Star Trek (2009)
Star Trek (2009)
Image From IMDB
If there’s two things i’m really not fussed about (reaching the point of borderline hating) it’s reboots and multiverses. yet…
When I first saw the trailer for J.J Abram’s Star Trek I instantly dismissed it. It looked nothing like Star Trek, and i’d already fallen for this shit with the abysmal Dragonball Evolution a month earlier. No more ruining my beloved franchises! It looked like Die Hard in Space. I love a good dumb action movie… but Star Trek?
Reluctantly, I still went to the cinema to watch it (because that’s what I did back then) and by the end of that incredible opening sequence, I was hooked. It’s not my Dad’s Star Trek, nor mine for that matter, but damn I loved every single frame of this movie. I knew I was being manipulated for half of it as well, but I happily let it happen because I was having so much fun.
Rewatching it now, I feel the same. It’s such an enjoyable movie. If you’re going to go against what something is, then at least be entertaining and fun, and that’s what J.J’s Star Trek was. The action was wild and silly, but looked incredibly cool. The performances throughout are top notch with Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and the ever reliable Karl Urban playing off each other brilliantly. The movie has a look with the lens flares, angled shots, and great colour grade. The effects are second to none. Everything about this movie works… if you just overlook the fact that it’s not really Star Trek.
That last statement is somewhat hypocritical of me as I despise Discovery and all the nonsense which came after it as they’re the complete opposite of what Star Trek should be. I refuse to watch their miserable nihilistic preachy self hatred. (Sorry, went on a little rant there) But… J.J’s version didn’t insult me in any way. Yes, there is some cruel humour, and Urban seems to be swearing throughout which isn’t very Star Treky, but… it’s fun. It’s entertaining. It’s a great Sci-fi action flick. Not for the purist maybe, but for a general audience who want to be entertained, it works.
For me, Chris Pine stole the movie. He’s so likeable and charismatic as Kirk, and the camera loves him. He took me into this world and kept me there with his enthusiasm and performance. This was before the countless dull remakes and TV shows so it was the first time someone else had play the ironic role, and he done exactly what he should have, he made it his own. No Bill Shatter impressions anywhere, and plenty of others should learn from that.
I enjoyed the story too. It was a big bold story to tell that was way more Star Wars than Star Trek ironically enough given JJ’s next big project after this, and it suited the tone of the movie. The space battles looked incredible and Michael Giacchino score was rousing. The phaser battles were intense and not remotely Trek, but again, fun.
If the movie was boring then all the decisions to go away from the original Trek’s pace and sensibility’s would have absolutely been brought into question. But, the easiest way around that is too make a super fun entertaining movie, and that’s what this is. Maybe not for the diehard fans of the OG, but if you allow yourself to just watch a fun action space adventure with no baggage attached, there’s few better.
