Moving at warp speed, 'Star Trek' isn't exactly going where no man has boldly gone before, but it's certainly worth the trip to see how a franchise that's over 40 years old has been rebooted to bridge fans and newcomers. When the last film, 'Star Trek: Nemesis (2002),' didn't do so well at the box office and actually grossed less than all of the previous Trek films, many thought that it was time to hang it up.
With director J.J. Abrams on board, the newest movie in the series is not only action-packed but also filled with surprises.
From the outset of the film, as kinetic an opening as there could ever be, James Tiberius Kirk (Chris Pine) is born while his father, a Starfleet captain for 12 minutes, sacrifices his life for the safety of his crew. His peril comes at the hands of Romulan Nero (Eric Bana), who has traveled back in time to right a wrong he felt was done to him.
As an adult, Kirk is rebellious and loves to get into fights until Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood) tells him that his destiny lies with Starfleet. When he enlists in the academy, Kirk's most trusted ally becomes Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban). Meanwhile on Planet Vulcan, Spock (Zachary Quinto) endures ridicule because his mother (an unrecognizable Winona Ryder) is human. Defying his elders, including his father (Ben Cross), Spock feels a better future awaits and also decides to join the academy.
When Spock and Kirk finally meet, their encounter is far different from the long-lasting friendship they develop years later. Due to a crisis involving national security, Kirk gets onboard the starship USS Enterprise, along with communications officer Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Starfleet officer Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin) and Hikaru Sulu (John Cho).
Nero returns determined to destroy Earth, and the crew must band together to stop him.
'Star Trek' is a well-crafted, entertaining film filled with substance and dazzling special effects. Credit initially goes to screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman for coming up with a concept that will please newcomers and fans who know each character too well. As a bonus, Leonard Nimoy makes an appearance.
As Kirk, Pine carries the same ladies' man charm that his predecessor, William Shatner, possessed and does the character proud.
Quinto is perfect in his role. From the looks to the speech, he is Spock. As the lead female of the crew, Saldana adds some spice and sexiness to her role. Bana is no Khan, but he can't be blamed for his limited screen time.
For those who may be wondering, Tyler Perry doesn't disappoint in his first role outside of his own projects. Perry was commanding. He left his Madea persona home and looked sharp in his uniform
With the exception of Yelchin's annoying Russian accent as Chekov and a questionable romance between two key characters, Gene Roddenberry should be smiling knowing that his creation is in good hands.
May 2009
