Exciting and Entertainment with Weaknesses

Rating: 8/10 (20 January 2019)

10 May 2009. Not perfect, but a nice tribute to the original Star Trek series. One of the best features of this new version is its casting with one big exception and smaller exception. The new engineer Scotty seems perfectly suit, down to his famous one-liners and human, McCoy has his sense of light unease, while Spock and his mannerisms and behavior most often reflect on the original Spock. Uhura seems a bit less convincing in her role, while the biggest problem with this movie is Chris Pine in the role of James T. Kirk - he doesn't seem to really have that much in common with William Shatner, there is something different about him that just doesn't seem to transfer over. Some of the best scenes are associating the old and new cast and for the most part it really comes across well, as the younger versions have similar younger attributes and characteristics of their older counter parts and the script usually does well by them.
While this new version has the action and the expected storyline plot, but this movie had various weaknesses that detracted somewhat from this decent and exciting sci fi movie. From the very beginning the set up was much more abrupt, even more so than the first Star Trek movie which had much more emotional punch with its build up. The special effects seemed weak with the beginning sequence, it didn't seem as vibrant nor sharp as contemporary action thriller movies are now being produced. The script while having an emotional bite, especially when it comes to Kirk's parents, there still remains a problem with the apparent manipulative and by the numbers choreography of the plot - it seems forced, like a television script. The alien ship didn't seem to have the advanced configuration nor weaponry expected of it, nor did it seem as electronically monitored as it should have been. There is even one place where the Federation weaponry seemed more like guns shooting pellets with the accompanying sound effects and at one point, Kirk even uses the word "gun." Uhura's relationships and feelings seem somewhat off considering what happens in the original series. The development of the characters in the beginning also seem to leave out important psychological points and so often even though this movie is supposed to afford an opportunity to reveal where many of these characters come from, a lot is missing and much of the beginning appears jumpy.
Overall, this is a fun return to the Star Trek franchise and a credible job consistent with the Star Trek series. Unfortunately, there were enough small issues that took away the complete Star Trek experience. 7/10.
Not since Mission Impossible (1996) came out have I had such a transformed impression of a movie, a movie which also was an adaptation of an earlier television series and like that movie, this new Star Trek movie has apparently survived through time to be able to allow me to re-experience a Star Trek experience without baggage. Even Chris Pine, as Kirk, experienced in the context of the beginning scenes does permit the belief of a truly equivalent contemporary character as the old William Shatner. There were few weaknesses that merited attention a second time around. Becoming aware that the futuristic Romulan ship wasn't an advanced warship, being aware of the more developed set up of the backstory than before, there is much to appreciate in terms of the rare use of silence of space acknowledgement, the special effects this time around seemed immersive and effective. Uhura's different character and subsequent role in the movie and relationship seemed to suffer a bit of inconsistency or confusion in contrast to the original television series and movies and appeared to the only significant imbalance in this movie.