Star Trek: A Review

I wonder how the fanboys are dealing with Star Trek? I’m not the one to ask. I’ve seen all the movies, and had some streaks of watching The Next Generation in college, but hadn’t ever seen an original series episode until a few weeks ago. So while I recognize that the attempt to reboot the franchise, complete with recasting of all the original characters, is stepping on sacred ground for a lot of people, I’m not the right defender. It’s Wars, not Trek for me, baby.

Even from the casual viewer’s perspective, though, I can tell there’s a lot that could challenge these folks. The film is driven by a time travel plot that plays with the character’s origins (and creates a few plot holes that will certainly prove distracting for some). It offers up a cameo by Leonard Nimoy, the original Spock, who becomes central to the plot in a way that may pull a few out of the film. For those who walk through the original work as hallowed halls, I’m sure some are being stretched.

And yet, I hope that they can pick up what the rest of us can enjoy, which is just how much Star Trek gets right. For me it comes down to one word: energy. This is an unapologetic summer blockbuster, and it brings it in spades. The opening moments, introducing us to Kirk’s father needing to save his ship’s crew, including his pregnant wife, in a no-win situation, is a gripping opener that gives us much of what we need to know about Kirk. Flash forward a few years, and we see the rebel farm kid interested in driving fast and breaking the rules (others have already commented on the connections to Luke Skywalker). Flash forward again, and we see him resisting the call to step into his father’s shoes and become a great pilot.

The plot skips over most of Kirk’s academy years, but gives us enough to establish the personas of the three main characters. Kirk, the arrogant womanizer is a brilliant pilot uninterested in following the rules. “Bones” McCoy is a temperamental hothead with unquestioned medical talent. Spock is ever caught between two worlds as a half-human, half-Vulcan, seeking to embrace the emotionless logic of his Vulcan upbringing while dealing with the passion that emerges from his human side. That we know these three are bound to strike up a lifelong friendship doesn’t detract from the intensity of the relationships we see in these early days. Theirs will be an unlikely friendship, as their personalities and priorities constantly put them at odds with each other. For me, knowing the outcome made the ride more enjoyable, as you could see the humor in the hostility, knowing that friendship would emerge.

The three have very separate journeys that get them on the newly minted Enterprise to face off against a new crises. I’ll save the plot for your own viewing, but events continue to put the three in impossible situations, pitting them against each other, and letting their own character and friendship emerge. The film continues at a fun, intense pace that we would expect from director J.J. Abrams. It works because of the great performances of the principals, the fun at watching these personalities interact, and because of the great action that surrounds the entire venture. All of that keeps it going when the plot may be a little less than perfect.

Without a doubt, Star Trek was the most fun I’ve had at the movies this year, and did a lot to purge the sour taste of Wolverine from my pallet (that review is coming). And yes, I’ll add my vote that everything Abrams did right he learned from Star Wars (you take your cheap shots when you can). That being said, the film fits an old school view of the summer blockbuster, rejecting the models of Batman and many of the other comic book properties, in that it really doesn’t try to explore or hint at deep themes. It promises a two hour frolic and an escape complete with popcorn and soda. And yet...

Over the last few months, I’ve read several discussing whether Star Trek can play for this generation. The property is almost 45 years old, and was started in a spirit of 60’s optimism that looked to the promise of space exploration as a framework for seeing the hope of the future. Can that kind of unapologetic optimism play in our more cynical age? I think so. Even where the perception is that our institutions are failing us, and the promises of prosperity that we cling to will not bear fruit, there is a power in hope that is far deeper than simple escapism. Star Trek works best when it gets small, focusing on the powerful friendships of people who fight alongside each other, offering loyalty even in hopeless situations. That we have a hope that we might rise above our institutions, yes even rise above ourselves, is a hope that seems relevant for any age.