Film Review: Star Trek

[ninety6tears]

My flaily, not-shippy-but-somewhat-bromance-heavy, lengthy and spoilery thoughts here--



I got out of the first showing almost two hours ago and my face still hurts from smiling. The whole time - with the exception of the one little problem I had with it (to be explained...) - I felt like the creators were either meticulously on top of somehow weaving this new universe into the existing institutions of the original series or practically snickering over how beautifully they were getting away with wringing a few new things out of canon that I wouldn't have imagined I'd be okay with, but am.

I almost feel like Abrams was joking with all the comments about how this movie was not made for older Trekkies, that it was meant to introduce Star Trek to a new audience. There were enough little references to the original series/movies: Sulu fencing (LOL), "I have been and ever shall be...", and fans of course are familiar with Sarek's "reasoning" for marrying a human woman. Though I didn't expect this from watching the trailer, I am at this point completely pleased with ALL of the casting.

CASTING?: I was the most wary about Chris Pine for Kirk because he seemed just a notch too smug, but some of his cockiness was just too entertaining for me to not warm to him pretty quickly. I was also pretty miffed about Karl Urban playing McCoy simply because I couldn't imagine him making me laugh and god, I was wrong. He had some of the best lines and managed to capture Bones' personality so well; apparently Leonard Nimoy, upon first watching the scene when McCoy introduces himself to Kirk, abruptly burst into tears over the memory of DeForest Kelley. I've read interviews with Simon Pegg that revealed him to be a pretty big sci-fi fan, so he must have been psyched about doing Scotty, and pulled it off well too. And WESSELS!!!--Holy crap, Anton Yelchin looks pretty much nothing like the old Chekov, but so fucking adorable OMG!!!

LET'S GET WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE OUT OF THE WAY. Spock/Uhura, okay. I knew about the kissing before I saw this movie and am glad now that it's one of the few complaints I can come up with, but the two people I saw this with both agreed, as my boyfriend said, that it was "uncalled for." I understand that they're taking Spock in a very different direction (and I will discuss why I don't have a problem with that below), but really, this botched-together relationship is the only thing in the movie that makes it unbelievable that these are the same people we know from TOS, because the fact is I just can't remember any time when Spock showed any particular companionship toward Uhura at all aside from passingly referring to the entire crew as friends. So maybe I shouldn't whine about TOS and just take it on its own terms, but I can't do that either, not if we're talking about a Vulcan here. At first when she followed him into the elevator I kind of assumed that this was the first time she'd shown any feelings for him and she was completely putting aside her humility to console him in a moment he needed it enough to allow it, but then later I'm kind of putting the pieces together and realizing there was some kind of established relationship as evidenced by him being worried about showing "favoritism" the first time we see them talking, and them kissing the second time is a bit much, and altogether this just rubs me so many wrong ways...So Spock has a girlfriend now? There isn't much room for pon farr in this interpretation of Vulcan romance. It seems they would have us believe that Spock's parents had a regular sexual relationship so that we accept his falling in love with Uhura, when I think the more likely interpretation that seems pretty reinforced by classic canon is that, well...Amanda was a very unusual, tolerant, adaptive, accepting woman. At least Uhura is in both Trek universes a pretty sweet character, and I do buy that there is genuine love and an interesting dynamic there, I just feel weird about it. Let's just say if Spock ever calls her his t'hy'la, I may have to choke a bitch.

I don't have that much of a problem with the fact that Spock is obviously a much, much more emotional being in the new movie than how his character is usually defined. Why? Because this new franchise, somewhat mischievously and ingeniously, has gotten away with murder and basically created an epic production of the equivalent of an AU fanfic. The annihilation of Vulcan was painful and very unexpected and made me quickly realize where they could quite justifiably take the character of Spock. The Spock from TOS wouldn't do half as much emoting at Quinto does in this, but that Spock did not experience the death of his mother and annihilation of his entire culture at a very young age. I would only ask of this brand of Trek that they please don't sentimentalize the capacity for Vulcan emotion instead of acknowledging the dangers of Vulcans becoming a hyper-emotional, potentially violent group. Hell, it would be extremely interesting if the next film presented a growing rate of Vulcan violence corresponding with the aftermath of the genocide and confronted the question of preserving Vulcan identity now that they no longer have a home world and all...Or they could just take the Romulans with a grain of salt, as other Trek writers also seem to have done.

This movie looked gorgeous. This was the most I remember ever getting excited about the originality of a movie's visual effects in quite some time. And just the general feel of the action scenes was staggering. The first time we saw ships going into warp speed I freaked out a little cause it was so new and cool and was kind of like Galactica jumps, with more ka-ching.

But let's talk about the ***EPIC BROMANCE***...I was prepared for them to not get very far in developing Kirk and Spock's friendship in this movie, having always assumed it probably took a good number of years for them to develop their close trust, and therefore made peace with what the trailer revealed as a rocky beginning between them, because it did make sense. I was already flipping out with glee when we got to actually see Kirk's famous defeat of the Koboyashi Maru, but when Kirk and Spock first meet in a very Wrath of Khan-referencing dispute about the simulation, it just struck me as having a beautiful irony: that the two of them have absolutely no clue about a future in which they become inseparable, in which one finally has to confront the "no-win situation" in a way directly applying to their need for the other. For me the film was laced throughout with subtle knee-jerks of emotional paradox, such as the instinctive surprise many a fan may experience when Kirk, recovering from his mind-meld with Spock, is realizing with jarring clarity the simple fact, "You feel?" And as for the rocky beginnings, I'm so very glad the fight depicted in the trailer was over something a bit more serious than ego. Why the previews tried so hard to make Jim look like a testosterone-driven asshole I really don't understand.

Best damn sci-fi movie I've seen in years.

Comments

[swashbuckler332.livejournal.com]

I hadn't had the Spock/Uhura thing spoiled, and I found it a major shock when I realized that's what was happening, but I liked it, especially in context of this particular Spock. In fact, Spock is the character with the lion's share of curve balls; he has a very different relationship with his parents than previously, and one wonders if this more introspective Sarek would have went for the whole betrothal thing. Spock being something of a mama's boy was a bit of a surprise, but I thought it worked really well in context.

I also liked how Kirk is just a horndog (and that even in the 23rd century, roommates are roommates).

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

I also liked how Kirk is just a horndog (and that even in the 23rd century, roommates are roommates). Oh yes. I thought it was pretty funny that he met Uhura chatting her up in a bar.

[swashbuckler332.livejournal.com]

I think I dated her roommate.

[tigger1965.livejournal.com]

I have not seen it yet. One thing that I will point out in reference to Spock being "more emotional" however. It's not entirely unreasonable. This is early in his Starfleet career. And by that, I mean watch his performance in the first pilot "the Cage" He was definately more emotional in that. Just my thoughts on that, anyway.

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

I don't find it entirely unreasonable. Spock is pretty young, and the events of the film certainly do call for him showing his emotional side for often than we see him as an adult. I thought Quinto's approach to playing the character made a lot of sense for a younger Spock. ETA: The "Menagerie" episodes show flashbacks of a younger Spock, and it seems to me like Nimoy intentionally made his behavior a little more human and expressive because he's supposed to be less experienced in withholding emotion, but that is just my interpretation.

[hellodali.livejournal.com]

Awesome point!! I agree!

[crimsonsenya.livejournal.com]

The movie rocked. I loved the meeting between Kirk and Spock prime and Kirk's reaction to the mindmeld. He was completely shattered. And I just about shattered myself when Spock Prime explained to Spock Younger why he sent Kirk back to the Enterprise alone instead of coming himself. He didn't want to deprive Spock Younger from all the beautiful things Kirk had meant to him. *dreamy sigh*

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

I'm intrigued by the idea that Kirk very suddenly sympathized with and was willing to be friends with Spock because of the mind meld. To suddenly realize that someone he assumed was completely devoid of feeling was probably totally falling apart inside, and then having to provoke him later when we know he definitely empathizes...it was a fitting range of emotion for the beginning of Kirk and Spock :)

[swashbuckler332.livejournal.com]

One of the film's strengths is how most of the important decisions made by the characters, Kirk and Spock in particular, are ones that also reflect a personal growth or more astute understanding on their parts. It made the plot be character-driven, which meant the story was their characters; sure, Nero is the antagonist, but he is more of a MacGuffin than anything else. The meat and potatoes of the film is these people finding who they are.

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

Indeed - I keep realizing/remembering that the villain and some of the bigger conflict wasn't even that unique or interesting, but it doesn't affect the film's greatness at all cause it was about so much more than that.

[janne.livejournal.com]

Pretty much the same reaction I had -- *wonderful* movie, but buh? on Spock and Uhura. After all, a major part of the charm of original Spock was him being quite literally hard to get. But thinking about it afterwards -- I think this might be a reasonable twist in a universe where Vulcan won't exist. No Vulcan, no T'pring, no Amok Time. Or...? :D

[janne.livejournal.com]

Addendum: Back in first season TOS, Spock and Uhura did seem marginally friendlier than later. Hmmm.... I may have to go dig those episodes up again and retroactively put some subtext into watching them :)

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

Back in first season TOS, Spock and Uhura did seem marginally friendlier than later. Well, that's interesting. It's quite possible that some kind of friendly relationship was apparent and I've completely forgotten when it shows. I just kind of feel like they wanted Spock to have a romantic relationship and in that case Uhura was the most obvious candidate.

[swashbuckler332.livejournal.com]

There was nothing I would call terribly blatant, but they were friends and fellow musicians. Keep in mind that in the 60s, the depiction of an interracial relationship on a television series was a prospect that filled network executives with dread, with some reason. The 'forced' kiss from "Plato's Stepchildren" was deleted in many parts of the country upon its first broadcast.

I really liked the relationship between Uhura and Spock, and feel it makes much more sense in context of this Spock and this Uhura. As I mentioned before, this Spock has a very different relationship with his parents (there is not rift between him and Sarek) and is much less ashamed of his human ancestry, and as a result is less up tight about certain things than the original version (hell, he turns down the Vulcan Science Academy because they talked shit about his mom!).

Much of the point of the original version of Spock was that he wasn't fully at home on Vulcan nor on Earth, but rather in Starfleet. While the new Spock certainly has had a more nurturing home life and is therefore more comfortable with the prospect of emotion, that same core aspect is still maintained.

Furthermore, I doubt many men, human, Vulcan or Rigellian, would let logic get in the way of being the object of Zoe Saldana's attentions, emotional containment be damned.

[swashbuckler332.livejournal.com]

Okay, Jeff Bond (author of the invaluable The Music of Star Trek: Profiles in Style) posted this on the Film Score Monthly Message Board. I thought everyone might find it an interesting perspective:

To those who insist the Spock/Uhura thing is 'wrong' somehow, what I love about it is this actually COULD have happened in EITHER timeline. There are at least two moments in original Star Trek (the "Vulcan has no moon" moment in Man Trap and another moment where Uhura is working on some tech under her bridge console and Spock lavishes her with compliments) that suggest something between Spock and Uhura. I think the set up of the Spock character in the movie is brilliant--it uses his established baggage from the series background and adds more on top of that to really make him sympathetic and understandable to a general audience, and I think even more fascinating if you know Trek history. In the movie he rejects his Vulcan background to an extent--so why wouldn't this involve embracing an emotional human relationship? This really makes me eager to see the next chapter because obviously Spock must either become the Spock we know, and push Uhura away, or be a different Spock and somehow fit this relationship into his life and work--and I think either way would make for great drama.

"Vulcan has no moon." Yeah!

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

obviously Spock must either become the Spock we know, and push Uhura away, or be a different Spock and somehow fit this relationship into his life and work--and I think either way would make for great drama. I have to agree with this, and I think the former would be interesting to see, if quite sad.

It's very unclear how much this Spock is going to even embrace the Vulcan way, considering he's unsure about it at such a young age. And going along with the differences in family life you pointed out, he hasn't exactly been raised to be ashamed of his humanity, at least not by the people that matter to him the most. Which brings up the question of whether a more emotional Spock would also be a more violent character, something they seem to have set up just a little: both times that he snaps in the movie, he throws a little more than a punch. Whatever direction they take him in, the relationship with Uhura kind of ensures there will be conflict.

I must say that after admittedly enjoying some of the male eye candy in this movie, I'm just happy Zoe Saldana is providing enough of a babe factor to make it fair :)

"I trust you've prepared new insults for today?"

[swashbuckler332.livejournal.com]

Vulcans are a very violent race, that's true in either timeline. It has been postulated before that classic Spock's difficulties with harnessing his feelings had more to do with his Vulcan blood than his human side, and there are times when he evidences more of a sense of humor than he'd ever admit to ("He simply could not believe his ears"). Nuovo Spock is less concerned about harnessing his emotions and certainly doesn't seem to mind mentioning that he has them. He is more about searching for a medium between his two bloodlines rather than ignoring one of them, a trait that makes him an interesting alternative.

I should mention that after I got home from my second viewing of Star Trek last night, I put on the Blu-ray disc with "The Man Trap" on it and Uhura is blatantly and unambiguously hitting on Spock.

[swashbuckler332.livejournal.com]

WORK SAFE

[hellodali.livejournal.com]

I agree with all that except for the Spock/Uhura thing. The Spock we see in this movie is the Spock he was before we got to know him. It would make since that he struggles with his human side. I mean, we have seen him struggle with it many times before. Only this time, he is still young and hasn't quite Vulcanized, if you get my drift. It's that struggle that makes him so awesome.

I'd be willing to bet a million dollars that as we watch him progress, she is gonna have a broken heart. I kinda got the idea from what we saw that she already knows...

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

The interpretation I prefer is that Spock and Uhura probably both recognized there was something there but, Spock being a Vulcan and her superior, they did not act on it until the events we see in the movie. I totally agree that they were quite unprofessional, she more than him. I felt like through the whole second half of the movie Uhura was constantly dwelling on Spock's problems/following him around instead of doing her job. It was fine when she consoled him right after Vulcan was destroyed, but after a certain point it was irritating. If Uhura can literally only think about someone she's personally involved with whenever something's going wrong, their relationship isn't going to work professionally. Not to mention it really reduced her to being just a romantic character, since she did a lot more Spock coddling than actual communicationsy stuff in the movie.

[janne.livejournal.com]

Definitely inappropriate for the transporter room, but I think that can be forgiven when it's been minutes since the poor guy saw his whole planet destroyed and his mother die in front of him, and he's most likely beaming off to certain death himself. If the worst lack of professionality after that is smooching Uhura for thirty seconds he's still in impressive control of himself. And not like Kirk is in any position to complain after Uhura caught him hiding under the bed :D

[book-hobbit.livejournal.com]

Fft, I wish I could say more than "I agree with all the points you made" but I really, really do. I don't mind the whole Spock/Uhura idea but it was just so...abrupt. @_@ But then, it AU... -shrug-
Younger!Chekhov was indeed the most adorable thing EVAR. Also, his similarity of speech patterns helped overcome the fact that he does not look much like the original to me.

[apollo-falls.livejournal.com]

I agree. This cast had to be one of the best ever. Ever. I just wish they had more Scotty

And yes, Spock/Uhura...suprised me too. I'm just glad they didn't go further than kissing - but I understand why they put it in.

Best damn sci-fi movie I've seen in years.
WORD.

[madamotaku.livejournal.com]

Amen! Pegg was definitely one of my favorite actors in the movie. MOAR SCOTTY NEXT TIME PLZ.

[citharadraconis.livejournal.com]

I didn't necessarily think of the "favoritism" comment as showing that they had an established relationship beforehand. My impression was that they'd become friends, closer than the usual instructor/student relationship (which would also explain the concern about favoritism), but hadn't started dating--for one thing, it would be massively unethical when Uhura was still at the Academy. I do buy that Spock found himself experiencing feelings for her, didn't know what to do with it, and decided to avoid the unsettling situation by assigning her to a different ship (a decision that she then rightly called him on). Then the massive trauma of Vulcan's destruction brought their feelings out in the open in the turbolift scene, because he needed someone to be there and reach out to. Relationships progress much more quickly in dangerous, painful situations.

[scarlet-malfoy.livejournal.com]

Hi, I just added you as a friend. First I was going to go steal/borrow your Spock bff Jim icon, but then I saw you were from Champaigne (I'm from Chicago!) and then I saw that you liked BBM and HP, too, and I think we should be friends. *grins*

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

Awesomesauce. I shall add you back. And after glancing at your journal, I should point out we are both English majors :)

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Great page. Good stuff.