Review of Star Trek (2009) by Garrett ! — 11 Jun 2014

Star Trek is a reboot of the series in a way, and a desperately needed one. Thankfully, J.J. Abrams' imaginative and intense film-making style breaths new life into a slowly dying classic. What really impresses about the film, however, is not only its spectacular visual effects sequences, but its believable characters who manage to appeal to Trekkies and new-comers to the series alike.

First off, I appreciated the acting in this film immensely. Unlike previous Star Trek films, which usually featured mediocre acting at absolute best, Star Trek uses a mix of light-hearted humor and intense character relations and development to bring real life to the other-worldy characters. Pine and Quinto do a magnificent job pulling off the brash Kirk and dry Spock, respectively. I also appreciated the little touches that gave real pathos to the character, e.g., Spock's relationship with his mother, which added a new aspect to the logical Vulcan.

The special effects and intense action sequences are very well-done as well. The digital work is on-par with or better than most movies on the market today. The unique camera-shaking and camera work of Abrams' and his crew is also excellent. Messing with the camera is just so rare these days, it was a refreshing shake-up. I especially appreciated the opening battle sequence (which is one of my favorite opening sequences of all time), which mixed raw emotion with dazzling space-ship warfare.

The film has some minor flaws, but not many. True to its origins, the film sometimes feels like a TV episode, which while not necessarily a bad thing, can drag a little, especially in the sometimes less dramatic set-pieces or odd little plot holes that develop like the in-movie black-holes.. Still, this one minor criticism should not be taken as a ruination of the whole movie, just as the small things that prevent a perfect score.

Now, note that I am not a Trekkie, and likely never will be. Still, Star Trek is not a film to miss, and a must-see of the science-fiction genre. I hope to see more classic series take the hint from Star Trek and make a return in just as a dramatic fashion.