the relative ages of the actors and thus their characters’. But even if I could accept a new Kirk, new Spock, new McCoy … the potential storylines would be handcuffed by what all ready is Star Trek.

[ Big, big SIGH ] It had to be done this way. If Shatner and the crew were ageless and willing, I would never have went to see someone’s re-envisioning of Roddenberry’s classic. But the one thing Trek can’t overcome is reality --- unless it’s an alternate reality.

Hate this movie, I completely understand. Love this movie, I completely understand.

Live Long and Prosper … and Good Luck.

Awesome review Uncle Poe. You hit all the points on why one would love/hate this movie. I don't think I could really add much to those points other than I was nodding in agreement as I read them.

A couple of notes:
Kirk's brother was mentioned (if you can call it that). Though, if you blink you'll miss it. In the scene where young Jim is driving the Corvette, we see a boy walking along the side of the road. As Jim passes him, he yells out "Georgie!" to the surprised kid. I believe there was supposed to be much more filmed with young Jim Kirk and George Samuel Kirk, but it had been cut.
In addition, there's another whole scene chopped out with Nero in the Klingon prison on Rura Penthe. I guess whatever happens there would explain why Nero's right ear is maimed. If you noticed when he encountered the Kelvin in the beginning of the movie, his ear is intact. Later in the movie when we jump 25 years, the top of his ear is gone and he has some scarring on the side of his head.
I'm hoping all the deleted scenes will make their way into the DVD.

The proposed Shatner cameo was to occur at the end of the movie when the two Spocks meet. When young Spock won't believe that he and Kirk will become best friends, elder Spock shows him a holographic message he has kept from Shat's Kirk. The message is a final goodbye as Spock is to leave for Romulus in his attempt at Unification with Vulcan (as seen in the TNG 2 parter Unification. By the time of this episode, Spock would have been there for 80 years, so Kirk's message was probably made just before the launch of the Enterprise-B and his disappearance into the Nexus). The message was to recount their friendship and how much it meant to Kirk.

Great info, Beastball. Something told me there was more meant for that scene as Kirk blazes by the hitchhiking kid, but even after three viewings, I never really heard what he yelled.

Wow, nothing about Nero's ear struck me, great eye for detail.

Never heard the plan for Kirk, and that would have been very cool. But I understand Shatner's attitude (I guess).

About the only thing I picked up on additional screenings was McCoy yelling to Nurse Chapel.

Again, thanks for the info.

The only reference to the Klingons left in the movie, aside the Kobayashi Maru simulation, is a mentioning of 47 warbirds being destroyed by Nero.

Speaking of the Kobayashi Maru scene: I liked how they had Kirk eating an apple during it--exactly what he was doing while talking about how he cheated the test--in The Wrath of Khan. Nice homage

The reason Kirk stole the Corvette--his father's Corvette--was because his abusive stepfather was going to sell it. That's who we hear on the Nokia communicator in the car. Possible deleted scene.

Another deleted scene: explaining how Gaila (Kirk's Orion squeeze) helped him cheat the Kobayashi no-win test.

I noticed McCoy yelling to Chapel too. Did you notice the tribbles in Scotty's lab? They were in a round cage behind him on the desk. You could easily hear them.

Amazingly, after three times watching it, I did NOT notice the Tribbles. Funny you mention it, because my friend who arranged the first screening mentioned it to me today as we talked (she is also the one who talked with Urban for a story). I guess I was so caught up in the Lucas-critter, the Tribbles didn't strike me. I guess this means a fourth viewing is required.

Man....I totally missed both of those references. It must've happened as I was explaining to my girlfriend who was who in the movie...

Rumor has it that R2D2 is hidden somewhere in plain sight. No idea where, but it's supposed to be an Easter Egg for fans to find, like the way R2 and 3PO were featured on the wall in the Well of Souls in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Another nice homage at the end of the movie was having Pike in the wheelchair. Did you notice his uniform? It was the same dress uniform Admiral Kirk wore in TMP. Makes sense too since Pike is now also an admiral.

now this movie i loved! i just saw it on the plane ride saturday.

i actually can't wait to see it again.