Contrived, Ripped Off, and Unworthy as a Star Trek film, but Great if You Like PopCorn Flix.

Rating: 7/10 (27 May 2009)

The elements are so convoluted with the Star Wars universe in this latest installment, that I do not know where to start. We have Obi Wan (Pike) Luke SkyWalker (Jim Kirk), Darth Vader/Maul/Sidius (Nero), Leia (Uhura), Alderan (Vulcan), C3P0 (Young Spock) and Yoda (Old Spock) and the comparisons go on and on and on to the point of rip-off. Kirk (and Old Spock) are marooned on Hoth. I mean Seti-Alpha 5. I mean ANOTHER ice planet, not Hoth, but the brain biters from Seti-Alpha 5 are employed here, although not in the same way, and now they do different things, but they are the same "indigenous life forms" from SA5.
*sighs* I wanted to love this movie. I've waited anxiously for YEARS for this film, watching as the parts were cast, as the script was approved, as filming began and ended, and as the post production work was commenced. I have to say that as far as the cast is concerned, they were all cast beautifully. Unfortunately, the casting is the best element OF this film.
We have an alternative reality, which means that Anton Chekhov is present in Star Fleet and on the Enterprise from the beginning, which we all know was not the case. It also means that all of the other 45 years' worth of Franchise History may be overlooked, and was SO overlooked as to be done with great relish.
Also overlooked, is sound reason. The contrived element of "Red Matter" was devised to create a black hole event when it contacts with matter. As lame as that sounds, it looks very good on the screen. What does not look good, is the vastly overlooked fact that it is held in a plasticine container, extracted through mundane methods involving a SYRINGE, and then injected into another mundane container before deliverance is initiated, with no black hole occurring within the syringe, nor within the secondary container. Even that not withstanding, the whole plot line does not stand up to the test.
Nero is upset that Obi Wan could not save Alderan from annihilation, so when he is sucked forever into the past, instead of warning his home planet and extracting the populous into his huge Death Star to save them, he haunts the skies for Old Ben, sorry Old Spock, to come back so that he can kill him. No Intelligent Life Found. At least, not aboard the massive mining vessel Nero captains. But then again, what's going on aboard the Enterprise is hardly better.
Spock (Young Spock, that is) maroons Kirk on Hoth (no, not Hoth, but who cares? It's Hoth) where Old Ben (Old Spock) is also marooned, but by Nero, and where Scotty has been stationed because he proved smarter than his instructors and it damaged their egos. But Old Ben knew that Han and Luke should be together, so he takes Luke to the sub station where Han is assigned and introduces him to Han and Chewy, while reminding Han that he's a first rate mathematician and demonstrates to him just how he changed the universe as it was then known.
This entire work is riddled with contrivances and stolen elements from Star Wars. So much so, that I cannot love this film as I once desired. If all you seek is a good summer Popcorn Flick, then this is it. But if you're a fan, even a casual fan (meaning you don't know the ship types, classes, and configurations by heart), of Star Trek, you will be disappointed by the lack of intelligence demonstrated in the overall execution of this work.
Star Wars has always been about the Human Condition, or if you prefer, the State of Heart. Star Trek has always been about the Human Psyche, or if you prefer State of Mind. This attempt betrays the entirety of 45 years of Star Trek history, and before you start telling me to get a life and stuffing me into my locker, you have to understand that for millions of franchise fans who spend billions of dollars on movies, merchandise, conventions, autograph collections, and signed memorabilia, this is serious business.
And while there are seven new members in key Star Trek roles, will their work be sought after in 45 years? If so, will it only be because they are "part of the set" or will it be because they were great at what they did? JJ Abrams, I have always loved your Bad Robot works, but I have to say that this was a vast disappointment, overall. The only part of me satisfied by this work is the part of me which needs huge, flashy, KABOOMy eye candy.
All in all? It's for action/science fiction fans, and fans of popcorn movies, NOT fans of TOS, TNG, or DS9. It holds some great action, better effects, and brilliant casting...it just left the previous intelligence of Star Trek, at the door. But in spite of what I've written here, I did enjoy the film.
It rates a 6.5/10 from...
the Fiend :.