Last night I had the fortune of sitting through the new Star Trek movie. I thought I would share how I felt about it, don’t worry I will not give anything away.
The film itself is good, it will not set the world on fire. It was odd I came out of the film saying wow I must see the new Transformers movie (trailer was shown).
My main problem with the film is the way it was shot, someone must have brought JJ Abrams a book on new camera angles. You were often approaching scenes from very odd perspectives and fighting to work out exactly what you were viewing on screen. There was strafing of images during rapid action scenes, but I think that is due to the film projection process.
The lighting effects while on the bridge of the Enterprise annoyed me. They kept using a white light effect where they would just fill the screen full of white light, wtf? All I kept thinking was how the hell can they be working on there, where is health and safety.
The film had some nods to the original Star Trek universe and some of them were frankly shoe horned in. As for the characters Karl Urban as Bones and Chris Pine as Kirk were stand out performances. Spock not so, I do not think that Zachary Quinto had the intensity to play the troubled Spock. I often made the mistake of oh there’s the guy from Heros, which should not happen if the acting is good enough. Hopefully it is a role he can grow into. Simon Pegg as much as I love him was weak as Scotty. Zoe Saldana played Uhura with a very good balance of emotions. Pavel Chekov was really funny and Anton Yelchin, though he bore no resemblance played the part well. John Cho as Sulu was again there and not a full rounded figure, well to be honest he never was in the original either. Eric Bana just put on stock Star Trek baddie as Nero.
I must admit I did well up a little when Leonard Nimoy turned up. I think I knew that it would be the last time I would see my Spock.
So to conclude. Should you go and see it? Yes. Is it a good movie? Yes. Is it Star Trek? No, well not to me, it felt more like BattleStar Gallactica, which is what I think they were going for. Go see it make your own mind up. But personally to me it’s a good film but it ain’t Star Trek.
So for me Star Trek ends and BattleStar Trek Gallactica starts.
I am and always will be your friend, live long and prosper.
