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. NCC74894A

    NCC74894A Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    My new sig below pretty much says it all. Kirk messing with the KM test is a perfect metaphor for what Abrams did with this movie - he changed the rules. In one movie he shook up the Trek universe more than the Batman and James Bond reboots did with their universes in their combined first four films. He took a big risk by doing so, but boy, did it ever pay off.
     
  2. RAMA

    RAMA Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 1999
    Location:
    USA
    So I had to collect my thoughts but I want to post a mini-review.

    Why is Star Trek 2009 so great?? Is it the new level of realism? Is it the tremendous scope and epic feel? The funny and engaging new actors? The fact that we have one of only TWO real space adventure universes in visual fiction come to life like never before? Yeah its all of those things. Star Trek somehow managed to take the best of the old and merge it with the new.

    The story was actually much like the Berman era Trek, it helped to somewhat soften the "blow" of the changes in tone made for the new universe, but whereas the previous stewardship had let the movies aim lower, this one took everything to the next level: its not enough to destroy one planet, the fictional red matter was going to destroy multiple planets...and they showed it! Past ST started to feel safe, but not even Vulcan was safe from destruction! Spock is going to have to live with this and the death of his mother. No reset button here.

    One of the potential criticisms was that much like a lot of action-adventure, this story was going to leave behind the plot and characters. Well most of the ST movies had pretty simple plots folks. Its how they are executed that's important..and this story delivers, even in the first 3rd of the movie we have touching moments for the characters..Spock, Kirk and family. This movie never forgets its heart...and all the best ST movies have some heart! There's even a surprisingly tasteful and touching love story with SPOCK AND UHURA! I just couldn't picture this, but it worked! It reminded me of the way Amanda and Sarek behaved in TOS...they were low key around the crew till a crisis and then they were more demonstrative.

    Speaking of Amanda and Sarek, all the actors including the supporting ones were tremendous in their roles. Ben Cross was a favorite. Bruce Greenwood almost stole the movie for me. I loved Pike! Leonard Nimoy was treated with reverence, even the way he was shot screamed "legend". Bana was effectively menacing without being a scenery chewer. Pine is excellent as Kirk. As part of the evolution of the character, I noticed that the still fun-loving Kirk started to move and act more like Shatner as-Kirk at the end of the film as he takes the captains chair. I had wondered what happened in some of the preview scenes with Spock and Kirk fighting, et al, and I must say the movie is effective at tying up all loose ends. Each development makes sense, and that's hard with time travel stories.

    From the very first moment I saw the Kelvin I was amazed...THAT was the best, most active, functional, stupendous bridge I have ever seen. It looked like something I had imagined a real bridge would look like. The one thing that really bothered me before seeing it was the "industrial" look of some of the starship interiors...well shockingly, they didn't bother me at all. The way they were integrated, updated just made sense. This has to be one of the best production design jobs ever. I never would have imagined this.

    WOW(pic doesn't do the set justice):

    [​IMG]

    The music was another high point, I had expected it to be less grand based on the Lost music, but it was suitably epic where appropriate. I'm not ready to say it was Trek's best ever, but its right up there.

    Knick knacks: The credit and title sequences were the best EVER in ST. I watched the end credits just to see what the universe of ST REALLY looks like. It was breathtaking. No other movie in the series even rivals it.

    Lens flares? Who cares, I barely noticed them.

    These were the best CGI spacecraft ever committed to film.

    Whoever said they didn't like the Kelvin uniforms are crazy.

    In the end we are left with a new Star Trek..a familiar universe that has changes to build on. Its the ONLY way to continue this franchise in my opinion. For the first time in years (even for one who enjoyed many Berman era adventures) the universe is fresh..there are new things we don't know about the characters. There's mystery and a lot more adventure, and I for one can't wait to see the next ST movie, which no doubt will be the NEXT best ST movie ever.

    A or 10/10 rating!

    RAMA
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2009
  3. firefox390

    firefox390 Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2009
    The writers made the right decision to leave out Nurse Chapel and Yeoman Rand since there is so much that a new viewer of Trek can take in this film. However, I do agree that they should appear in STXII. If not, I will be severely disappointed.
     
  4. DeafPoet

    DeafPoet Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2005
    Location:
    Edmonton, Alberta
    Good review, RAMA!

    Me neither. I thought it was going to be a bigger problem because the most egregious lens flare was included in the "You will answer me" promo clip. The rest of the movie wasn't like that at all.
     
  5. God Magnus

    God Magnus Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2001
    Location:
    A world where criminals operate above the law...
    After going through about three pages of debating about the film, I've skipped ahead to post my thoughts so forgive me if I repeat anything. I think most reviews have covered the story and the characters. I'll agree with most of the positive points (Quinto's performance, the joy of seeing Nimoy again etc.) so I'll point out some of the smaller things that I loved:

    • Hearing Majel's voice as the Enterprise computer, knowing that this was the last time tugged at my heart a little despite the sequence being a funny one.
    • The use of classic sound fx with new spins on them really made me smile.
    • I saw the Tribble and heard its purring - awesomeness.
    • The new "warp" effect was nice and conveyed the power of warp speed very well.
    • I liked the new phaser's "switch" from stun to kill, very nicely done visual cue.
    • Pine's last scene on the bridge really did a great job of balancing his take on Kirk while incorporating some of Shatner's mannerisms.
    • While the use of TOS line references could have been cheesy, they all worked here. When Spock said "Fascinating" even my gf, who is barely a Trek fan laughed and clapped.
    • The final weapons barrage scene by the Enterprise used a classic angle that brought me right back to the TOS era films when they focused on the Photon Torpedo bays and had the camera stay on them as they fired.
    On a final note, my friend who never watched any Trek before and refuses to call himself a Trek fan enjoyed the film and gave it a "7 out of 10". I'm still sort of in shock. :)

    I'm super happy and still on a bit of an emotional high. I'm SO glad I'm getting to see the film tomorrow in IMAX because about 3/4 of the way through the film I kept thinking "I need to see this again stat!" :)
     
  6. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2007
    Location:
    inside teacake
    WHAT?!

    WHERE?!
     
  7. Michael Chris

    Michael Chris Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    May 11, 2001
    Location:
    The 'Querq, NM
    Best movie I've seen in a while. Astonishingly well done.
     
  8. Venardhi

    Venardhi Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2002
    Location:
    The Great Wide Somewhere
    I was entertained, but the plot kept me from fully enjoying it.

    Most of the cast is acceptable, if not quite exceptional. With a better script I expect they could do a great sequel.
     
  9. pookha

    pookha Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2002
    Location:
    pookha
    Re: Star Trek XI :Did anyone dislike this movie other than me?

    i wonder if the whole uhura spock thing was inspired by this song from tos..
    ;)

    :lol:

    over all i really liked the movie though i wish the grading
    had some thing in between excellent and above average.

    the characters are what made the movie for me.
    about how the actors were able to capture the essence
    of the original while putting a touch of their own in there.

    i do wish they worked stuff into the movie like kirk
    wasnt just a cadet but was already an instructor
    at the academy into the movie but the over all the
    imperfections just fall away compared to the shear level
    of enjoyment the movie brings.

    and the movie does bring about the feeling things
    can be overcome in the midst of cooperation .
    that the federation will pick itself up and carry on despite
    the loss of one of its founding planets.
     
  10. NCC74894A

    NCC74894A Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Why do I have this dread that secondary roles like these will end up being celebrity-cameo bit parts (a la Tyler Perry in this film)? You know, if Miley Cyrus would just lose the highlights from her Hannah Montana wig, and you squinted every time she appeared in a scene, she would make a kinda-sorta passable Yeoman Rand. :p
     
  11. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2005
    The science was completely absurd, to the point of being annoying, but I resigned myself to accept this movie as a big dumb action piece with character moments, and on those terms, it was a great success. Tons of fun. But...what the hell is "red matter," anyway?
     
  12. Mott the barber

    Mott the barber Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2001
    Well, I just got back from the theater and just...wow! I avoided pretty much every spoiler leading up to the release and was NOT disappointed!

    Random thoughts in no particular order:

    First, the opening prologue was fantastic! I love how when the guy was sucked out into space amid the chaos the camera followed him out and everything went silent. Pretty chilling stuff.

    Pine was great. I'd heard some rumors his acting was "bland" and "flat" but I couldn't find that to be further from the truth.

    Quinto was a great contrast to Nimony's old Spock. We see the same man and how far he's come understanding his emotions and logic.

    Probably the best character was Bones, but they needed more of him.

    Everyone else was great.

    Loved the warp effect. it was made for a big theater sound system!

    I could not believe they destroyed Vulcan, and to be honest, I'm still not ready to totally accept that this is the accepted timeline now. I mean I know it is, but it's an adjustment for sure. After so many years of time travel stories, everything always worked itself out and the "original" Trek timeline was restored. Not this time.
    Almost just as shocking was that Romulus was destroyed in the original timeline. Crazy!

    The look of the ship inside and out was modern and appropriate for today's audience. The lens flare was a bit overdone but not too bad.

    Some scenes felt like Cloverfield.

    I missed the tribble. Where was it!?

    I also stupidly didn't stay till the very end of the credits. What did I miss?

    That's all I have for now. I'll definitely be seeing it again!

    Excellent! :bolian:
     
  13. Feofilakt

    Feofilakt Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    May 8, 2009
    Matter that is red :borg:
     
  14. Venardhi

    Venardhi Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2002
    Location:
    The Great Wide Somewhere
    Well it is matter, that is red. . . and makes stuff go 'moob'.
     
  15. NCC74894A

    NCC74894A Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Did you catch the Slusho reference (in the bar scene just before the fight)?
     
  16. pookha

    pookha Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2002
    Location:
    pookha
    the tribble is supposed to be in the bar scene but i missed it.

    pike was one of the best part of the film.
     
  17. Bisz

    Bisz Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 1999
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    A solid, above average, Trek outing but I wish the story would have been a bit tighter and there would have been just a few less action scenes (what was the water turbine thing doing on a starship anyway?)
     
  18. Borgminister

    Borgminister Admiral Moderator

    Joined:
    May 30, 2001
    Location:
    California
    Excellent.

    I suspect, if the box office is right, that the new Star Trek's Dark Knight will come next. This set the table--and at the end of the movie, I was ready for the adventure to begin.
     
  19. Borgminister

    Borgminister Admiral Moderator

    Joined:
    May 30, 2001
    Location:
    California
    Damn Communists and their Red Matter!
     
  20. RAMA

    RAMA Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 1999
    Location:
    USA
    What is dilithium? Trititanium? Accept and move on. ST is not a science project.

    RAMA