SCI FI PI

The Enterprise is ready for it's new ongoing mission.


Starring Christopher Pyne, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Leonard Nimoy, Bruce Greenwood, Eric Bana
Director JJ Abrams
Rated PG
Out May 7


The new Star Trek movie pays homage to the original Trek in a clever and reverential way, whilst creating (literally) an entirely new Trek universe. It is a movie notable for classic action sequences, amazing special effects, firmly styled direction and sound effects. For those wanting a big screen rollercoaster ride, this is a must see. For those wanting a doff of the hat to the original Kirk and Spock they grew up with, this ticks all the boxes. The only question about the film is its frenetic pace and its rare moments of quiet character creation. Whilst this film works as a brilliant introduction to the new Trek, it doesn't quite make it as a full conversation, and thus doesn't quite explode beyond all expectations.

That said, Star Trek is a big-screen adventure that will thrill and delight old and new fans alike.



Ben Cross and Winona Ryder are the unlikely pairing of Spock's parents.


To be fair to all the previous Trek movies, its budget far outstrips its predecessors, so the special effects, and in particular, sound effects are a class apart (Oscar-winning class). Seeing the film in a brand new digital projection theatre with a decent sound system makes this a truly immersive experience. Ben Burtt, legendary creator of the Star Wars sound effects, works his magic here, and in a first for any Sci Fi film, we hear the sounds of phasers hitting a target with a physical thud. The age-old picking point of sounds in space is also addressed - correctly; sending a thrill down the spines of the hardcore aficionado. There are so many details in sight and sound that add to the film that point to a work of love rather than of mere commerce. Whilst you may not agree with everything in the film, it's a matter of choice, not quality.



Action? You got it!


Many of the things you may have heard about the plot before the film's release have proven to be red herrings. There are several surprises for those who think they know everything, and the time travel plot device at the core of the film is actually quite logical and provides the entire new Star Trek universe breathing space to create it's own adventures. There may be Klingons, Romulans, Vulcans in this reality, but they're slightly different. It is literally, a different reality, deftly explained in the new film, so time paradoxes (often the bane of Trek adventures) are ironed out (or explained away, depending on your point of view!). The plot is classic (Wrath of Khan classic) revenge, entwined with the comings of age of Kirk and Spock.



Eric Bana plays the bad guy as the hero. Up there with Khan.


With this new universe comes a new look. There are many recognizeable shapes, designs and echoes of previous Trek, but the clean fresh lines of Trek interiors have been replaced with 'used' ships of a more industrial character. Think more 'Millenium Falcon' than Soveriegn Class.

Seeing a shuttle craft with dings (and paint scrapes!) is one of the 'Star Wars' elements that J.J. Abrams and his team have brough to this Trek, and it is a triumph, because it is in these kind of details that a Sci Fi films lives or dies. The geography might be similar, but the landscape has changed a great deal. The inside of the Enterprise no longer looks like a futuristic day spa, but the inside of a futuristic oil refinery. This is a machine, not magical in any way. The bridge, however, is a different story, with shining chrome and screens so bright it creates lens flare on the camera.

Actually, this lens flare is a constant throughout the film, and indicative of carefully composed direction predicated by the setting of the action. The idea of placing the camera within an environment, rather than just recording the action that occurs there, is central to the way the film has been created. You are put 'right there' - be it on the planet Vulcan, the corridors or bridge of the Enterprise, or on the snowy wastes of Delta Vega. If you're running throguh the corridors of the ship attempting to avert disaster, then you really are running. Clever use of character viewpoints and well created shots make this a visual treasure - if we could only spend a little more time with our characters when they're not busy saving planets, it would be a definitive, out-of-the-gate classic. For the time being, it's just a good film.



It may not seem 'logical' but Spock and Kirk start this film as enemies.


The sequence on the icy planet of Delta Vega is a good indicator of the general style of the film - all action, but good action. The new monsters we encounter are truly alien and beautifully rendered in CG - no dudes in suits here. Having a decent special effects budgets mean that all the aliens in this film do not look like a guy with a turtle strapped to his forehead. It helps the new fan to immerse in the Trek universe, and allows the old Trekkie to accept the new direction. The sumptuousness of the special effects, space ship and general futuristic design are reason enough alone to see this film.



Kirk starts his journey as a bad boy dismissive of Starfleet.


The real question is the film's heart. The plot is fine. The bad guy, Romulan outlaw Nero (played Eric Bana) is on a revenge mission of epic proportions, and our heroes must stop him. Apart from a few time travelling complications, it's all pretty straightforward, allowing plenty of time for epic space battles, fistfights, heartwrenching loss and clever twists. There's also a bit more of the 'bad ass' in the crew of the Enterprise, marking a physicality and a primal return to baser human activities and emotions that the later series and films attempted to iron out as proof of human evolution.

They may have been created as a fairly accurate (one hopes) prediction, but as entertainment, it is the audience of today that must be reflected, not that of the future, for true satisfaction. So when Sulu whips out his unfolding sabre for a 'mana o Romulano', there's a cheer that surges from the audience. Some who subscribe to Gene Roddenberry's utopian vision of the future may be somewhat taken aback by this slightly less mannered 'reset' but it's hard to deny it's entertainment value.

So bar brawls and unvarnished revenge it is!



You did say you wanted action, didn't you? There are at least four sequences that will blow your mind.


What is in question is the relationships between the characters. Kirk's journey from newborn infant to starship Captain has the epic tinge to it. It's good, solid stuff. Spock gets less time, even if helped by the legendary Leonard Nimoy who pops in to lend a hand, but the emotional human versus the logical Vulcan battle within this alien halfbreed does have room to develop. Whilst Karl Urban's McCoy has only brief appearances, he manages not only to produce an excellent accent, but a nuanced relationship (between the fairly 'large' dialogue snippets he's allowed) with the younger Kirk.

The dialogue doesn't allow too much subtext - it would be hard to underneath all that action, but it is the absence of the non-verbal complexity that robs this film of a glowing spine to cling to for fans looking for more than just action and adventure. That said, the action and adventure is undeniably top shelf, be it for Trek fans or any other kind of fans. The tone of the film is consistent, if somewhat larger than life.



It'll be a while before they're Shatner and Nimoy, but they're heading that way.


Thus when Spock and Kirk are thrust together for the first time as enemies, we really don't quite get the deep emotional sparks that the script seems to imply. It seems that these characters (and the supports, like Pegg as an effervescently Glaswegian Montgomery Scott, John Cho as Sulu and Anton Yelchin as Chekov) just don't quite get enough screentime to do more than have a cool 'moment' where they individually save the day, and that's about it. Over the top performances from Anton Yelchin and Simon Pegg fit perfectly within the mayhem - taken out of context, a bit much. Still they add a bright and effortless humour to the film, often lacking from previous Trek outings.

Each character seems a bit separate from the others (which is fair enough - this is their first ever adventure together) but it is the famous onscreen chemistry between Trek actors that gives the Trek world its longevity for Trekkies. This film does 'tick the boxes' for all the characters, it just doesn't linger over them lovingly. It may be a function of the pace of the film, and modern editing, but anyone whe wept like a 14 year old girl at the death of Spock in Star Trek II may be somewhat underwhelmed. So if you're new to Trek, you may find yourself enjoying more than your friend wearing the pointy ears next to you.



Great budget means great sets!


It may not have the heart that you're looking for in a Trek movie, but you can see the fledgling relationships begin. Never has a sequel been more necessary to not only capitalise on the initial film, but perhaps even strengthen it.

The theme music, which seems to be neither here nor there, is stuck between a martial theme and the original Star Trek theme, and without enough of a singular phrase to create an iconic theme to match the epic pop culture status of the film. It's not Star Wars, nor is it Terminator. It may 'catch on' eventually, but it doesn't hit you between the eyes from the get go.



The new Uhura is a complex and fascinating character.


The one big surprise though, is Uhura (Zoe Saldana) who goes where no woman in Trek has ever gone before, combining a sexiness and a competency with an unexpected romance. For Trekkies, it's a surprise, but it ads real spice and a singularly unique flavour to this new Trek. It's one of the few occasions where this new universe differs markedly from the previously established Trek, and it seems to be a successful gamble.

When it comes to fans of the 'old Trek' - you will be amazed by the amount of references, in-jokes and subtle asides that take in your favourite mannerisms and lines from almost all the shows and films (fans of Enterprise, rejoice!). If you don't know Trek that well, they'll wash over you as the frenetic pace of the film flings by. This is both a standalone adventure and a 'Chapter One', but works probably a little bit better as the lattter than the former, so you will leave the theatre with a sense of having completeted a thrill ride, but you will also be aching for a bit more - be it 'another go' or the sequel that has already been greenlit. One can only hope the quality continues as the characters develop and that we can all enjoy more adventures as the crew of the Enterprise 'boldly go where no one has gone before'.



There's a sequel? Awesome!