Star Trek (2009) Movie Review) - Here We Go Again!

Whenever I am longing for a few precious moments of reprieve from the hectic pace of the daily grind, I like to call upon cherished memories from my youth. More specifically, I call upon the best which of course include Christmas, summer vacation and The Trek. Yes, I am a Trekker. I have to admit that because of my sci-fi geek status, I was afraid to see what the outcome was going to be of J.J. Abram's foray into my beloved and fragile franchise. After all, if we're going to be honest, the movies have been limping along since "The Voyage Home" and nothing has even come close to toppling "Wrath of Khan" from its pinnacle. Of course, in order for me to remain a true Trekker, I had to find the strength and delve in. With this in mind, I armed myself with a huge bowl of overly-buttered popcorn and a side can of Arizona Green Tea, then made my way to the living room. Taking some deep breaths, I popped the dvd into the machine (insurmountable evil forces had kept me from seeing it in the theatre) and sat down to face my fears.

I immediately felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster. At first I was relieved to see that trusted names like Spyglass and Bad Robot were involved in this mad endeavour. Then I realized my anxiety had doubled, due to the hope that the studio names had instilled into my frantically beating heart. As my favourite Federation starship filled the screen and the 'pingy-pew' sounds of her communications system filled my living room, I realized I was holding my breath. My apprehension had kicked my mind into over drive and it was racing uncontrollably. What if the special effects were terrible? What if the actors tried too hard to imitate their predecessors? What if the writers made glaring continuity errors with the characters' stories? What if all the male actors were homely? What if it just sucked?!

It didn't! (Enter most-awesome-futuristic-metallic-squid-space-ship screen right.) Throughout the opening sequence, the combination of non-stop action and amazing special effects kept me thoroughly entertained. As the movie progressed and our well-known characters were re-introduced, I could feel the film worm-holing its way into my heart. I got to see all of my old friends; Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, Uhura, Sulu and Chekov. With the exception of Zoe Saldana, whose Uhura ended up being a little too aggressive and sassy, the actors obviously did their homework and I was truly impressed with their balancing act. It's no easy feat to maintain just enough of the old to satisfy seasoned Trekkers while breathing new life into the characters for the next generation (pun intended).

On deeper inspection the story really revolves around the developing friendship of Kirk and Spock. The screenplay provides more depth for these characters by peeking into their childhoods momentarily. It almost feels sacrilegious admitting this but I do prefer the new Kirk. (Forgive me, Oh-Great-Shatner). Our cocky, womanizing captain is still there but under all that swagger, Chris Pine adds a carefully veneered vulnerability. Zachary Quinto delivers a solid performance as Spock but you can't help but catch glimpses of Sylar. I chalk this up to the innate similarities one would inevitably find between a super-powered psychopath and an emotion purging Vulcan. Overall, the writers were successful in translating the depth of the unbreakable friendship between the two characters to new audiences. This is extremely impressive given that veteran Trekkers have had decades to grow with and understand the strength of that bond.

Bottom line; see the film. If a chair-gripping opening, a lovable spot-on cast, and awesome special effects are not enough to lure you, then maybe an appearance from a Trek god will do the trick. Two words; Leonard Nimoy. Yes, his mind-melding lordship graces us with his presence. The writers truly weave him into the storyline instead of simply dropping him in for a guest appearance. Indeed, it is a great script and will entertain most everyone, from those with zero previous Trek exposure (poor souls) through to the lifers, such as myself, who own the complete original series mug collection. With J.J. Abrams at the helm, I foresee that the new Trek will live long and prosper.