For the first time since "First Contact," the "Star Trek" franchise has gone where no "Trek" has gone before.
Instead of continuing ahead with "The Next Generation" or spinning a movie out of the prequel "Enterprise," J.J. Abrams boldly decided to reboot the venerable franchise and start over from scratch. The final product is not only a credible entry into the franchise, but a new lease on life, not unlike V'Ger's resurrection at the end of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture."
The simply titled "Star Trek" delves into the untold history of Captain James T. Kirk's formable years at Starfleet Academy. Certain events have been altered thanks to the intrusion of a time-traveling Romulan named Nero. Instead of the standup cadet who cheated on the Kobayashi Maru, Kirk is a partying farm boy who loves to get into trouble. His famous solution to the unbeatable test is finally shown, including the reaction from his fellow cadets and the academic elite.
Mr. Spock's origins are also touched on as he tries to find the balance between his Vulcan and human identities. Zach Quinto's Spock is a much more conflicted person than Leonard Nimoy's portrayal in the original series. This uncertainty, combined with the actions of Nero, puts the uneasy relationship between Kirk and Spock to the test.
The marketing hype is correct: this is not your father's "Star Trek." There's more drama, more suspense and a much deeper insight to the characters than any other movie in the franchise. The opening scene alone is reminiscent of a science-fiction "Saving Private Ryan." As much as this writer has always loved "Star Trek," the emotional depth of the characters in the original series has always been as shallow as a wading pool. That's not the case here. You see the characters grow and evolved over the course of the two-hour movie.
The only problem the movie has is a shoehorned love angle between Lt. Uhura and Spock. The relationship makes no sense and plays out like nothing more than a feeble attempt by Abrams and Company to attract a female crowd. There is a distinct lack of chemistry between Quinto and Zoe Saldana and every intimate scene between the two feels forced.
However, any "Star Trek" fan, or "Trekkie" who has been worried about whether this will live up to the franchise's legacy need not worry. The actors are a little young, but the perfect thing about them is if you didn't know their names or their roles, you could easily pick out each individual character based on their mannerisms and the delivery of their dialogue.
The casting job was nothing short of perfect. While there will always be only one James T. Kirk, and he is William Shatner, Pine fills the role well with the trademark Kirk sleazy look. The star of the show has to be Karl Urban, who plays Bones, the ship's senior medical officer. He is perfect for the role. He looks and sounds like a young DeForest Kelley. Quinto also does a credible job as Spock, which is perhaps the hardest character to play in the series.
The music and visuals are both a sight to hear and to witness. The Enterprise NCC-1701 has never looked more beautiful on the big screen. And while Michael Giacchino's score doesn't necessarily sound like something from older "Trek" movies, the final credits music is straight out of the original series down to the campy 60s overtures.
Perhaps the best way to sum up the quality of this movie is to compare it to the watermark of the franchise, "Wrath of Khan." While not necessarily as good as the franchise's second movie, "Star Trek" succeeds in everything possible. The visuals, the music and the acting are all top notch and worth of the legacy. This is a movie that "Star Trek" fans will grow to love with its inside jokes and shout-outs to the series. And it is a movie that will pull new people into the fanbase. Even if you've never liked a "Star Trek" before, check this one out.