Back in the deep dark days of my childhood, before satellite, cable, or DVDs, back when even the VCR was just a gleam in some engineer’s eye, to be a science fiction fan was to be a Star Trek fan.
And for good reason.
The original Star Trek was a thing of beauty, so loaded with adventure, romance, and courage under fire, that young viewers never realized it was really an exercise in philosophy, exploring the violence, racism, and social conflict of its times.
But as deep and exciting as its storytelling often was, I think the real strength of the series was in what it didn’t tell. Unlike its successors, classic Trek usually resisted the temptation to over-explain.
As a viewer, you were always left wanting more. Wondering how transporters really worked, what powered an android, and what all those other little buttons on the console went to.
Unfortunately, starting with The Next Generation, the Star Trek franchise started shedding the adventure and wonder of its heritage and began a relentless journey deeper and deeper into its own head.
Where mystery once flirted, exposition now abounded. Every action got saddled with what seemed like hours of pseudo-scientific technobabble, to the point where roughly 25% of all available screen time got dedicated to the theoretical science behind any current crisis.
You couldn’t get fifteen minutes into an episode or feature film without one of Star Fleet’s finest saying something like,
“Maybe if we triggered a graviton pulse inversion with a double pike and served it with a side order of chronoton fluxuation in the aft sensor array, we could eventually find some action or at least return to speaking English sometime before the credits roll.”
Which brings me to my point.
Despite my earlier doubts and suspicions to the contrary, the new Star Trek movie officially rocks.
The action is back, the passion is back, and the wonder is at full strength.
This film takes the characters that we’ve loved for years, pays proper respect to their origins and motivations, and then breaks them free of the accumulated baggage and “fate” (i.e the accepted storylines of the Star Trek cannon) launching them into new and uncharted adventures.
This film has left me seriously stoked.
Final rating: Two thumbs on phasers set to “amaze.”
The last film Brent mentioned in these pages did not do so well. Check out this fair and balanced review of the most hideous waste of film ever spawned: Dragon Wars.
23 replies on “I’m A Trekkie Again”
I totally agree. This may have been the best movie I’ve ever seen. The tongue-in-cheek nods to the old series (Kirk and the green woman, ha!) were especially priceless.
I’ll have to see it a few more times before I give the title of “best movie ever” but it is definitely the best Star Trek movie yet.
Amazing the things you pick out as an adult, like how Kirks’s libido is rivaled only by Bill Clinton’s.
I always thought thats who Bill Clinton was based on…
I think you might be on to something. If I were to create a presidential candidate what better place to start than to clone Kirk. Charismatic, adventurous, de-atomizing his enemies with energy weapons, he’s got all the qualifications.
Duh! I knew that you would like it! At this very moment we are watching the original Star Trek movie. We are all laughing at the hokey special effects, and awful dialogue. And seeing all the actors looking so young. It’s amazing.
Welcome to the club!
Star Trek I??!! You poor, poor thing. Killer satellites, bald alien girls, and 7 hour subjective runtime. It’s making nauseous just thinking about it.
I’m an absolute Trekkie myself, and I just love the movie – it’s absolutely great. Couldn’t agree more with you.
It’s great in any language.
Absolutely the best Star Trek movie ever. As a life-long Trekkie, I don’t say that lightly either. ;-)
I heartily concur. I never do this but I’m already rooting for a sequel.
Agreed. All around, agreed. But they did make a tip of the hat to the long scientific explanations a few times in the movie? That didn’t offend you? :)
Oh no, technobabble is a lot like proctology, it’s funny to talk about but a whole different thing to experience.
You changed your picture thingy…(oh and yes the movie was pure entertainment!)
Very well written…may I call you Brekkie?
Actually, I prefer Captain Brekkie, but I’ll settle for High Admiral Brentfulness if your in a hurry.
Yeah.. Have to agree with you.. It’s certainly a very good movie!!
This is what I love about the whole Jedi Blog Trick, you do have to agree with me. muhahahaha.
I’ve never really liked the original Star Trek, so I will most likely not be seeing the movie. At least not until its on HBO.
Well consider this movie a chance to atone for your earlier shortcomings.
No cable? No DVDs? NO VCR EVEN? OMG!
It was my punishment for living in such primitive times. My children were far wiser in selecting a coming-of-age era.
You know, I haven’t seen the movie yet and I NEED TO! I loved the original… I have heard nothing bad about the new!
Wolverine and Terminator, the other sci-fi reboots were good, but Star Trek is still the best movie of the summer according to me.
Amazing the things you pick out as an adult, like how Kirks’s libido is rivaled only by Bill Clinton’s.