The legend returns with enough action and fun for fans and non-fans alike

Rating: 8/10 (10 May 2009)

As much of a film geek and a science fiction fan as I am, I have never been a huge fan of Star Trek. I enjoyed the films I did see, I appreciated the legendary roles inhabited by William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Patrick Stewart to name a few, and understood quite a fair bit about the mythology that took place since the 1960s. But when Paramount announced a reboot, with J.J. Abrams at the helm, I got fairly excited. And luckily, for good reason.
Packed into a rather twisty and time shifty narrative, Star Trek details the lives of the most notable members of the U.S.S. Enterprise, and how they met and became a crew.
Saying anything more would ruin the fun and the surprises Abrams and Co. have in store for fans and non-fans alike. From moment one, it is clear this is less of a film for Trekkers (or Trekkies, depending on how you feel about the title) and more of a film for everyone. Yes, there are stills terms and races of individuals that will baffle anyone not acquainted with Trek-lore, but screenwriters Abrams/Michael Bay-regulars Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman never exploit this. They ensure that everyone will be able to get some semblance of understanding from what is going on and what is being said. There are plenty of laughs as well, giving the film a more universal feel even as it becomes nerve-wreckingly tense. They leave just enough room to stay true to the original films and shows, while carving out their own identity as well.
That idea inherently, is what makes this film work so well – it does not rely on everything that has come before to work now. Some purists may not appreciate the subtle and glaring changes the film makes to what has come before, but the film has the attitude of not caring and doing its own thing. There is enough originality and unique moments within the film that it is able to stand on its own. Yes, the original Spock (played again by Nimoy) is integral to the plot of the film, but he never gets in the way of the film being able to start up a new series, a new lore and a new generation of fans. Everything about this film feels like it has been treaded on before, but never like this. Everything old, feels new again. Even the special effects, so important to the series from the start, look incredible and more believable than anything we have ever seen in the franchise before. Anyone expecting something in the vein of what has been done before is going to be sadly disappointed.
While I will not complain about the far too common lens flare that appears in an abundance of scenes, but the film does drag itself out in some cases. There is a lot to digest and a lot of characters to flesh out, but for a movie that starts off with the speed of a lightning bolt, it slows down a bit too much in the middle area of the film. It manages the rare challenge of remaining interesting throughout, but it feels like it spreads itself too thin in its midsection. While a lot of recent films seem to have trouble in their pacing, this film especially could have done with a few minor cuts.
Despite having a relatively little-known but being fairly recognizable, the cast is excellent in their performances. Chris Pine has just enough arrogance, swagger and charm to embody the eventual Captain Kirk from his first appearance on-screen through the finale. He does not descend into the overacting and self parody of Shatner before him, but he is believable enough to be a younger version of the well-known character. Although known more for being a villain, Zachary Quinto manages to give a stunted and emotional performance as the near-emotionless Spock. He still has the gleam of a villain in his eyes, but he has enough power and gravitas in his performance, especially when we can easily compare him to the original and legendary Spock (credited as "Spock Prime" in the end credits), that it is obvious he was born to fill the shoes.
Zoe Saldana as Uhura, John Cho as Sulu, Anton Yelchin as Chekov and Simon Pegg as Scotty, all put forth great work in their supporting performances, no matter how silly some of the material is (Yelchin's Russian accent is stretched a little too far, but is not overbearing). I would have liked a little more of Pegg, but he easily steals the majority of scenes he appears in. Karl Urban stands out among the supporting cast for his straight-laced and often hilarious rendition of Bones. I am not as familiar with the original character as most, but while everyone else is either being dead serious or as offbeat as they come, he gets the most time to just kick back and have fun with his lines and actions. One particular scene involving multiple diagnoses on Kirk is masterfully done by Urban, who despite being set back by a few cheesy lines, makes the performance as strong as any other. Eric Bana, as the Romulan villain Nero, gets a few seriously deadly moments on screen, but is not nearly as fleshed out as everyone else. We understand his motivations, and he appears on-screen frequently, but he just does not have the same spark as everyone else does.
For only his second feature, and such a huge project, Abrams has delivered a fine product that is easily the first great film of 2009. The short delay only helped the picture become even better than it could have been. The cast is great, the story is well done, and the film is more fun than I ever imagined it could have been. Here's hoping for a great summer of film.
8.5/10.