Movie Review: Star Trek

Movie: Star Trek

Genre: Science Fiction

Rating: PG-13

Movie Summary: The greatest adventure of all time begins with “Star Trek,” the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. In the midst of an incredible journey full of optimism, intrigue, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind.

The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals born worlds apart. One, James Tiberius Kirk (Chris Pine), a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy, a natural-born leader in search of a cause. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), grows up on the planet Vulcan, an outcast due to his half-human background, which makes him susceptible to the volatile emotions that Vulcans have long lived without, and yet an ingenious, determined student, who will become the first of his kind accepted into the Starfleet Academy.

Kirk and Spock could not be more different. Yet, in their quest to figure out who they really are and what they have to give to the world, they soon become competitive cadets-in-training. With their drastically opposite styles, one driven by fiery passion, the other by rigorous logic, they also become defiant, contentious adversaries, each equally unimpressed with the other, each going all out to be among the special few chosen to join the crew of the most advanced starship ever created, the U.S.S. Enterprise.

The crew is headed by Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood). Joining him are the ship’s Medical Officer Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban); the man who will become the ship’s Chief Engineer, Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Simon Pegg); Communications Officer Uhura (Zoë Saldana); experienced Helmsman Sulu (John Cho); and the 17-year-old whiz kid Chekov (Anton Yelchin). All will face a harrowing first test that will set in motion the loyalty, camaraderie, daring and good humor that will bind them forever.
In the midst of it all, Kirk and Spock will come face-to-face with an undeniable destiny: a need to forge an unlikely but powerful partnership, enabling them to lead their crew to boldly go where no one has gone before.

From left to right: Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin), James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott (Simon Pegg), Dr Leonard 'Bones' McCoy (Karl Urban), Hikaru Sulu (John Cho), and Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana).

See trailers here.

Review: J.J. Abrams did a wonderful job in bringing the old flavor of the original Star Trek while updating it for a new generation. The ship, the cast and even the costuming was flawless (there is even a scene of Kirk sans shirt!). Everything that made Star Trek the phenomenon it is was maintained. The humor, the adventure, the villain and the ship (Majel Barrett Rodenberry was still the voice of the ship's computer), it was all there.

The cast was did a spectacular job in bringing to life and maintaining the mannerisms and quirks of the original cast. Many times when an actor reprises a role that was played by another, there is something missing. But here there were no mistake. The one that shines brightest is Zachary Quinto. He had Nimoy's Spock down perfectly right down to the the raise eye brow in query and the inflection of "fascinating". But the character I loved most was Chekov. Yelchin did a superb job of bringing Koenig's Chekof to life. The heavily accented english, the difficulty in dealing with the computer because of it and his enthusiasm in figuring out the puzzle at hand.

What I liked best: The cast. They did a superb job in bringing the original crew back to life.

What I least liked: There was nothing that I didn't like about the movie.

Rating: A+, Must see for all trekkies!