A New Trek Here To Stay

Rating: 9/10 (7 June 2010)

Here's a summer blockbuster, saturated in exciting adventures, hypnotic action, and intriguing characters and performances that will keep you glued to your seat. While this new adaptation may arouse the Trekkie fans all around, it successfully sets the tone for a thought-provoking prequel to the TV series and a potential run for future sequels.
Opening scenes starts with a bang as we follow two young Starfleet officers Captain James Kirk (Chris Pine) and his faithful Vulcan assistant Mr. Spock (Zachary Quinto) as they join forces to recruit medical officer Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban), communications officer Uhura (Zoe Saldana), helmsman Mr. Sulu (John Cho), wisecracking Russian prodigy Chekov (Anton Yelchin) and chief engineer Scotty (Simon Pegg)to their gravitational field. While this is just the scratch of the surface, the plot goes way beyond the origins of gathering recruits to run the U.S.S. Enterprise.
For gurus of the original 1960's series and the movie series from 1979-1991, this movie is reeling in history like the appearance of Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood)as he expresses mutual admiration for Admiral Archer (reminiscent to the Enterprise series)and the symbolic Kobiyashi Maru hold Kirk utilized in "The Wrath of Khan". Granted, some of the cast don't always deliver their performances deadpan to the characters of the original TV series, but I was willing to accept that knowing it wouldn't happen, but but the storyline gives them the liberty to change things around and they accomplish that feat admirably.
Karl Urban pays homage to Deforest Kelly's Dr. McCoy through his personality and quirks. Let's not forget Simon Pegg's Scotty's gleeful characteristic was portrayed with sheer brilliance. Zachary Quinto was absolutely perfectly cast as Mr. Spock which we've grown to love in the 1960's and successfully utilizes the many traits that the Vulcan's possess and even has the opportunity to stand face to face with the original Spock (Leonard Nimoy)
As for the characters of Sulu, Chekov and Uhura, they manage to have their fun in the sun, but the actors (Yelchin, Cho and Saldana) shed a different light to the characters from the 1960's series but didn't tamper them too much. I felt sorry for Chris Pine not performance wise, but because he has a tough act to follow as the new Capt. Kirk and to take the helm of carrying the movie. It must have been tough to follow the quirks and personality of William Shatner that might be impossible to duplicate. Therefore, Pine must rely on his own traits that make him unique.
The heroes of the Enterprise shine in their roles immaculately, the villains here are equally special and play it by heart. Eric Bana as the Romulan leader Nero was a convincing character being that he's not out to do evil for fun, he's in turmoil and yearns his turmoil to those who put him this way. The complexity of this character is obvious, but Bana adds that spark that goes beyond the typical Trekkie villain.
The new design of the Enterprise is a fascinating look and the layout seems functional and quite snazzy. The backbones of the NCC-1701 is a curious discovery with the piping and electrical equipment. We get to explore how maintenance is handled on the ship with the smaller people working behind the main control room.
The musical score by Michael Giacchino which compliments the opening scenes as the dark overtones and logos and goes on a tear in the opening action scenes. But when the undertones are backed by the voice-over we're all too familiar will bring you back in time to the original series like the way Alexander Courage did it.