Yeah.."I just saw his" fights too! "He looks to" be ready for his first loss by anyone who's truly worthy of being called a "Great finisher".

Hooks Alexander

Sen. Alexander Honors Life of Dr. Benjamin Hooks

Crisis on Infinite Star Trek (2009)

 I will begin this review by stating that I was-am a Trekker, Trekkie or whatever the accepted title is now. I became hooked at 10 y/o, when a few weeks before the release of "Wrath of Khan" in 1982. I watched a "Trek" marathon on one of the local television stations airing all the classic episodes, including "Space Seed." After that I was hooked for life and my fandom continued into the 1990's with TNG and the vastly underrated "Deep Space 9." At it's peak the latter series took Trek to uncharted, occasionally dark and complicated territories, yet for some reason it became a whipping post for many so-called fans never quite achieving the popularity of the over-rated "Next Generation" crew. Leaving the air in 1998, DS9 took some of my enthusiasm with it as the horrible "Insurrection" premiered that same year becoming THE worst Trek film to date while the horrible "Voyager;" continued making mediocrity into an art form, my days as a full-fledged fan were done.

2001 saw the premiere of "Enterprise" a pointless prequel set a century before Kirk's time. Although the series improved greatly in its final two seasons; it was too late, the name "Star Trek" was no longer the leader of quality science-fiction or compelling space opera; an opinion proved once again with the release of the dreary "Nemesis," in 2002 which was "Trek's" first official box-office flop.
 

The writing was on the wall for "Enterprise" as well and like any long relationship, it become stale and predictable resulting in the series demise in 2005.
Many fans, including myself, were happy to see it go. The general sentiment was to let Trek go on a nice long sabbatical and let some new blood come in like Harve Bennett did a generation earlier and give it some creative jolts to the proverbial testes.

I was shocked and excited to hear in 2006 that "Lost" creator, JJ Abrams was given the keys to the kingdom and that Rick Berman and his boring tribe were kicked out on their asses. Although thrilled with the new change in directions, I was surprised that Trek's break was so short.

 Although I had fears of "remake/re-imagining" fever, those were quickly assuaged as Mr. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy was cast as the iconic Spock. Three years and two weeks later, after watching the new Trek flick, I was dumbfounded and like Michael Corleone, sat quietly lamenting to myself, "Just when I thought I was out- they pull back in!"

"Star Trek" had left me many years ago with feelings of redundancy and irrelevancy since everything Trek post 1998 never amounted to anything other than something "Stargate" fans wouldn't touch with a ten foot blue Andorian dong.

 With my disillusionment- now gone, I can fervently say this new film is a joyful experience that led me to proudly proclaim Star Trek is back!

 Much like the landmark occurrence with DC comics' "Crisis on Infinite Earth", JJ Abrams has taken great pains and a valiant effort to remove the fatuitous and poisonous elements that have for so long strangled the franchises potential. After years of stagnation and tedium, a wonderful thing has happened; Abrams and company have done what Harve Bennett and Nic Meyers did a generation earlier with "Wrath of Khan," they restored Trek's humanity, but also jettisoned anything that may have tied them to Rick Berman's narrative. 

 This is not the first time the Academy storyline was considered. Before Trek 6 went into production, in 1990 producer Harve Bennett had an idea on how the friendship of Kirk and Spock came to be. Shatner and Nimoy would have bookend scenes that opened and closed the film, while a cast of unknowns would play the iconic characters as young adults and we would see how they met, how the came to the Enterprise and became close friends.

Ironically, the studio was hesitant to go this route in fear the fans wouldn't accept an all new cast. It was Harve Bennett who ultimately said no as he couldn't find a good enough story.
Right out of the gate, the film makes no pretense as to what it's trying to do, this is a side-ways sequel/prequel that gets to the heart of the what made the characters and the universe work so well in the first place. However, it must be stressed and underscored is that this is NOT a SHIT REMAKE! Not a reboot as every other damn website, magazine keeps reporting. It's still a sequel, but can be taken as a first entry thanks to the re-jiggered timeline, although any moron doing that will be confused and rightly so.

JJ Abrams and company have done a hell of impressive job; frankly one I thought would come out looking like a thalidomide baby. They took the best attributes, the most appealing aspects and tripled the fun with a rousing score, attractive cast and a clever way around the franchises forty year plus history. A way that honors said history without an insulting remake, yet opens the door for limitless possibilities. Everything we know and love about Trek has happened, but it could also happen again.

The film begins with a stirring space battle with the U.S.S. Kelvin and the Romulan warship Nerada newly arrived from 120 years in the future. The Kelvin is attacked, her Captain captured, First Officer George Kirk takes command and makes an instant, life-changing decision.

 Nero (Eric Bana), the Narada's commander, has come to the past with specific objectives, one of which is genocide. After his devastating attack on the Kelvin, which results in the death of Kirk (father of James T.), Nero remains in hiding for 25 years, awaiting the inevitable arrival of his hated enemy from the future, Spock, to exact his ultimate revenge by forcing him to watch as he destroys the planet Vulcan.

Flash forward ten years later we see an 11y/o Kirk in Iowa driving a vintage car and being pursued by the police. He jumps out, barely escapes as the car plummets into a canyon as he proudly says to the questioning officer, "I'm James Tiberius Kirk!" (although in the trailer the kid says "Siberius). 

 Flash forward another ten years as James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) grows up to be a brilliant but undisciplined young man. He is wooed by Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) to join Starfleet, but Kirk at first refuses. Pike sees vast quantities of untapped potential in the young man. He finally convinces Kirk to join and that with his leadership potential and intelligence scores, he will be a Captain in eight years. When Pike's crew is called to emergency duty aboard the newly christened flagship of the fleet, the U.S.S. Enterprise, Kirk is on board, (thanks to some trickery by McCoy), as are First Officer Spock (Zachary Quinto), Doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban), Communications Officer Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana), and Helmsman Hikaru Sulu (John Cho) and Navigator Pavel Chekhov (Anton Yelchin). The Enterprise's chief engineer, Montgomery Scott, "Scotty" (Simon Pegg), will join later.

It's the job of the Enterprise to stop the Narada, despite being massively overmatched and outgunned. Fortunately, they have an unexpected ally in Prime Spock from the future stranded in the new timeline.

 That's gist, a bit over-stuffed and moves too fast for the cement heads watching, but screenwriters Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, prove they are true fans of the franchise. This is an origin story and it's done very well, with Kirk and Spock painted in broad strokes, but given the proper detail. Kirk especially is made out to be a superhero right down to his dramatic entrance into the world.

The film's most volatile element is the time travel angle- Trek's time travel stories have always been done with plenty of fun and intelligence dating back to the TOS's City of the Edge of Forever," & "Tomorrow is Yesterday." "TNG" had some clever episodes beginning with the outstanding "Yesterday's Enterprise and "Time's Arrow," The movie adventures kicked off with: "Generations," & "First Contact," while "Deep Space Nine," offered two brilliant episodes with: "Through the Looking Glass" & "Trials and Tribble-ations," the latter of which had Sisko meeting Kirk and Spock on the original series Enterprise during the famous Tribble episode.

As much fun as the time travel stories can be they are an inherently tricky gimmick that opens up so many questions that it will make the even the most air-tight plot come apart and the hard-core geek's head hurt if said thoughts are to be entertained.
The best advice is to just accept the time travel device as a clever McGuffin that allows Abrams and his crew to do some much needed clean-up from years of Rick Berman's terrible misuse. Many long time fans have decried the "reboot" method, but their cries ring hollow as "Voyager," "Insurrection" and "Nemesis" proved, without Abrams magic, Trek would have continued to slowly suffer an inglorious death. And technically, this is NOT a remake/reboot, but an altered timeline.

 From the ground up, the film reworks everything- including the action. This is an action film, first and foremost. Sometimes it's a little too fast. It makes even "Wrath of Khan" look like an intimate British drama. From the opening space battle which is expertly realized, to the finale, the pace never lets up. The writers have taken all the ingredients of the original series, space battles and hand-to-hand combat and created some outstanding eye-candy. The Enterprise rolls and goes upside down with the camera firmly fixed on her. It's astonishing to realize how far special effects have evolved. Not since "Star Wars" have there been more thrilling space battles and action.

 Some critics have scoffed that the film lacks a point, theme, but it's there tucked away underneath the blitz, a clear message of duty, friendship and destiny.
 The cast of unknowns who bring this all to life are all good for the most part. Chris Pine as Kirk is a welcomed surprise as he nails Kirk's cockiness, bravado and arrogance without being an abject prick even when it's obvious he's being a prick. He captures not only the character's traits, but Shatner's quirks as well; his humor and his compulsion to screw anything with a heartbeat and tits. He captures Shatner without mocking him, it's an intelligent performance that does actor Shatner and character Kirk plenty of justice. The true test of Pine's worth will be in the second installment when he's playing Captain. Will he rise to the occasion?

 Quinto as Spock has a more daunting task as his predecessor is in the movie. He captures the young Vulcan's inner turmoil and conflict that gives honor to the character and he's bold enough to make the character somewhat unlikable during his early time with Kirk. He's an arrogant jerk at times and to Quinto's credit he keeps him well modulated.

 The most impressive is Kal Urban as Dr. McCoy, a performance so spot-on, it's eerie. He gets the important, easy stuff right; his grumpy disposition and his quarrelsome nature towards Spock, which is unfortunately not given much time, but he nails Deforest Kelly's over-reacting, inflections and cadence right down to his iconic lines, "Dammitt Jim!" or "I'm a doctor, not a physicist" and of course, "Are you out of your Vulcan mind?!"
Zoe Saldana as Lt. Uhura is surprisingly strong considering the character never made much of an impact in the original series or films. She puts Kirk in his place when he's being a piggish brute and offers comfort to Spock after his mother is killed. John Cho as Sulu has fun with the character's physicality and his love of fencing, (another reference to the old show) Anton Yelchin as Chekhov does a good job of taking a crap character and giving him some dignity for a change and injects him with good humor. Simon Pegg as Montgomery Scott seems to be having a blast. He appears to be a clueless dolt, something Scotty was not, but we quickly learn he's a genius in physics.

The best part of the supporting cast is that they all have something to contribute; they don't just sit around and stare or lurch backward when the ship is attacked. They offer substantive solutions to the Nero problem.

 With all that, the best and only reason I even considered going to this film was to see the legendary Leonard Nimoy not seen on the big screen since 1991's "Star Trek VI: Undiscovered Country," (the character of Spock was last seen however on TNG two-part episode airing around the same time as TUC's release, "Reunification") By watching you wouldn't know there was an 18 year hiatus as the actor clearly loves this character; his performance is the highlight of the film and when he utters to his young friend Jim, "I have been and always shall be your friend," it will make the geeks want to stand up and cheer. It's an honest, easy moment, but outside of the context of the film it means so much to all of us who've watched Kirk and Spock (the first time viewer will get nothing out of this) all these years in reruns and on the big-screen through their cinematic adventures. For me though the geek in my says an opportunity was lost to not have Spock use the "Guardian of Forever" instead of the worm hole business that gets a bit convulted, but no harm done. 

 For the record, Eric Bana as the Romulan baddie Nero, is NO Khan! Bana is a boring dolt as an actor anyway, but he does make the best of it. It's refreshing to see the Romulans used for a change and he makes for an intimidating baddie; especially with his tattoos that represent his grief over the loss of his home world, wife and child.

"Trek" has been a Catch 22 situation since Khan; they will never be able to best him as a movie villain so they just need to stop trying. His motivations are even similar, which like the Romulans baddie in "Nemesis," out for revenge as well,m but he plays more like Soran from "Generations" as he's not really evil, but wounded and obsessed. 

 Bruce Greenwood finally plays a role that was made for him. Usually playing sidekicks or assholes, he gives a mysterious character some much needed depth and excitement; tough and commanding, he feels like the logical extension of Jeffery Hunter's original interpretation. I hope that Pike sticks around a few more films, unless of course he's scheduled for his grisly fate with Delta ray poisoning... Twice for yes, once for no.
Ben Cross as Ambassador Sarek is no Mark Leanerd, but he does a good job in a small role. He's a slightly more pretentious than I remember Sarek being, but he is a younger version than when Leonard played him so I can accept that. Wynona Ryder as Amanda is barely noticeable, but does a fine job, a bit too wispy and fragile than Jane Wyatt ever was, but she nails it.

 
Like "Star Wars" music has always played an important role in telling the Trek tales and composer Michael Giacchino's does an admirable job. It's a memorable score that is simply fantastic; rousing and full of high adventure. My favorite passage is the music played during the attack on the Kelvin, when George Kirk rides to his death and charges his Romulan attackers. It's subdued and ironic against the intensity and the tragedy of the visuals.
It must be stressed that this is not even close to Jerry Goldsmith's greatness and sheer wonder of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," or the terrific doom and gloom of "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," but he does manage to create some unforgettable themes and doesn't squander it like "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" and that horribly dull score or the lameness of "Nemesis" and "Insurrection." Here it's mostly all original pieces of music, no previous cues until the end when he finally breaks out the beloved "Alexander Courage theme playing over the closing credits ending the film on an exultant note.

 
 The film drops the ball on making the Enterprise a character. In the original series and movies, this was Kirk's home. We knew why he loved his job so much and "The Motion Picture" on, constantly stressed what a big deal it was to serve on board her. When Khan shot her in the side with laser blasts, we felt it, an old friend was injured. When we see the battle damage done in Trek III, we wince as it looks like the ship is in pain.
Here the ship is nothing more than a prop. Aside from a fleeting shot or two, Enterprise has yet to make an impression on its curious crew.

There are several in-jokes and references to the past that should give the hard-core geeks plenty to be happy about. In the bar when Kirk is hitting on Uhura, a Tribble can be seen on the bar. When kid Kirk is driving the vintage corvette, "Sabotage' by the Beastie Boys is playing, an affectionate, but obscure poke at William Shatner and his inability to say the word correctly on the original series perhaps?

There is an ancestor of Captain Archer during Kirk's Q& session about his Kobioshi Moru solution. At the film's end when Kirk is promoted to Captain and Pike to Commodore, Pike's uniform is very reminiscent of those worn in "The Motion Picture," while Kirk's looks like the early version of the burgundy duds from "Wrath of Khan."
The late Majel Barrett is once again the voice of the ship's computer. The only actor to take part in all five series. She completed her work for this film just two weeks before her death from Leukemia.

Just like what Director Robert Wise accomplished with "The Motion Picture," Director Abrams took great effort to class this up with some rather interesting style choices. I appreciate his efforts here and dig most of it, but if there's one thing I could see done without is the shaky cam crap! It has invaded my beloved Trek, although not over-done, it's one gimmick that I wish would disappear from this Earth! Cameras shaking do not make action nor do they heighten tension; they confuse and ruin the sense of geography of a scene and most importantly they take the viewer out of the experience and make them ask why the cam is being operated by Michael J. Fox. The scene where Kirk and Sulu disarm the black hole thingy is nearly ruined thanks to a shaking cam and incoherent editing; its hard to tell who is who and what's going on. It's the only part of the film I dislike, simply because of this stupid, lazy, hacky gimmick.

 Not over-used so I can live it, but from now, let's keep that camera still like a good Director.
The production design from the top down is excellent. Every cent of spent is on the screen and everything looks outstanding; using designs and amalgams of several of the movies and television series. The Enterprise's bridge looks like if the bridge first seen in "Trek V" and the one seen in the pilot episode, "The Menagerie" had a baby, right down to the twisty lights at the console. The best update is the "USS Kelvin's" bridge design, which looks like the obvious evolution that was first seen on "Enterprise."

 
 The new design of the Enterprise still has yet to grow on me as the bottom half looks unfinished and impractical. Also the mechanical look of the engineering section misses the point of 23rd century technology. Computers have advanced so much that the engineering room wouldn't need all the pipes and mechanical tubes. Computers have made it easy to travel so a reduction of all that stuff makes sense, for the Enterprises innards to look like the belly of the Titanic is pointless.

I like how the story left us with some permanence to the Trek universe, both Romulus and Vulcan have been destroyed. I hope we see more of this particular fallout.

*Geek mode engaged*

Either unintentional or not, they aged Pike up; in the original series he was Kirk's age. In "The Menagerie" it's mentioned to Kirk, that "he's about your age…" shortly after his Delta ray accident. Although without that line of dialogue we would have never known or cared how old Pike was; after his accident he's all scarred up and looks like shit, it's hard to tell how old he really is by then. My rational mind tells me to forget it, but the geek brain says there is no way to explain this through the altered timeline.

 The single biggest quibble however is the lack of Shatner. I know logic tells me that Spock was still alive and Kirk was dead in their original timeline, but with holograms and whatever else, the Shat could have been given a scene or two and made everyone happy. That said, the film works just as great without him, but thinking of the possibilities with Shat in the picture. Although he should have at least read the closing words of "Space…the final frontier…" There's always hope for an appearance in a sequel.

*Geek mode disengaged*

 Also too, The Next Generation cast got royally screwed as they didn't have a chance to say goodbye with a quality send-off. Not that they need to be retired, but they should have been give an Undiscovered Country-esque adieu. Blame can be given to all who participated in the last two dreary outings, but the crew has always been good and need to be given the proper respect.

If Paramount was smart, they would switch back and fourth between the two crews. TNG did tell most of their best stories on television, still have some fine films left in them if given a chance. I don't see the logic in just dumping them for this new crew, who could possibly blow it in the next film bringing it all back to the square one.
 

 My geeky suggestion would be to combine TNG crew with DS9. Every two years the studio could take turns releasing the news kid in a film and then TNG crew until they sucked the studio dry with all their expensive paydays.

That said I enjoyed the new "Star Trek" far more than I ever expected to. Having seen it four times now, I'm surprised and very pleased that it holds up and keeps getting better with each viewing.

 JJ Abrams and crew have done a miraculous job, they distilled the appeal of Trek into the breeziest, most fun adventure in over a decade. Most of the snobs who look down their pointed noses at Trek refuse to understand that it has never been about the whiz-bang of the hardware or even the exploration of alien worlds, but the human soul. Every story Trek tells is about us right now.

 Most importantly, they saved an old friend from certain death. The new kids have opened the universe up far wider than ever before and for that, Trek once again, has my unyielding loyalty.

 Live Long and prosperous indeed.

About the Author

I love life, Jesus and all things creative! I love music, art, movies, tv and anything that make a postive impact. 

 If you liked this review, go here see others. I'm a genre geek and love all things geeky! 

http://www.reelholes.com/

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