Review: Star Trek (2009)

Oh, if only we could boldly go where no one has gone before.

For now, we’ll just have to settle for the cinemas. And what better way to boldly go, with the 2009 film, Star Trek.

Now before you start groaning, and think, no another Star Trek film, think again.

Directed and Produced by J.J. Abrams (Creator of TV’s Lost and Fringe), Star Trek serves as an entirely new jumping point for the franchise. Starting right at the beginning. The day of James T. Kirk’s birth.

The film starts off on the USS Kelvin. Sent to investigate a lightning storm in space, the Kelvin is attacked by a ship of unknown origin, and having advanced technology. This ship disables the Kelvin, and Captain Robau, leader of the Kelvin goes aboard to negotiate surrender, leaving George Kirk in charge of the Kelvin.

After Robau discovers that the Captain of this unknown ship, a man only known as Nero (Played by Eric Bana: Hulk, The Time Traveller’s Wife) is not from the present, and is looking for a Vulcan Ambassador, named Spock [yes, that Spock]. Robau has no idea who Spock is, and realizes that Nero is not from the right timeline. Robau is then murdered, after Nero realizes that he’s now in the past, and then orders the destruction of the Kelvin.

Kirk, Sr. is then forced to abandon ship, and sends out general order 13 [yes, that general order 13] for the crew and passengers to escape the Kelvin. Kirk’s wife, who is going into labor [with you-know-who] gets some bad news, as Kirk, Sr. is left to pilot the ship, as the systems are too damaged for auto pilot, and knowing this is the only way to save the crew, he sacrifices his own life to save everyone else.

And thus creates an alternate timeline, unlike any before seen in the Star Trek universe.

After seeing a brief glimpse into the life of our two main protagonists, Kirk, played by Chris Pine (Smokin’ Aces, Princess Diaries 2) and Spock, played by Zachary Quinto (TV’s Heroes,) we’re brought forward to Kirk in the Starfleet Academy, with his main man, Leonard McCoy, played by Karl Urban (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Bourne Supremacy)

Kirk and Spock’s relationship starts off bumpy [something never really explored in the Original Series] as Kirk is caught cheating on the Kobayashi Maru exam [something mentioned in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan], and Spock, the programmer of the exam knows that Kirk has cheated by changing the rules of the computer simulated test, because it is not winnable.

Shortly after Kirk is about to get suspended for cheating on the exam, the planet Vulcan is under attack, and the action from there begins.

The film itself is shot brilliantly, and the actors themselves have done a great job, recreating the spirit of the Original Series, without becoming parodies of the original characters. Karl Urban specifically played McCoy, almost channeling the spirit of the late Deforest Kelley. Pine and Quinto are great as Kirk and Spock, and the rest of the crew are great.

The villain, Nero, is something rarely seen in the Star Trek films. He is a worthwhile and enjoyable bad guy. Nero is a Khan-like nemesis, and that’s the key of a great film, a bad guy who is completely justified in his actions, in his own mind. He doesn’t see himself as a bad guy. But, of course, he is misguided in his actions. Eric Bana plays Nero so well, I would have to say it’s one of his better performances.

Another plus is Zoe Saldana (Avatar, The Losers) who played Uhura. Not only is she incredibly gorgeous, but also she plays the character so well, and with a bit of fire. Her scenes with Spock [Quinto] are filled with just the right level of emotion.

A negative for the film [in my opinion] is the limited use of Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) who plays the plucky comic relief, Montgomery Scott, aka: Scotty. He’s introduced a little over halfway into the film, and assists in a crucial part of the film, however, it would have been a lot better to have him in a much larger role.

Abrams did a great job reviving the spirit of the Original Series, with a good introductory script. The key will be when the sequel comes around [and with the money it made, there’s no question of a sequel], can Abrams capture lightning in a bottle again?

I recommend the movie to anyone and everyone. It is perhaps my favorite film of 2009, or at least in my top five.

I give Star Trek 9 out of 10.