Star Trek

Spectacular, witty and fast action fun, in which there is not enough space for characters and ideas. (17.05.2009)

I may have just watched the best blockbuster of the year. I’m don’t care about the Star Trek universe, but to me this was an excellent ride packed with emotions, jokes and explosions. The contrast between the squeaky clean Enterprise and the squeaky dirty Romulan ship is almost as sexy as the contrast between Kirk’s impulsiveness and Spock’s logic. The casting is incredibly good, the whole crew are amazingly likeable and I had no problem at all relating to them (with the possible exception of Uhura). Once again, J.J. Abrams confirms that everything he touches turns to gold. This is what nerdvana should be like :-) PS: The infantile monstrosity of the new Star Wars can lower its head in shame, because right here and now, a new era of modern sci-fi has begun (hopefully). (07.05.2009)

"Is there a doctor here? I need urgent help for a die-hard Star Trek fan!" said a guy two rows above me after the film was over. I understood what he meant. I wasn't expecting anything soulful from Orci and Kurtzman, but if Abrams wasn’t this good at his craft, the rest of the people in the movie theater would certainly not have enjoyed it as much. He traded the naivety of this space saga for an unbelievable barrage of catchphrases, action, and visual orgies, which he endowed with so much warp that I literally suffered on the way home in a speeding carriage. The perfect casting and the amazing work by the ILM guys are just the icing on the cake. This was two hours of pleasure. (12.05.2009)

Danke, Herr Abrams. Ich habe den Kinosaal zitternd verlassen, als wäre in mir etwas Vergessenes aus meiner Kindheit aufgewacht, wahrscheinlich die unzähligen Stunden, die ich damit verbracht habe, die entsprechenden Bücher zu lesen und mir alle möglichen Versionen der Serie anzusehen. Für einen Mann, der über keinen Bezug zu dieser Saga verfügt, hat Abrams ein bewundernswertes Maß an Empathie und die Fähigkeit unter Beweis gestellt, genau die Abschnitte wiederzubeleben, die Star Trek benötigt. Die Chemie der Charaktere, der Humor, die Spannung sowie all diese spektakulären Zeitreisen - kosmische Poesie, die ein Stück kindliche Naivität in sich birgt, ein Stück Wissenschaft und einen guten Teil des Abenteuers. Dies alles ist schön zusammengerollt im makellosen visuellen Geglitzer, das heute doch so in Mode ist. Das ganze verträgt sich wunderbar miteinander, sieht super aus und verspricht auch für die Zukunft, dass Star Trek in ein goldenes Zeitalter eintreten könnte. Eine süße Exklusivität wird es hier wahrscheinlich nicht mehr geben, aber zum Teufel damit, das Geglitzer passt zur Saga gut, wechselt die Actionszenen schön ab, die Charaktere und die Geschichte ist genau in dem Maße verrückt, wie sie es sein sollte. Ich habe hierin einfach alles gefunden, was mich einst zu einem Fan von James T. Kirk und seiner Crew gemacht hat. Und ich denke, dass jeder, der nichts gegen eine richtige Sci-Fi-Limo hat, dort das seinige finden wird. Star Trek ist nämlich cool und obwohl ich coole Dinge nicht mag, so habe ich mich in diesen konkrete regelrecht verliebt. (22.04.2009)

Several hundred flashes, a tattooed Bana and two Spocks. JJ began this nicely from scratch and not only did he manage to breathe life into a long-dead legend, he also resuscitated the half-forgotten space opera genre as a whole. Abrams and Giacchino get the adrenalin pumping, the wonderfully cast (while criminally unexploited) crew bristles with charisma, but the stupidity of the screenplay (however much it might be intentional) trips everybody up like at an ice-hockey match. And I haven’t yet got over how the nearer it gets to the end, the more it slips into the classic Star Trek template, but it does wear a technical cloak that is very impressive in view of the year this was made. Yes, although it’s logical that in the end it assumes the form that we know so well, but from that moment on it stopped being at all interesting. (10.05.2009)

After successfully watching all the feature-length adventures of the old crew, I smiled indulgently at the passion of all the Trekkies and welcomed the restart of their adventures mainly because of Abrams behind the camera. When a tear dropped at Kirk's birth, I became uncertain, but I attributed it mainly to the huge emotional intensity of the opening minutes. But when another tear dropped just because Leonard Nimoy appeared on the screen, I realized that despite all possible objections, I am a fan who devours every minute. Whether it's breathtaking ice adventures, a smile at the fact that Čechov had an amazing accent from the first minutes on the Enterprise, or the realization that James Tiberius Kirk is cool even without Shatner's charisma. A week after the screening, it is ultimately 90%. I rejoice at the registration into the Starfleet, and perhaps only the first adventure of promising novices could have been a bit more original than a confrontation with an angry avenger. But something tells me that the second time around, it will be at maximum warp. P.S.: The second screening definitively revealed a spectacle without a dull moment. Hopefully, no blockbuster deserved a new series like the voyages of the USS Enterprise. (19.05.2009)

What Nolan meant for comic book adaptations and Batman stories, J. J. Abrams represents for the Star Trek world. He fully utilized everything that the latest visual effects technology and a large budget offer, resulting in a magnificent blockbuster filled with visually stunning scenes, grand action, and impressive special effects- in short, everything that makes a blockbuster a blockbuster. There is no doubt that this is the most visually attractive film in the Star Trek series, closely followed by the horror-themed First Contact. The effort to attract the youngest generation to the Star Trek phenomenon and gain a new group of fans is evident throughout the entire film. It focuses on pleasing today's teenagers, which is reflected in the age structure of the characters, pace, atmosphere, and plot. Unlike previous Star Treks, an attempt to bring in some humor is noticeable, both verbal and non-verbal. Especially the character of the beloved comedian Simon Pegg seems to have jumped out of the series of humorous sketches. While the form is polished, the content is not as glorious, although this film does not represent a decline in quality compared to previous Star Treks, nor does it move forward. The plot is somewhat shallow and, above all, in some respects, logic is a bit lacking. For example, the fact that the Federation's most advanced battle cruiser is occupied almost exclusively by inexperienced cadets is insufficiently justified, simply because the screenwriter and director needed it that way. However, the generosity with which the film was made compensates for everything. Every fan of the genre must appreciate the beautiful shots of spaceships and their interiors and the surface of the planet. One more thing is evident in Star Trek - it seems the creators of the film want to end the long-standing rivalry between Star Wars and Star Trek fans, as there is a clear shift to please the fans of Star Wars. The inspiration is clearly visible in some characters and scenes. Overall impression, considering that I grew up with Star Trek: 90%. (09.05.2009)

The intro blows you away both emotionally and in terms of special effects. Abrams combines eye candy with the inexorability of fate with masterly skill. Nero’s passage through the wormhole is appropriately monstrous (thanks to the marvelously designed ship) and destructive. Since I had the chance to look at the comic book preceding it, the second part of the story and the storyline around the red matter and preventing the destruction of the galaxy are all more than familiar. For me, Nero isn’t such an incomprehensible character. And Eric Bana moreover imprinted incredible charisma into him. In fact, I thought it was rather a shame the movie didn’t focus on him more. But this is all made up for with storyline about young Kirk, who is really cool in Pine’s delivery. That loud-mouth, constantly spouting snappy lines is just about right opposite Quint’s “rebel" Spock and these two (along with the superb space battles) are the powerhouses of the movie. And for me, time travel has a special aura and I just have to give the full five. Abrams proves that he seriously has skills like nobody else (I hope he proves this again tomorrow during the finale of season five of Lost) and I’m pleased that he was chosen to bring us King’s fantastic saga, Dark Tower. (13.05.2009)

Abrams's directing style and mise-en-scène construction is at the very least grandiose. What I admired in MI3 is also here, and once again there’s plenty to look at. Monstrous shots of the whole scenery, camera swoops, and monumentality complemented by a fast-paced and entertaining story is an excellent and powerful combination. Unfortunately, I'm not a Star Trek fan, so some things somehow escaped me. Nevertheless, I dare say that as a standalone Star Trek film, it can work quite well. Some plot twists were on the edge of acceptability, but in terms of drive, action, and entertainment, it's top-notch. No bullshit and absolutely uncompromising, just as we expect from Abrams. (31.10.2009)

J. J. Abrams hat eine weibliche Star Trek und einen männlichen Star Wars zusammen für eine Weile in einem Stall eingesperrt und verpasste dem, was daraus geboren wurde, den Geruch nach Kommerz, lernte es laufen, spielte ein wenig damit herum, damit es Fans von ST, SW und auch an allen anderen, die die beiden erstgenannten nicht kennen, gefiele. Und er warf es der Meute vor. Etwas Besseres hätte er nicht tun können. Fünf Sterne! (07.05.2009)

Well, I really wasn’t expecting this. I personally considered myself the last person who would proclaim to be a Star Trek fan, and I never sought it out on TV either, but Abrams has done something that I wouldn’t have believed just a few hours ago, he’s made me a fan! Say what you will, but this was better and more entertaining than all of Star Wars (except maybe the third one), and I was mesmerized watching what was unfolding in front of me. I don't think anyone doubts that the visual effects are bombastic, but I still have to give them a special praise because they were really a feast for the eyes. The music is also perfect, each motif has something to it and adds an even more spectacular touch to the action on the screen. And the simple but extremely effective story is like a lasso for every genre fan, it ties them up tight and only lets them go when the closing credits start rolling, when they are out of breath. As it should be. Why would we want to think during a film and endure would-be unexpected scripted kicks to the groin, when we can relax, put a pillow under our heads and enjoy 120 minutes of uninterrupted modern action, freshened up by wisecracking heroes, beautiful heroines (there's that Saldana again!) and an immensely talented director who is far from having the last word? That would be stupid. 100% (05.02.2013)

Völlig unbeleckt vom Phänomen Star Trek habe ich gestern den TV-Sender Nova eingeschaltet und mich gut amüsiert. Eine ausreichend actiongeladene und intelligente Geschichte, bei der ich gut verstehe, dass sie Kult geworden ist. Nur der unsympathische Pine war nicht so mein Fall, dafür müssen alle Anhänger von Sylar aus Heroes angesichts seiner Leistung in der Rolle des Spock völlig aus dem Häuschen gewesen sein. Und andererseits bin ich, wenn ich Winona in einer ähnlichen Rolle sehe, traurig über die abfallende Karriere der unglaublich talentierten Schauspielerin. Eindeutig ist dieser Film für große Leinwand im Multiplexkino geeignet, somit lasse ich mir den dritten Teil im Kino nicht entgehen. (09.03.2014)

I never really loved "Star Trek", I mean the TV series, too much. The thing was that they were showing the new series on television, which didn't really impress me. But I tried the movie, which eventually made me watch some old episodes of the original series, the very first season. This is simply a classic. Captain Picard, Mr. Spock, and other characters that fans loved from the original series return with new faces and in a new story. "Star Trek" is not a groundbreaking film in any way, it's not a masterpiece of the genre, but it's sci-fi as it should be, which follows all the rules, but most importantly, it is intended for fans who know the characters, discuss them, and still, after decades, watch the original series, which is the real "Star Trek" for them. Can anyone replace Spock? Leonard Nimoy literally became an iconic character worshipped by geeks all over the world. Just look at "The Big Bang Theory", this is a cult of personality. "Star Trek" set the direction for modern sci-fi with roots in the past, a quality sci-fi with a good story, but above all, with beautiful effects. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/07/prosime-pretocte-fimfarum-1-2-zivot.html (21.02.2013)