Movie Reviews

REVIEW – STAR TREK WARPS TO GREATNESS

9.5 out of 10

I can sum up my feelings and thoughts for the new Star Trek film in one word.  WOW!  No seriously… WOW!  This movie couldn’t be better; it is perfect on every level.  From the brilliant script to the bold directing to the stellar acting, this Star Trek is a thrill to behold, jam packed with action, suspense and vision.  The reboot makes the previous entries in the series look like they are standing still.  Star Trek moves at warp 10 whereas the other films are moving at warp 1.

Let me say that this reimagining of the franchise not only moves the series in a bold, new direction, it also pays serious homage to the original.  Yes details have been changed and the continuity of the prior movies has been altered but it wouldn’t be much of a brand new start if they weren’t.  The script by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (Transformers) is perfect in every way, from the time travel plotline to the character interaction to its use of humor, all the while making great use of all the key elements that defined Star Trek for decades and taking them to extraordinary heights.  They even manage to preserve many of the great catch phrases of the original.  “Damn it man, I’m a doctor… not a physicist!”  Then there’s director J.J. Abrams.  What can I say about Abrams?  I’m a huge fan of his and I respect his entire body of work.  This is the man who brought us Lost after all, my favorite series of all time.  He pushes the movie along at warp speed, slowing down for maybe 10 minutes to establish a brief origin of Kirk and Spock.  The action sequences are so enthralling and they draw you in so much, you almost feel like you are on screen, right in the middle of it all.  The new Trek has more action in it than the other 10 films combined.  Not only has he managed to breathe new life into the sagging franchise, Abrams has crafted the definitive Star Trek experience, achieving nothing short of visual poetry in the process.

I don’t know who is responsible for casting this movie, but they deserve all of the kudos in the world.  It is impossible to do a better job.  It would’ve been very easy to play caricatures of these famous characters, but all of the actors step into their roles effortlessly, creating a new take on their respective characters while paying serious tribute to the actors they inherited the roles from.  I’m sure William Shatner will be proud of Chris Pine’s take on his iconic character.  Pine is extremely charismatic and brings the same effortless swagger and cockiness to Kirk that defined Shatner’s portrayal of the heroic captain.  There are even times when Pine actually sounds and looks just like Mr. Shatner.  Zachary Quinto also does an amazing job stepping into the role of Spock, a character who is constantly at battle with himself to balance the emotional baggage that comes with being half human with the logic that is the defining aspect of his Vulcan heritage.  He even stands toe to toe with the original Spock, Leonard Nimoy, here playing an older version of the character (this is a time travel story) in what amounts to be way more than a glorified cameo.  Needless to say, all of the actors, from Simon Pegg’s hilarious turn as chief engineer, Scotty, to Karl Urban’s riveting portrayal of Dr. Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy, are brilliant.

Star Trek is the perfect summer blockbuster movie and will thrill anyone who has a pulse.  I give it a 9.5 out of 10.  I would’ve given it a perfect 10, but I’m saving that for the sequel.  To sum it up, whether you are a hardcore Trekkie or someone who has never even seen an episode, Abrams and company have created a Star Trek that is for everyone.

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Bill Bonfanti is FilmGo.net’s movie critic and Box office analyst. Every week you will find new reviews and box office predictions for the current crop of films in the theater.

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 11th, 2009 at 7:27 pm and is filed under Movie Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.