Before I start, let’s get a bit of semantics out of the way: A prequel is a story set in the same continuity as what’s come before it, just taking place before the events we’ve seen instead of after (X-Men Origins: Wolverine; Star Wars Episodes I, II, III). A prequel sets up the events that are already known to happen, so because Obi-Wan Kenobi was alive in the first Star Wars, he can’t die in any of the prequels to it. In contrast, a reboot takes characters and possibly events that we’ve seen before and makes a brand new story out of them, ignoring what’s come before and establishing a completely new continuity (Batman Begins, Casino Royale). A reboot, by definition, is not attached to any previous stories, which is why Heath Ledger could play the Joker on the rise in The Dark Knight as a completely different character than Jack Nicholson in 1989’s Batman. Now that we’ve cleared that up, I’m going to confuse you completely: the new Star Trek is a prequel that functions as a reboot.
Make sense? No? Good, that means I explained it right. Go see the movie.
Seriously, getting any more information than that is only going to detract from the experience of seeing the film in theaters. Star Trek is designed with the notion that the viewers’ only exposure to its universe so far has been pop-culture references and a few iconic visuals. The characters, their worlds, and the concepts behind them are introduced as though you’ve never seen them, which includes trailers and articles about this particular movie. If you need proof that it’s worth seeing, check out the stellar Rotten Tomatoes rating. Just don’t read the reviews.
If you insist on staying and reading the rest, I’m going to blow sunshine at you about how much fun this movie is.
It’s no secret that the filmmakers are walking a fine line of keeping the old fans happy while trying to appeal to newcomers and a young crowd. But by and large, we Trekkers are easy to please at this point. Our latest TV show died with a whimper in 2005, the film series collapsed on itself a few years before that, and the last time anyone not wearing rubber ears enjoyed a Trek movie was in 1996 (Star Trek: First Contact). We’re dying here. Put the Enterprise back on the big screen and throw in a few lines like, “I’m givin’ ‘er all she’s got, Cap’n!” and “Highly illogical,” and we’re like giddy school children. Fortunately, J.J. Abrams and Co. know that doing justice to the franchise means a lot more than that.
By making a film that appeals to film goers at large, the filmmakers are actually doing Trekkers a favor. For a long time, Star Trek has been an indulgence of sci-fi nerds and people with too much spare time (I include myself in that demographic). It’s a real joy to sit in a crowded theater with my peers, enjoying the very same things I’ve enjoyed for more than half my life, and seeing other people enjoy it with me. Needless to say, the team accomplishes this with flashy visuals, plenty of action, lots of humor, and a lot of winking at the audience. Plus, being an Abrams film, the story centers on characters rather than clunky, political plots (I’m looking at you, Star Trek I, VI and IX). Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with some political drama, but it’s not the way to introduce newcomers to the universe, and when not bolstered by a character-driven narrative (a la The Bourne Supremacy), the film can tire of itself quickly.
There’s nothing I can say about the movie itself that hasn’t already been said by hundreds of reviewers. It’s a solid, fast-paced movie that anybody would love. I must point out that, as enjoyable as it is, it doesn’t quite reach the level of the best blockbusters. Obviously, it doesn’t tackle those tough, moral questions with the heavy-handedness of it predecessors, but that sort of leaves it feeling a tad flat in the end when compared to more emotional and cerebral films like The Dark Knight. However, some people have said that it ignores the spirit of Gene Roddenberry’s original work, and I have to disagree. The current trend in cinema is to have darker, more violent, and more disturbing subject matter in mass entertainment than before; the aforementioned films are primary examples. Star Trek exists among them in stark contrast, refusing to accept hopelessness, encouraging humanity to strive for greatness and accept nothing less than peace and prosperity. Naive? Maybe. True to the original? You bet.
Star Trek is the most fun I’ve ever had in a movie theater. There, I said it.
Recent Comments