TOO much action, not enough of anything else

Rating: 5/10 (21 May 2013)

The Star Trek franchise is, unfortunately, falling into the same trap the Star Wars movies once did. George Lucas, at the peak of his success, wisely pointed out that a special effect without a story is a very boring thing-- then forgot his own lesson and overdid the special effects in his last three films at the expense of story and characters. I'm sure when JJ Abrams and his crew do interviews about what they've done for Star Trek, they brag about how much action they've been able to pack into a mere two hours of screen time. The problem is fast-paced hand-to-hand combat can be a very boring thing when you always know who's going to win. If the outcome is bound to be a happy ending, why not take some more time for the characters to have interesting conversations, explore strange new worlds, and the like? James Kirk, once a romanticized character, has been replaced by a bratty, brash bad boy who specializes in one night stands, not romance. That's what the new Star Trek films remind me of, a series of standalone one-night stands full of sound and fury, which are ultimately meaningless, soulless, and unmemorable. Nice special effects, granted, and pretty good casting, but there's just no there there. It might as well be a music video.