The Star Wars prequels should have been this much fun. Here is the spontaneity of performance, the touch of irreverence, the reckless absurdity and the overall joy of rocketship adventure we've been missing ever since Han became frozen dinner. Here is not the measured social/science fiction of classic Trek, but I guess that's what Battlestar Galactica is now for. I'm perfectly happy to let new Star Trek fill the role of premiere whiz-bang space opera serial, an office Lucas has thoroughly disgraced.
Although, I must report that the drama here is a little thin to qualify as space opera; the whole movie is pitched at the level of Han chasing stormtroopers down the corridor. Great stuff, but it only works if we care about Han first. The writers here rely a little heavily on our pre-existing love of Kirk & crew (Bones in particular feels pasted in), not to mention a pre-existing affinity for the planet Vulcan, which they blow up without quite earning the right to. Afterwards we miss Alderaan more than we miss Vulcan (and we never even saw Alderaan) because Obi-Wan's pronouncement about a great disturbance in the Force is more chilling than Uhura's sympathies.
As one of my associates put it, the movie is "all fanservice, no substance". That's more or less true. Too many scenes are merely excuses for in-references (the broccoli babe, Sulu's swordsmanship, the brain parasite, all of Bones' dialogue) that, while terrifically amusing, add nothing to the story. The current stewards of the franchise are going to have to contribute original material if a new film series is to have any legs.
The writers do throw a few curveballs, the best of which is the budding romance between Uhura and Spock, who actually emerges as a green-blooded hunk; an added layer of depth to his rivalry with Kirk. If there's one thing this script knows it's that Kirk is a cocky bastard and it's funny to see him humiliated. A bit of the clownishness of latter-day Shatner has crept into the character, to a degree that Spock basically upstages Kirk as a protagonist. The dramatic climax comes when the pointy-eared fellow loses his cool and gives Jim a right good drubbing on the bridge.
Normally it's true that time-travel-alternate-universe is a rather cheap plot device for avoiding continuity issues, but at this point, given the suffocating burden of trekkie canon, I say it was an economical solution and called for.
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I just noticed that Roger Ebert was one of very few critics who gave this movie a bad review -- he bemoaned the lack of science or philosophy. Maybe I was watching a different show... when did Star Trek's science or philosophy *ever* reach beyond the level of campy armchair pseudointellectual ramblings?
ReplyDeleteWhat really made Star Trek work was character and the mythology behind the larger universe it created. I think the movie preserves both of these elements, particularly the former. Some might argue that the mythology takes a hit by being "rebooted" into an alternate reality, but I think ultimately the important elements will be preserved. The films just won't be bogged down by the details scattered about the countless movies, television shows, and books that made up the previous Star Trek universe.
I enjoyed this movie a lot, though I must admit I'm no expert. This is actually the first movie I've gone to see in theaters in New Haven. That said, the thing it was missing was the "feel" of Star Trek. You know, something about the endless boredom of traveling through space on a science mission and getting caught up in something larger and more violent. Seems like the Federation should have other vessels for dealing with rogue Romulan mining crews.
ReplyDeleteI think the telling part of the cinema experience was the previews. Since when did cinema become such mindless shlock? Here are the four movies I saw previews for: GI Joe, Transformers, Night in a Museum II and Inglorious Bastards. Must be a good summer when two of the biggest films are based on children's toys, one stars Ben Stiller and the other looks to be pretty much non-stop pornographic-level violence and torture.
Back to Star Trek, I've always loved Kirk's leadership style, mightily demonstrated in the last moments of this film.
"Scotty, warp speed."
"I'm trying sir."
"Scotty, we aren't going anywhere."
"I'm trying my best."
"Your best isn't getting us anywhere."
"Here, let me just blow up this box marked deus ex machina, that should do it."
"Thank you, Mr. Scott."
Not sure why it posted me as "Russian", but I've sought to change that. Just seeing if it worked.
ReplyDeleteAnd then, after our resourceful engineer saves everyone's butt, we don't even get a reaction shot of Scotty! Instead we get the bridge crew casting looks of relief upon Kirk, and Kirk looking rather satisfied with his own leadership.
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