The Final Frontier: How "Star Trek" Redeemed the Franchise

Star Trek, the brain child of creator Gene Roddenberry, was a dying giant. That had been my theory. Its massive mythology was built up through five television series, ten motion pictures, countless spin-off books, and has been locked in stone by an insanely devoted fanbase that are so famous for their devotion that there is even a movie about them. (See Trekkies.) So when I heard there was going to be yet another movie, I was less than excited. They said they were rebooting it for modern viewers, but I'd seen movies try and fail at that before. Why wouldn't they let this beloved series just die in peace?

That was my theory all the way up to about a week before it came out. The reviews started coming in, and they were ALL good. That was unprecedented, especially for a prequel/reimagining. Well, the previews did look pretty cool. Maybe... 

By the time I got to the theater, I was pumped. Then I heard the first, all-too-familiar, space-age beeping sound effect, and somehow I knew that this time I wasn't going to be let down like I was with Indiana Jones, Superman Returns, and the Star Wars prequels. This time it was going to be done right.

The plot goes as follows. Romulans from the future travel back in time in pursuit of future-Ambassador Spock, because they blame him for the destruction of their planet. Their actions of vengeance change the lives of the young Jim Kirk, young Spock, Uhura, Bones, Scotty, and all the rest while they are still cadets. Will this altered history change their destinies to become the crew of the starship Enterprise? Of course not. But the drastic actions of the Romulans have a profound effect on both Kirk and Spock's development and on the shape of the universe itself. Guidance from future-Spock helps show them the way, but don't expect the future to play out exactly as it has before.

Despite some plot holes, the decision to create an alternate reality is genius. Now the characters can truly be fresh, making different decisions, having different adventures, and (if you truly want to make the trekkies giddy) revisiting old adventures with new approaches. In any other series, this might have seemed like a cheat, but Star Trek has a long tradition of alternate universe episodes. The history hasn't been erased. We are simply now seeing what history would have been like "if".

On top of all that, director J.J. Abrams ("Alias", "Lost", "Fringe", Cloverfield) has done a fantastic job keeping the action moving and the story engaging for fans and non-fans alike. Behind the modern sleekness, the old designs are still there (even the bowl-haircuts and miniskirts) without them seeming dated. The film is full of beautiful new set and ship designs, including the menacing and spider-like Romulan ship from the future which brings to mind the design of the shadow vessels of "Babylon 5". (Didn't think I would get through this without a B5 shout out, did you?)

The mostly obscure cast step into the shoes of their predeccessors easily. Though some of them verge on straight-up impersonation, they do it well enough for us to immediately recognize their characters before they're introduced, relying on personality rather than costume to identify them. Leading the cast are:

Chris Pine (Just My Luck, Smokin' Aces) as James T. Kirk

Zachary Quinto ("Heroes") as Spock

Karl Urban (The Lord of the Rings) as Dr. Leonard Bones McCoy

Zoe Saldana (Guess Who, Vantage Point) as Uhura

Simon Pegg (Shawn of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott

John Cho (Harold and Kumar) as Hikaru Sulu

Anton Yelchin (Charlie Bartlett) as Pavel Chekov

and Leonard Nimoy reprising his role as Spock from the future.

Also look for Eric Bana (Nero), Bruce Greenwood (Capt. Pike), Ben Cross (Sarek), and Winona Ryder (Amanda Grayson, aka: Spock's mom)

In a previous article (about the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still), I wrote several steps to creating a successful remake/prequel/reboot. This movie has obeyed them all. The original Star Trek represented an optimistic view of a future full of diversity and discovery. In a time when even our superheroes are represented as bleak and grim, it is good to see that Star Trek hasn't lost any of its humor or spirit which has kept it appealing to audiences for over 40 years. I, for one, will be first in line for the next one.

THINGS FOR TREKKIES TO LOOK FOR:

Swooshes and sound effects, Spock's parents, Kirk making it with a green woman, the Kobayashi Maru, Captain Pike, mention of Captain Archer and his beagle, red-shirted ensigns (aka: dead meat!), truth-inducing brain slugs ("They put creatures in our brains!"), Sulu pulling out the kung fu, Chekov mispronouncing all his 'V's (sadly, however, no mention of "enemy wessels"), the commanding crew constantly sending themselves on away missions, a certain surprising kissing scene which must be the result of fan wish-fulfillment, lines such as "Live long and prosper", "You have been and always shall be my friend", and "I don't think she can take much more of this!", and there is rumored to be a tribble in the background of one of the scenes.

THINGS FOR NON-TREKKIES TO LOOK FOR:

Lots of action (in more ways than one), fun and sympathetic characters, improved special effects, and high-energy and optimistic take on building the future even where there is tragedy

AND THE 'NICELY DONE' AWARD GOES TO...

Screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman! 

There was a lot of pressure to find the perfect balance between being true to the material and making it new and exciting. You pulled it off, and I'm sure that was no small effort on your part. From Spock's angst to Kirk's rebellious childhood in Iowa, you showed us everything we needed to see. Nicely done, Roberto! Nicely done, Alex!

THE 10-SECOND STAR TREK:

(Kirk passes by the Enterprise under construction.)

JAMES T. KIRK: Where can I get me one of these?

CAPTAIN PIKE: Join the Starfleet. Your father was a great captain. You can be too.

KIRK: Hey, man, I play by nobody's rules but my own.

(Uhura passes by in mini-skirt uniform.)

KIRK: I'll be there.

BONES: Me too. They need any paranoid doctors up there?

(Three years later.)

SPOCK: You cheated on my test.

KIRK: I didn't like your stupid no-win scenario.

SPOCK: The Vulcan half of me finds this illogical. The human half of me wants to beat you to a pulp.

BONES: You're a pointy-eared bas--

(Romulans from the future appear.)

ROMULAN CAPTAIN NERO: Give us Spock.

SPOCK: Who? Me?

NERO: Not you! Future you! 

SPOCK: Fascinating.

(Nero kidnaps Captain Pike then starts attacking Vulcan.)

SPOCK: I have to go save my family. Sulu, you have the con.

SULU: I have to go skydive off a giant drill. Chekov, you have the con.

CHEKOV: Vat should I do? Ewasive manewers?

KIRK: I got this.

UHURA: Oh, brother...

(Spock returns.)

SPOCK: I'm marooning you on an ice planet so you will stop annoying me.

(Maroons Kirk on planet where Kirk meets future-Spock.)

FUTURE-SPOCK: Don't tell me about me.

KIRK: Yeah...

SCOTTY: You lads want a lift out of this ice box?

KIRK: What'll it cost me?

SCOTTY: Got any sandwiches?

(They beam back up to enterprise.)

BONES: So what happened?

KIRK: I think we're all part of some sort of alternate reality.

BONES: D**n it, Jim! I'm a doctor not a physicist!

KIRK: It's like playing a chess game.... and then going back in time and replacing all of the pieces with cheetos.

UHURA: I know I'm the linguistics expert, but that didn't make any sense--

SCOTTY: Of course! You're playing the same game, but this time your fingers turn orange and sticky!

SPOCK: There are no flaws in this logic.

UHURA: Ugh! Why am I the only woman on this crew?

KIRK: Anyway, the important thing is, there's some world out there where I'm the captain. So as your sort of Captain, I say we go save the day.

(They save the day.)

SPOCK: You were correct in your tactics. I suppose we can be friends now.

BONE: This calls for a glass of Romulan ale!

SPOCK: How ironic.

SCOTTY: Not objecting, but has that even been discovered yet?

KIRK: Who cares!

(They laugh.)

A NOTE FOR THE LOSTIES:

J.J. Abrams, famous for being the creator of the TV show "Lost", appears to be a fan of alternate histories. Can this be a hint for what we can expect in upcoming episodes, which increasingly dally in time-travel? We shall see...