space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence
Alright, so I watched the Star Trek movie a couple days ago. And fell instantly, madly, deeply, and truly in love. Seriously. I went in expecting to kind of like it, I guess...I mean, I am not a Star Trek fan, and even the series I watched were the more recent ones. The original series wasn't something I had ever intended to be into, although I of course knew Spock and a handful of others: Kirk, Scotty, and McCoy. And that's it. I basically came to see the movie with a blank slate and a sense of ambivalence.
So, list of things I adored:
(1) Tiny!Spock going into a violent rage over the insult to his mother. It was pretty hilarious, since the older boy was getting pwned by a much smaller child, and the cronies were just standing by in horror. Of course, this is pretty much the reaction of bystanders anywhere in this movie. If a fight breaks out, don't do anything. Just stand there in openmouthed horror. Nice touch with the green bruises and greenish-yellow blood. I loved Spock's mom going misty-eyed over him when we see him as a young adult, 'Fine is unacceptable,' and Spock's 'Live long and SUCK IT' to the Vulcan council. Such a nice, subtle-yet-clear way of telling them to take their prejudice and shove it.
(2) Character personality revamps. I'm going to hit the main triad here: Kirk, Spock, and Uhura.
Uhura was much more assertive and no-nonsense, and less flirtatious. She knew what she wanted and she didn't take any crap from random strangers in bars, no matter how charismatic and sexy they might be. She was super-awesome at her field, ordered Spock around in order to get on the Enterprise, and had the amazing power of booting Kirk out of her room, while clad in underwear, and still maintained grace and poise. Sure, they used her for a romance interest, but she kept her dignity intact. And she went for the smart nerd and got him. Can I just say I love that? Not only did they not have her actually pursuing someone (she's already in a relationship and loves it,) but she stood her ground against the main guy and won. Even better, this fandom is chock full of Spock/Uhura hetfic and Uhura love, and the one time I saw someone make a joke that might have been femme-bashing, it got jumped on. I have never known love like this before.
Kirk. I loved Kirk. I wasn't expecting to, but I did. I can't help admiring and rooting for those headstrong, rebellious, cocky, gold-hearted individuals who fly by the seat of their pants and just manage to save the day through sheer obstinacy and inability to succumb to fate. I loved that he changed the Kobayashi Maru in his favor, thus beating the unbeatable test. (And adored Spock's hissy over it.) He was very expressive, which was fun, and kind of a dorky meathead, which was hilarious. I loved him complaining about Spock stranding him on a desert planet. I loved him crashing his stepdad's car. I loved how often he got his ass handed to him and how that didn't phase him in his quest for JUSTICE. GO, KIRK.
Spock was so snarky and even edgy. I wasn't expecting a Spock quite this edgy, but I'm not complaining. I found his smirkiness really enjoyable, as well as his intense seriousness and barely-reigned-in emotions after the destruction of Vulcan. Oh, and his control issues. And his nearly strangling the life out of Kirk after he told him he didn't love his mommy. You don't TALK about Spock's mama, bitch. I think my favorite lines from him were when he was in a bad mood and felt the need to be sarcastic in a Vulcan way. Also, the expression on his face when Amanda plummeted to her doom and he ended up on the pad, reaching out into empty air? That was like being punched in the gut. SO FUCKING SAD. I liked how he put two and two together on his own when the ship greeted him with 'Ambassador Spock', and his talk with his future self was great. There wasn't a lot of drama over it. It was very matter of fact. And old!Spock is like: "Rejoice, live and be awesome. And be BFF with Kirk, he needs a voice of reason."
Now, I was watching this movie with the expectation that I would see major Kirk/Spock BFF behavior. Instead, I see Wicked as played out by two futuristic guys. (Loathing! Unadulterated loathing! It's so pure, so strong!) Spock and Kirk were just...so repelled by each other, it was amazing. Where they seemed to mesh seamlessly in the original series, here their differences made them collide explosively. When it all came to a head, after Kirk pushed him into an emotional explosion, Spock nearly killed him, and Kirk took his job...I was really wondering how they were going to turn it around to them being best friends forever. And they didn't, really, which is good. They sort of came to a weird understanding/mutual respect sort of arrangement.
(3) All the little toss-outs to the fans. McCoy's 'I'm a doctor, not a-' lines, the dead red shirt, Scotty's 'I'm givin' her all she's got, capn'!" It was pretty awesome seeing the cast members show up one by one, actually. I loved Sulu's fancy space fencing with the awesome foldable sword. And Romulans, very classy, come with foldable axes. A weapon for every fight, that's what they say!
(4) I can't stress this enough. THE BATTLES WERE AWESOME. Space battles, combat, very awesome. I love watching fight scenes. I love watching things explode. I will never get enough of it. Of course, I would have liked a bit more of a reaction to the implosion of a planet and the death of nearly three-fourths of the cadet class, but I guess death is one of those things they never mention in Star Trek. I thought it was funny that the person most affected by tragedy in this film was the Vulcan. (And Kirk, for his dad.)
(5) One of aflightoffancy's friends said: "The humor in this movie isn't Star Trek humor. It's actually funny." Which is true. The humor is much more mainstream, and the movie itself toned down, adrenaline boosted, and made much more accessible to the layman. McCoy's stabbing Kirk with needles, Spock's snark, Kirk's dumbass lines, Uhura's put-downs...Scotty's inappropriate enthusiasm. XD I loved it when this movie got funny, because when it did, it was hilarious. I think McCoy pressed the funny button the most, really. Gotta love a neurotic doctor who plays nursemaid to a brawling frat boy.
All in all, this movie was great. Not without its flaws, but something I'd definitely watch over and over again. Am, in fact, thinking of going for a second viewing in a few days. I like watching movies over, because then I can look for expressions and more subtle points that I missed while caught up in the action of the first viewing.
Live long and prosper, peeps.
So, list of things I adored:
(1) Tiny!Spock going into a violent rage over the insult to his mother. It was pretty hilarious, since the older boy was getting pwned by a much smaller child, and the cronies were just standing by in horror. Of course, this is pretty much the reaction of bystanders anywhere in this movie. If a fight breaks out, don't do anything. Just stand there in openmouthed horror. Nice touch with the green bruises and greenish-yellow blood. I loved Spock's mom going misty-eyed over him when we see him as a young adult, 'Fine is unacceptable,' and Spock's 'Live long and SUCK IT' to the Vulcan council. Such a nice, subtle-yet-clear way of telling them to take their prejudice and shove it.
(2) Character personality revamps. I'm going to hit the main triad here: Kirk, Spock, and Uhura.
Uhura was much more assertive and no-nonsense, and less flirtatious. She knew what she wanted and she didn't take any crap from random strangers in bars, no matter how charismatic and sexy they might be. She was super-awesome at her field, ordered Spock around in order to get on the Enterprise, and had the amazing power of booting Kirk out of her room, while clad in underwear, and still maintained grace and poise. Sure, they used her for a romance interest, but she kept her dignity intact. And she went for the smart nerd and got him. Can I just say I love that? Not only did they not have her actually pursuing someone (she's already in a relationship and loves it,) but she stood her ground against the main guy and won. Even better, this fandom is chock full of Spock/Uhura hetfic and Uhura love, and the one time I saw someone make a joke that might have been femme-bashing, it got jumped on. I have never known love like this before.
Kirk. I loved Kirk. I wasn't expecting to, but I did. I can't help admiring and rooting for those headstrong, rebellious, cocky, gold-hearted individuals who fly by the seat of their pants and just manage to save the day through sheer obstinacy and inability to succumb to fate. I loved that he changed the Kobayashi Maru in his favor, thus beating the unbeatable test. (And adored Spock's hissy over it.) He was very expressive, which was fun, and kind of a dorky meathead, which was hilarious. I loved him complaining about Spock stranding him on a desert planet. I loved him crashing his stepdad's car. I loved how often he got his ass handed to him and how that didn't phase him in his quest for JUSTICE. GO, KIRK.
Spock was so snarky and even edgy. I wasn't expecting a Spock quite this edgy, but I'm not complaining. I found his smirkiness really enjoyable, as well as his intense seriousness and barely-reigned-in emotions after the destruction of Vulcan. Oh, and his control issues. And his nearly strangling the life out of Kirk after he told him he didn't love his mommy. You don't TALK about Spock's mama, bitch. I think my favorite lines from him were when he was in a bad mood and felt the need to be sarcastic in a Vulcan way. Also, the expression on his face when Amanda plummeted to her doom and he ended up on the pad, reaching out into empty air? That was like being punched in the gut. SO FUCKING SAD. I liked how he put two and two together on his own when the ship greeted him with 'Ambassador Spock', and his talk with his future self was great. There wasn't a lot of drama over it. It was very matter of fact. And old!Spock is like: "Rejoice, live and be awesome. And be BFF with Kirk, he needs a voice of reason."
Now, I was watching this movie with the expectation that I would see major Kirk/Spock BFF behavior. Instead, I see Wicked as played out by two futuristic guys. (Loathing! Unadulterated loathing! It's so pure, so strong!) Spock and Kirk were just...so repelled by each other, it was amazing. Where they seemed to mesh seamlessly in the original series, here their differences made them collide explosively. When it all came to a head, after Kirk pushed him into an emotional explosion, Spock nearly killed him, and Kirk took his job...I was really wondering how they were going to turn it around to them being best friends forever. And they didn't, really, which is good. They sort of came to a weird understanding/mutual respect sort of arrangement.
(3) All the little toss-outs to the fans. McCoy's 'I'm a doctor, not a-' lines, the dead red shirt, Scotty's 'I'm givin' her all she's got, capn'!" It was pretty awesome seeing the cast members show up one by one, actually. I loved Sulu's fancy space fencing with the awesome foldable sword. And Romulans, very classy, come with foldable axes. A weapon for every fight, that's what they say!
(4) I can't stress this enough. THE BATTLES WERE AWESOME. Space battles, combat, very awesome. I love watching fight scenes. I love watching things explode. I will never get enough of it. Of course, I would have liked a bit more of a reaction to the implosion of a planet and the death of nearly three-fourths of the cadet class, but I guess death is one of those things they never mention in Star Trek. I thought it was funny that the person most affected by tragedy in this film was the Vulcan. (And Kirk, for his dad.)
(5) One of aflightoffancy's friends said: "The humor in this movie isn't Star Trek humor. It's actually funny." Which is true. The humor is much more mainstream, and the movie itself toned down, adrenaline boosted, and made much more accessible to the layman. McCoy's stabbing Kirk with needles, Spock's snark, Kirk's dumbass lines, Uhura's put-downs...Scotty's inappropriate enthusiasm. XD I loved it when this movie got funny, because when it did, it was hilarious. I think McCoy pressed the funny button the most, really. Gotta love a neurotic doctor who plays nursemaid to a brawling frat boy.
All in all, this movie was great. Not without its flaws, but something I'd definitely watch over and over again. Am, in fact, thinking of going for a second viewing in a few days. I like watching movies over, because then I can look for expressions and more subtle points that I missed while caught up in the action of the first viewing.
Live long and prosper, peeps.