The Official STAR TREK Grading & Discussion Thread [SPOILERS]

Discussion in 'Star Trek Movies: Kelvin Universe' started by Agent Richard07, Apr 30, 2009.

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Grade the movie...

  1. Excellent

    711 vote(s)
    62.9%
  2. Above Average

    213 vote(s)
    18.8%
  3. Average

    84 vote(s)
    7.4%
  4. Below Average

    46 vote(s)
    4.1%
  5. Poor

    77 vote(s)
    6.8%
  1. Tulaberry whine

    Tulaberry whine Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    I seemed to enjoy the movie in spite of itself at times.

    The plot was hackneyed, illogical and really just a retread (to varying degrees) of the last three TNG movies. Yet there was an audacity (they destroyed Vulcan!) and verve to the writing that has been missing from Trek since the days of DS9. And, if the film's makers are honest and faithful to their work, Star Trek will have repercussions that will last well beyond the end credits (and no, I'm not talking about canon).

    Characterisations were understandably broad and flimsy, but their portrayals were warmer and much more relatable than Trek characters have been for a very long time. Pine, Quinto, Urban, Saldana and Cho turned in performances that recalled the characters' original actors while offering something new and inviting. Surprisingly, Ryder as Amanda was lovely while Nimoy admirably anchors and gives the film some dramatic heft.

    In stark contrast, Cross didn't have the presence necessary as Sarek and disappeared into the background far too easily, while Pegg and Yelchin's performances were little more than Brady Bunch Movie-style caricature.

    Sadly, Bana was criminally wasted. Rarely on screen, Nero joins a long list of Trek villains who are little more than plot devices (he was, let's face it, Soren with pointy ears). Bana deserved so much more.

    Of course, being Trek there was an unforgivable technobabble cheat that would have made the creators of Voyager proud. Why have his human lover and Vulcan father on Enterprise (following the annihilation of his homeworld and death of his mother no less) when some technobabble hand waving from Scotty can excuse a Spock unravelling under the weight of sorrow and anger from having to acknowledge, account and face any consequences for abandoning Kirk (rather maliciously I might add) on a giant ice cube. It seems the influence of nuBSG was limited to space battles ...

    Speaking of which, I really don’t understand the point of spending so much money on space battles when they’re edited in such a way as to be almost impossible to follow.

    Ultimately though, perhaps the best thing about this movie and what saves it from its failings is that it reminded me again of the potential of Trek. Once more, the possibilities are endless, I just hope the filmmakers boldly seek out and explore them.
     
  2. SalvorHardin

    SalvorHardin Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I certainly liked it more than I thought I would and more than the few pictures I had seen before the movie suggested.

    It could use improvement for a possible sequel but still it wasn't a big WTF as I initially thought.
     
  3. S'kai

    S'kai Captain Captain

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    Except that that wipes out ST movies I, III, and IV.
     
  4. erebus

    erebus Commander

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    profile pending deletion request 28/5/2009

    I really liked this post, it made me smile and i think this person definently knows how to prioritise and adapt and the clean decision is reminiscent of Kirk himself. Even Mr Roddenberry warned us about submerging ourselves into self-imposed dogma and being closed-minded to reimaginings.

    Kudos
     
  5. Dookie

    Dookie Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    second star to the right...
    Whoah, what a ride. Two hours flew by in no time and I really had to take a deep breath once I was out of the cinema. Great pacing, great acting, except Chris Helmsworth, whom I found a little bit lacklustre...

    Yes, the story was contrived and far-fetched, but it served the purpose of establishing the new continuity. Finally I can actually care and worry about trek characters again. Voyager and Enterprise established the big red reset button so well that you knew in the end it wouldn't matter anyway.

    Visually...well, Trek has never looked that good on the silver screen. Beautiful work on ILMs part. The opening shot on the Kelvin is just pure dead brilliant, and no ship or explosion looked fakey to me. Even that big lobster (shrimp creole, anyone ?) looked better than I expected. And seriously, when was the last time we really had a monster of some sort on Star Trek. The Mugatu ? Great one, loved it.

    Contradictions in regard to the original series or established canon didn't bother me at all, because the places were the writers bent canon rules a little bit it served a good purpose : To tell an interesting story.

    I also really liked the fact that the "general audience", the "casaul moviegoers", really not only liked the film, but really got into it, they were in for the ride. So, to all the hundreds of people involved in bringin Star Trek back again : Mission accomplished !
     
  6. ST-One

    ST-One Vice Admiral

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    You do know what the Enterprise uses to power her warp-drive, don't you?

    Water.
     
  7. Frederick_Kim

    Frederick_Kim Writer Newbie

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2007
    I really enjoyed the movie. I gave it an "excellent" in the poll. On a numerical scale I'd probably rate it 9/10.

    It's a lot of fun, and brings back the characters in an invigorated and appealing way. The movie is not perfect -- while seeing Nimoy back as Spock was fantastic, and he's great as ever, the story he related about what happened in the future didn't make any sense to me. And while I don't think destroying Vulcan was a "mistake," I am sad to see that world, with all its richness and backstory, go.

    This movie definitely changes the canon for good, whatever feelings you may have about it. But with new people taking over the franchise, canon was probably not going to be strictly adhered to anyway -- J.J. Abrams has admitted he was not a Star Trek fan prior to being attached to the movie.

    At least this way we have a reasonable explanation why the adventures of this particular crew are different from the ones we already know and love so well.
     
  8. Rii

    Rii Rear Admiral

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    Adelaide
    Upon second viewing the deficiencies in the plot are even more glaring. It is truly dire, and the labourious exposition and radical leaps of logic required to navigate its convoluted inanities dampens an otherwise superlative film. Although the entire second hour of the film struggles in this respect, the stretch between the destruction of Vulvan and Kirk's meeting with Scotty is the worst. I think the snow monster was thrown in for no other reason than to break up the stream of expository bullshit.

    On another note, with foreknowledge of the romance between Spock and Uhura, her line regarding Spock's assessment of her "oral sensitivity" can be read in another light entirely. :lol:
     
  9. anti-matter

    anti-matter Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    The franchise has been resurrected.

    Well I thought this was an excellent movie. OK a few things didn't jive with my ideas of treklore but they were inconsequential when compared with the 2hr action extravaganza.

    As far as I'm concerned I'm sold on going back to the past with this crew. We just loved the crews back story too...and Kirk?

    There can be only one Kirk and Cris Pine has nailed it.

    The movie is another example of American exceptionalism through capitalism. Only here in American do you have the visionaries, resources and freedom to bring a film like this for the worlds enjoyment.

    God Bless America and death to all her enemies.
     
  10. ST-One

    ST-One Vice Admiral

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    Yeah :rolleyes:
    When you see that film again, have a closer look at the end of the end-credits. There you will see the name of a German company that co-financed the film.
     
  11. El Chupacabra

    El Chupacabra Commodore Commodore

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    London, England
    I hope that is glorious sarcasm and an attempt to troll.
     
  12. Miri9

    Miri9 Captain Captain

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    Orion's Belt
    The main reason to see this movie for real TOS trekkers is the characters - and they are all back! Pine and Quinto are awesome as Kirk and Pike, something that truly surprised me. Urban as Bones was a bit imitative, as was the Chekov character. The one character I was dissapointed with was Uruha. Nichols always played her with an elegance and grace that was missing from this incarnation. The Scotty character was not well written into the script, but the characterization was pretty good.

    I really look at this movie as setting up the characters in a new light and nothing more, and I do look foward to more movies with this crew.

    The special effects were dizzying but not that stunning as they were all so close range and were there as eye candy for the trekkers to be. I liked the bridge design and most of the ship except engineering - that did not work for me at all. It looked like an old factory they found somewhere and filmed.

    The costumes were excellent - captured elements of the original, and of all subsequent films.

    My WTF'S:?? (Some spoilers...)
    1. Using parachutes to get the drill platform - what, no jet packs??
    2. Spock leaving the Enterprise to rescue the council and his parents...no way would Spock have left his duty on the ship.
    3. Pike in the wheelchair at the end...no medical breakthrough for this??
    4. Spock tossing Kirk on the ice planet - why not just put him in the brig?
    5. I hope they meant "Spock Prime" to look and sound that old...or Nimoy is really fading.

    It was a good, but exhausting, two hours.
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2009
  13. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I have now seen it a second time.

    It's awesomeness was even greater.

    And.. I saw the tribble!

    Also, great to pick up all the S/U nuances right from the beginning.

    Now.. two (probably) obvious things I do not understand. Please help me!

    1. What was the deal with Klingon ships being destroyed right before the Kelvin and right before the Enterprise encountered Nero? I don't get it.

    2. This is the big one: Romulus's sun is going to go supernova. Spock says he can save it from doing so. Spock fails. So..

    a. When exactly did this take place in the old Trekiverse?

    b. How did Nero going back and stopping Spock save his planet and wife? It was going to go supernova and Spock failed to stop it so stopping Spock didn't really change that did it?
     
  14. ST-One

    ST-One Vice Admiral

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    BEEP BEEP
     
  15. SalvorHardin

    SalvorHardin Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    That he is in the wheelchair does not mean he is stuck there.

    More than likely he is in the chair for ease and comfort until he completely recovers and so that he can be at the ceremony.
     
  16. Vger

    Vger Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    Location:
    MS, USA
    I saw the film and enjoyed it along with two others who were not Trek fans and they also loved it. Easily the best film since the Wrath of Khan which is my all time favorite one.

    I think the new cast did a fine job and the great interactions from Kirk, Spock, and McCoy that made the orginal series great was captured in the movie too.

    While I did not like some small things they did a good job in making a movie the entertained from start to finish and I look forward to the hopeful sequels that will come.
     
  17. siskokid888

    siskokid888 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    No, I liked it and I saw it as a homage to the old idea of the "bowels" of the ship we always heard about and only saw briefly in TOS - when Kirk was chasing Ben Finney or his alternate self. There were pipes visible on the ship in the old series - where did those pipes go? Now we know.
     
  18. John Clark

    John Clark Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    There
    Just got back from seeing it.

    We went to the 12:00 showing and it was fairly busy. Off my usual experience at our local cinema, later showings tend to be busier though.

    As for the film itself, it's one hell of a rollercoaster ride. Overall, I enjoyed it, but stylistically there are some areas where I think they should have gone in another direction. For me, some of the sets felt over-industrialized but that's just going off previous sets.

    I felt the cast did well and the effects were good but to me, it's not my favourite film. I would definitely like to see a sequel with this cast though:)
     
  19. siskokid888

    siskokid888 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Check out early TOS eps. Phasers were a single light blast originally, not a beam.
     
  20. Agent Richard07

    Agent Richard07 Admiral Admiral

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    Jun 20, 2001
    I thought he looked really old and decrepit in that shot from the trailer, but he looked surprisingly good and fit in the movie.