Star Trek - A Science Fiction Epic

It should be no surprise to anyone that i am not really a huge science fiction fan, however given my new found obsession with The Big Bang Theory i decided to give 2009's Star Trek a try, having previously stated a loathing for all things Trek. I was really rather impressed, I am not at all familiar with the Star Trek universe, yet found this movie to be engaging none the less. The film is a reboot of the franchise and takes place in an alternative universe, thus none of the events of the previous films are taken into account, and the writers have essentially a clean slate on which to pen the action.

The film is directed by JJ Abrams, and stars Zachary Quinto as Spock, and Chris Pine as Kirk. Quinto is magnificent as Spock, and manages to take a character who is emotionally detached, being a Vulcan, and yet who has an emotional depth and with whom we become emotionally invested. Pine is also great as Kirk, the lone rebel who seems to be the perfect yin to the calm order of Spock's yang. The real magic comes from the way these actors manage to interpret their characters and the performances of the actors who interpreted these characters before them.

The chemistry between these two main actors is tangible, and we sense that these two guys like each other, and yet that Spock feels obligated by a sense of duty and by his orders. The story is very imaginative, and requires no knowledge of previous Star Trek series in order to be understood, however the film can be a tad confusing at times and multiple viewing's may be required in order to fully understand the story. The film pays homage to the old eighties series by maintaining a retro feel, with updated costumes which still pay homage to the traditional costumes with retro style turtlenecks which feel modern, yet have exactly the same silhouette as the original costumes. The sets also have a retro feel, using pastel style neon lighting and soft lighting.

Overall this prequel is incredibly satisfying and manages to be modern and a little retro with a great story and good performances from it's lead actors.  The production is surely handled and benefits from the fact that the director isn't afraid to contradict previous events of the series, an alternative reality is efficient in achieving this goal, and despite not being a Trekkie, i was really enthralled and entertained by this film and await the sequel with anticipation. Rating: A-

Spock Prime: Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life-forms and new civilizations; to boldly go where no one has gone before.