This isn't star trek. It's crap.

Rating: 1/10 (29 August 2009)

Let me state my level of Trekkiness. I watch a least one episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Enterprise, or Star Trek: Voyager every night. The new movie, which is simply called "Star Trek," lacks the imagination, humanity, and social relevance of the television shows. The story is week and the characters are flat. The director of the movie is J.J. Abrams (the creator of the television show "Lost.") has turned star trek into space opera. The special effects are neat, but that hardly impresses me, for a movie should be judge on merit alone. I have always enjoyed the television shows of Star trek more then the movies. The Star Trek shows engage the audience with science fiction concepts and questions. For example, one episode might ask the question: Can androids be conceder alive. No such questions were asked during this new recantation of Star Trek. In fact, the audience was not asked to think at all. The Story is ludicrous and is full of plot holes. The movie is just consisted of one action scene after another. During one such scene, three characters unnecessary space dive down to a platform that they have to shoot with hand phasers to deactivate. The scene is absurd because the shuttlecraft they jumped out of had more then enough fire power to destroy the platform. However, J.J. had to give the audience a long convoluted action scene that did not add anything to the story. The story is week, the characters are flat, and J.J. creates the illusion of excitement by having every body running around. J.J. has people running everywhere on the bridge, down corridors, on transporter pads, through sick bay, and anyway else you can think of. All I can say is I will NOT be running to see any more movies by J.J. Abrams. After all the bashing, I have done to this movie. It is time to give the movie its due credit in the special effects category. The movie is full of eye pleasing explosions and alien landscapes. The Enterprise has a new look that is fresh, modern, and clean. To contrast, the bad guy ship is dirty, grungy, huge, and completely impractical. The movie has amazing special effects, which will probably be honored with an Academy Award nomination for best visual effects. That being said, if the special effects were removed, little substance would be left. The movie does not engage the audience. Star Trek was originally created by Gene Roddenberry, who was a pioneer of modern science fiction. He work had to brake down social barriers such as racism, classism, and sexism. J.J. Abrams was not concerned with any of these subjects. He wanted to make a Star Trek movie that was space opera. Space opera is a sub genre of science fiction, but with more of a fantasy element. A perfect example of space opera is the Star Wars movies. Abrams sells the audience short, and thinks all we can handle is effects. In all, the movie is a disappointment, but unfortunately, it made a ton of money. We are sure to be graced with numerous sequels, until the good name of Star Trek is thoroughly smeared into oblivion. Star Trek should only science fiction, and it is a shame that the heart and soul of Gen Roddenberry is lost. I would obviously advise you to skip this movie and never buy it on DVD. With every fiber of my being I will annihilate any positive views of this atrocity of a movie.