To Boldly Go.....?
Where to begin. I'm tired at the moment, and shouldn't be writing this now, but it's on my mind. I've been awash in Star Trek today. From the TV promos, to Mike's call on what showing to go to (opted for 8pm, as 7pm doesn't allow him time to get to the theatre, and I'm not seeing this alone. I loath the lack of traditional midnight showing) to reading about how Paramount apparently botched the movie bluray set I was anticipating with tons of DNR.
As for my stance on the new Abrams film, I'm doing my best to stay cautiously optimistic. For everything I shudder at (Chris Pine as Kirk, the bitchiness of Uhura, and particularly the way to focused bent on stuff blowing up. Star Trek was never an action series, why the fuck is this promoted as one), there's things that keep the faith (Nimoys involvement being chief, the look being about right with the DNA of the Enterprise intact despite the iBridge and her looking a touch top heavy, a lot of the mythos staying intact and the old uniforms). So it's give and take.
Sara's not helping much. She is dead set against this film, and I can understand her sentiment. The biggest problem is Abrams constent quips on never being a fan, making it deliver on adventure he felt it always promised but rarely delivered, and how this is essentially a Start Trek movie for non-Star Trek people. I can understand the want to get new fans. After all, most of the diehards have either given up since Nemesis (which is actually among my favorite TNG films) or would've hated it anyway just because it's a new cast. You can't please everybody, especially diehards, and next to never purists. She particular doesn't like where they're taking the characters, particularly Uhura.
I'm inclined to agree with some of it. It is annoying how much they play up the "This isn't your Father's Trek" angle. It's especially putrid to read posts by "non-fans" stating how much JJ has improved something they admittedly didn't like to start with. No shit, Sherlock. Though I don't let it bother me as much as it does her. I remind myself that Nicholas Meyer was not a fan and he directed two of the best in the series (II, IV) and helped write the third (IV). Still, he never quite gave the vibe of "I don't watch Star Trek, yet wish to fix it" JJ does (might I add I've never seen anything he's ever done). Hell, I still want to see JMS's Star Trek. Now he could do wonders. So I can get why Sara would be pissed to overhear girls talking amongst themselves about how they hate Star Trek but will see this because Pine "is so hot".
Her other big problem is the "new" fans. Basically the "this is so much better than the old one" crowd. I think her big fear is basically what she experienced with the prequels. She hated them, and by hated them, she'd "not really a Star Wars fan". Though she's sort of on the level of "real Trek fans will hate this as that's what they seems to want". I've long been a hater of the touting of "true fan". One may be more impassioned, but no one's more or less of a fan just because they like subs not dubs, Picard of Kirk, or think JJ's version is what it should've been. Though I can understand why she would hate this basically become the NEW Star Trek. Now there's a division between old guard and new guard. All new Trek will be in line with JJ's vision, not Roddenberry's (though Berman and crew did sort of fuck that up for some time). It'll be nice if they revisit the proper timeline every now and then.
Her negativity of course makes me focus on my own. I've grown accustomed to the Enterprise, but still think the necks too far back. I'm not really thrilled with most of the actors. Spock seems okay, if a bit too "Enterprise-y" a Vulcan (though not T'pol at least, who literally murdered Enterprise for me). John Cho seems good as Sulu. I haven't seen enough of Chekov to really say anything, Scotty should be fine as long as Peg doesn't goof off too much (Peg and Cho are the only two actors I'm familiar with). Uhura looks like a bitch in the bar scene, my sister calls her slutty. Pine though is still the worst. He's just too pretty boy for me as Kirk, and seems like a grade A douche at times. His animosity towards Spock is a touch out of place too.
Though they've covered the bases. Thanks to the time travel plot line, the characters can be messed up, and it's perfectly legal. It's a blessing and a curse. They've been long trying not to say whether this is a prequel or a reboot, and it's actually a little of both. It follows the mythos enough to stay within canon, and if it's one thing that pleases me is that it feels like the Star Trek universe (albit with a 2009, curves and bright lights are in again look).At the same time, it fucks with the style a bit and the characters seem to have a lot more raw issues then before. Kirk's the most dramatic, as they've killed his father off, so now he's some delinquent. My judgement depends on whether or not he still has that want to make a difference. It a key thing they really played up in the later films, and I'd hate to see a Kirk that just completely didn't give a fuck. The more I think about it the more I realise that it's Kirk that has me the most iffy about the film. Abrams Trek for non-trek fans and action oriented trailers don't help much. Spock being more emotional is understandable. McCoy seems about right, but I'm not entirely gaga over Urban yet like everyone else.
So I'm definitely more forgiving than Sara. Though I'm not without my qualms. As I've said, my biggest peeve is the heavy playup on action. It's odd to say that too, when I used to love II for it's action (now I love it for its story even more, though I still love the awesome practical effects). Some if not most of the best Treks had littlew to no action in them. So trek was never about shit blowing up to me. The marketing campeign just plain sucks for this film. uhura's replaced Bones on the posters, Kirk looks like a serial rapist, and too much again on how JJ was not a fan, and this is the Trek he'd want to watch. Add in the non-reviews gushing about how better it is compared to recent Trek, and yeah. I'm also not thrilled with them having to add a love triangle. Do we really need to have Kirk aching to fuck Uhura? Not everything needs romance (or hormones). It's not sacrilege, but it's just not needed.
I'm sort of rambling now, which wasn't my intention. I'm writing this mostly to collect my opinion now, before I've seen it. If it's one thing to say, despite any misgivens I may have, I've never said I wouldn't go see it. I wasn't sure at the beginning, and I definitely haven't been anticipating it until recently. As more info comes out, my interest has piqued, despite not always, if ever, truly loving what I saw. To be honest about the biggest thing going is that the story looks interesting. I'm really liking Pike, and the latest trailer seems to get it. It looks different, but a lot seems familiar.
Hopefully, it'll be along the lines of Battlestar Galactica. That changed A LOT, but did so in an intelligent way and was in keeping to the classic series. They kept the Vipers, they kept the mythology, they just made Apollo and bit of a prick, Baltar a schizo not actually out for power, and Boomer and Starbuck chicks. My biggest problem there was the Terminator angle, but that panned out. I also didn't like the mini much, but the series was awesome. Yet I still adore the classic. This is more new Bond that Galactica in that it still sort of fits in the timeline. Though it's firmly alternate reality. In a way, that helps. If the characters suck, I can brush it off as parallel universe. "Not a bad movie, but good thing it doesn't count"
So that leads me to the other plus going for it. For all the crap, it's still looks way better tan Enterprise. I pretty much despised Enterprise. It's the only Trek I don't allow into my personal canon. I gave it a shot, and liked some early episodes. After awhile though, it started to get to me. Sara played a good part in this with her "best of" observation. Namely that each character was essentially rip[ping off old Treks. Skin tight bodysuit wearing, emotionless chick - check. Gung ho, Kirk like Captain - Check, Neelix as the doctor - check, and so on. Though really, it was the depiction of Vulcans that murdered it. I just really hated them being shown as deceptive and superior. T'Pol is without a doubt the first Trek character I've ever truly loathed. I think Hoshi was about the only character I remotely liked, as Trip was a hick, and I couldn't stop wondering when Archer was going to leap.
Dad would watch it, and by the third season, my lack of interest in it turned to hate because every episode had them babbling about "the weapon". I also hated the dropping of the Star Trek name, and the use of a Patch Adams song as the theme.
The problem though is that it's canon. i remember reading how the NCC-1701 is the SECOND starship to bear the name. The USS Archer is mentioned in Nemesis. Though since I don't really read the fiction, I suppose it's not to big of a problem. Still it irks me that this crap is canon. At least if the new film sucks, i can say, that's not Kirk, and I'd technically be right "Captain Kirk was a great man. But that was another life!"
So I guess i really don't know where I stand here. I have my ptoblems with it, but at the same time, I think I'm trying hard to like it. Nimoy's involvement has gone for a long time in keeping my hopes up. I also agree with one reviewer when he basically said we have two choices for Trek's future - this or we watch Khan for the 38th time. It's not the Trek we grew up with, and it may not be the trek we want, but I suppose warped Trek (no pun intended) is better than no Trek. I've been through reboots before. I loved Casino Royale and liked Quantum, and grew to love and obsess over Galactica. Though Bond and BSG just aren't Trek. Trek's been with me forever. Especially the old crew. It's hard to accept a new take on old friends. New crew, no problem, but I'm really hoping they don't mess with my characters too much, as Sara screams they are. I even chid Sara fort being so uptight as she's the Next Gen fan, while I'm the classic series one, though we do love both (it even goes as far as my loving DS9 like she does Voyager, though I like Voyager and she won't touch DS9).
I've read nothing but positives so far, and one reviewer felt that the trailers played up the action more than it actually features. I understand where Paramount's going with this, and why they want new fans. I'll even admit that I'm just not the fan I once was (though with lack of new material, it just happens). So I get why they're doing this. They did it with Enterprise, going so far to drop Star Trek from the title (and I'll never re-add it). I don't think this'll be as awful as the Special Editions, or as okay as the prequels (I like them, unlike Sara, though i agree that they could've been a lot better).I'm not against new Star Trek, but you don't forget the old fans just to get new fans, and they seem to want to broadcast that they are here. It's why I'm always pleased at the little things like the uniforms and such. All it took was an April Fool's joke on a fake "new" Enterprise called the USS Seabreeze to drive home how much worse this could be. I know no matter how good the film is, it will never place among any of the REAL classic trek movies. I just didn't grow up with Chris Pine and JJ's Buck Rogers approach. Though at least we have a good film here, so I'm told.
Whether it's a good STAR TREK film remains to be seen.
As for my stance on the new Abrams film, I'm doing my best to stay cautiously optimistic. For everything I shudder at (Chris Pine as Kirk, the bitchiness of Uhura, and particularly the way to focused bent on stuff blowing up. Star Trek was never an action series, why the fuck is this promoted as one), there's things that keep the faith (Nimoys involvement being chief, the look being about right with the DNA of the Enterprise intact despite the iBridge and her looking a touch top heavy, a lot of the mythos staying intact and the old uniforms). So it's give and take.
Sara's not helping much. She is dead set against this film, and I can understand her sentiment. The biggest problem is Abrams constent quips on never being a fan, making it deliver on adventure he felt it always promised but rarely delivered, and how this is essentially a Start Trek movie for non-Star Trek people. I can understand the want to get new fans. After all, most of the diehards have either given up since Nemesis (which is actually among my favorite TNG films) or would've hated it anyway just because it's a new cast. You can't please everybody, especially diehards, and next to never purists. She particular doesn't like where they're taking the characters, particularly Uhura.
I'm inclined to agree with some of it. It is annoying how much they play up the "This isn't your Father's Trek" angle. It's especially putrid to read posts by "non-fans" stating how much JJ has improved something they admittedly didn't like to start with. No shit, Sherlock. Though I don't let it bother me as much as it does her. I remind myself that Nicholas Meyer was not a fan and he directed two of the best in the series (II, IV) and helped write the third (IV). Still, he never quite gave the vibe of "I don't watch Star Trek, yet wish to fix it" JJ does (might I add I've never seen anything he's ever done). Hell, I still want to see JMS's Star Trek. Now he could do wonders. So I can get why Sara would be pissed to overhear girls talking amongst themselves about how they hate Star Trek but will see this because Pine "is so hot".
Her other big problem is the "new" fans. Basically the "this is so much better than the old one" crowd. I think her big fear is basically what she experienced with the prequels. She hated them, and by hated them, she'd "not really a Star Wars fan". Though she's sort of on the level of "real Trek fans will hate this as that's what they seems to want". I've long been a hater of the touting of "true fan". One may be more impassioned, but no one's more or less of a fan just because they like subs not dubs, Picard of Kirk, or think JJ's version is what it should've been. Though I can understand why she would hate this basically become the NEW Star Trek. Now there's a division between old guard and new guard. All new Trek will be in line with JJ's vision, not Roddenberry's (though Berman and crew did sort of fuck that up for some time). It'll be nice if they revisit the proper timeline every now and then.
Her negativity of course makes me focus on my own. I've grown accustomed to the Enterprise, but still think the necks too far back. I'm not really thrilled with most of the actors. Spock seems okay, if a bit too "Enterprise-y" a Vulcan (though not T'pol at least, who literally murdered Enterprise for me). John Cho seems good as Sulu. I haven't seen enough of Chekov to really say anything, Scotty should be fine as long as Peg doesn't goof off too much (Peg and Cho are the only two actors I'm familiar with). Uhura looks like a bitch in the bar scene, my sister calls her slutty. Pine though is still the worst. He's just too pretty boy for me as Kirk, and seems like a grade A douche at times. His animosity towards Spock is a touch out of place too.
Though they've covered the bases. Thanks to the time travel plot line, the characters can be messed up, and it's perfectly legal. It's a blessing and a curse. They've been long trying not to say whether this is a prequel or a reboot, and it's actually a little of both. It follows the mythos enough to stay within canon, and if it's one thing that pleases me is that it feels like the Star Trek universe (albit with a 2009, curves and bright lights are in again look).At the same time, it fucks with the style a bit and the characters seem to have a lot more raw issues then before. Kirk's the most dramatic, as they've killed his father off, so now he's some delinquent. My judgement depends on whether or not he still has that want to make a difference. It a key thing they really played up in the later films, and I'd hate to see a Kirk that just completely didn't give a fuck. The more I think about it the more I realise that it's Kirk that has me the most iffy about the film. Abrams Trek for non-trek fans and action oriented trailers don't help much. Spock being more emotional is understandable. McCoy seems about right, but I'm not entirely gaga over Urban yet like everyone else.
So I'm definitely more forgiving than Sara. Though I'm not without my qualms. As I've said, my biggest peeve is the heavy playup on action. It's odd to say that too, when I used to love II for it's action (now I love it for its story even more, though I still love the awesome practical effects). Some if not most of the best Treks had littlew to no action in them. So trek was never about shit blowing up to me. The marketing campeign just plain sucks for this film. uhura's replaced Bones on the posters, Kirk looks like a serial rapist, and too much again on how JJ was not a fan, and this is the Trek he'd want to watch. Add in the non-reviews gushing about how better it is compared to recent Trek, and yeah. I'm also not thrilled with them having to add a love triangle. Do we really need to have Kirk aching to fuck Uhura? Not everything needs romance (or hormones). It's not sacrilege, but it's just not needed.
I'm sort of rambling now, which wasn't my intention. I'm writing this mostly to collect my opinion now, before I've seen it. If it's one thing to say, despite any misgivens I may have, I've never said I wouldn't go see it. I wasn't sure at the beginning, and I definitely haven't been anticipating it until recently. As more info comes out, my interest has piqued, despite not always, if ever, truly loving what I saw. To be honest about the biggest thing going is that the story looks interesting. I'm really liking Pike, and the latest trailer seems to get it. It looks different, but a lot seems familiar.
Hopefully, it'll be along the lines of Battlestar Galactica. That changed A LOT, but did so in an intelligent way and was in keeping to the classic series. They kept the Vipers, they kept the mythology, they just made Apollo and bit of a prick, Baltar a schizo not actually out for power, and Boomer and Starbuck chicks. My biggest problem there was the Terminator angle, but that panned out. I also didn't like the mini much, but the series was awesome. Yet I still adore the classic. This is more new Bond that Galactica in that it still sort of fits in the timeline. Though it's firmly alternate reality. In a way, that helps. If the characters suck, I can brush it off as parallel universe. "Not a bad movie, but good thing it doesn't count"
So that leads me to the other plus going for it. For all the crap, it's still looks way better tan Enterprise. I pretty much despised Enterprise. It's the only Trek I don't allow into my personal canon. I gave it a shot, and liked some early episodes. After awhile though, it started to get to me. Sara played a good part in this with her "best of" observation. Namely that each character was essentially rip[ping off old Treks. Skin tight bodysuit wearing, emotionless chick - check. Gung ho, Kirk like Captain - Check, Neelix as the doctor - check, and so on. Though really, it was the depiction of Vulcans that murdered it. I just really hated them being shown as deceptive and superior. T'Pol is without a doubt the first Trek character I've ever truly loathed. I think Hoshi was about the only character I remotely liked, as Trip was a hick, and I couldn't stop wondering when Archer was going to leap.
Dad would watch it, and by the third season, my lack of interest in it turned to hate because every episode had them babbling about "the weapon". I also hated the dropping of the Star Trek name, and the use of a Patch Adams song as the theme.
The problem though is that it's canon. i remember reading how the NCC-1701 is the SECOND starship to bear the name. The USS Archer is mentioned in Nemesis. Though since I don't really read the fiction, I suppose it's not to big of a problem. Still it irks me that this crap is canon. At least if the new film sucks, i can say, that's not Kirk, and I'd technically be right "Captain Kirk was a great man. But that was another life!"
So I guess i really don't know where I stand here. I have my ptoblems with it, but at the same time, I think I'm trying hard to like it. Nimoy's involvement has gone for a long time in keeping my hopes up. I also agree with one reviewer when he basically said we have two choices for Trek's future - this or we watch Khan for the 38th time. It's not the Trek we grew up with, and it may not be the trek we want, but I suppose warped Trek (no pun intended) is better than no Trek. I've been through reboots before. I loved Casino Royale and liked Quantum, and grew to love and obsess over Galactica. Though Bond and BSG just aren't Trek. Trek's been with me forever. Especially the old crew. It's hard to accept a new take on old friends. New crew, no problem, but I'm really hoping they don't mess with my characters too much, as Sara screams they are. I even chid Sara fort being so uptight as she's the Next Gen fan, while I'm the classic series one, though we do love both (it even goes as far as my loving DS9 like she does Voyager, though I like Voyager and she won't touch DS9).
I've read nothing but positives so far, and one reviewer felt that the trailers played up the action more than it actually features. I understand where Paramount's going with this, and why they want new fans. I'll even admit that I'm just not the fan I once was (though with lack of new material, it just happens). So I get why they're doing this. They did it with Enterprise, going so far to drop Star Trek from the title (and I'll never re-add it). I don't think this'll be as awful as the Special Editions, or as okay as the prequels (I like them, unlike Sara, though i agree that they could've been a lot better).I'm not against new Star Trek, but you don't forget the old fans just to get new fans, and they seem to want to broadcast that they are here. It's why I'm always pleased at the little things like the uniforms and such. All it took was an April Fool's joke on a fake "new" Enterprise called the USS Seabreeze to drive home how much worse this could be. I know no matter how good the film is, it will never place among any of the REAL classic trek movies. I just didn't grow up with Chris Pine and JJ's Buck Rogers approach. Though at least we have a good film here, so I'm told.
Whether it's a good STAR TREK film remains to be seen.