Seeing the '09 film again: Whether as a film or on TV, I would much rather watch a series starring Bruce Greenwood's Pike than Pine's Kirk. Greenwood's performance (and Pike's dialogue) is much more, well, commanding--and honestly, more reminiscent of early-TOS Kirk! Obviously, that's not the franchise's direction, but I do wish it were.
To this day I oppose Chris Pine's portrayal of JTK. I am sure Chris Pine is a nice guy and a accomplished actor-but I really find his portrayal as unmoving.
Since Pike in the film is a seasoned commander and not guy fresh out of the academy, this shouldn't be surprising.
Chris Pine has only got the chance to play Kirk as a hothead and a troublemaker. We haven't seen him grow into the Kirk we're used to seeing. That's for the next couple of films. I don't really see anything that would prevent nuKirk from being just as noble as KirkPrime was. As for nuPike? Since he's avoided the accident that permanently crippled him in the original timeline, I'd say he has potential to be even greater than the original Pike ever was. Pike could be the Starfleet C-in-C by ST XII.
I like both Pike's, and I'm glad that Pike is coming back for the sequel. I liked Chris Pine as Kirk too. I don't think anyone could have done a better job, FWIW. I don't think they wrote Kirk the same as in the prime time line, so I wonder if that's what might be bothering people. Anyway, Kirk worked for me, and so I've got no complaints.
Yea, I think some people are looking at the first movie as who Kirk is during TOS, but, it's actually a prequel to where he is in TOS. This second movie is more likely to end by giving us a Kirk closer to TOS beginning (In terms of experience and leadership skills). Where No Man Has Gone Before was not his first mission with the crew and ship, he was already settled into the position of Captain of The Enterprise when TOS began.
Which means he unfortuneately will be off the screen the majority of the time. I could probably reel off quite a few names of actors who could have done a better job portraying James Kirk than Pine. People more professionally trained, experienced, and talented. One of the consideration on hiring Pine was that he was a young actor on his way up, and they could get him for the money they did. Someone like Matt Damon or James Marsden might have been a financial impossibility, but would have been much better in the role given their superior acting abilities. You don't think anyone could have done a better job?
"Matt Damon"? "Superior acting abilities"? In the same sentence?? [YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWQNA96gfrg[/YT]
Agreed. I really like Matt Damon and James Mardsen, and I have no doubt that they would have given great performances, but here's where I see an issue: Chemistry. Each time I try to take Pine out and insert one of them, I just can't imagine the same chemistry that Pine had with the rest of the cast, and taking that into consideration is a part of good casting too, not just acting abilities. Lol. I think there are some people that could have done just as well, but if Pine works out, then why bother? I think it also helps that, while I like Kirk and care about his story, I'm not deeply interested in him.
Matt Damon is Matt Damon. He's too identifiable as himself to have taken over Kirk. It made more sense to go with a little-known actor who came with no baggage. Anyway, Damon would have been 39 in 2009 and while he looks younger than his years, he still looks too old to play a fresh-from-the-academy Kirk. Pine was fine.
^Didn't it actually emerge that, rather than chasing him for Jim Kirk, JJ and Co actually wanted Matt to play George Kirk? Again, though, I think Chris Hemsworth made a great impression in that role and, given how little-known he was at the time, he didn't distract from or overshadow the character.
^Nope, I knew I didn't imagine this. http://trekmovie.com/2009/11/23/chris-pine-jj-abrams-crew-named-gq-men-of-the-year/
Pike at the very least should have been the captain through the second movie. Kirk could enter this one a lieutenant commander or so and have the torch proverbially passed to him in this one. This would give us another movie with Pike in it, which can never be bad, and would be less... stupid... than giving a cadet the keys to your flagship. You can be the greatest natural leader in the world, but that doesn't give you EXPERIENCE.
Where do you get that idea from? I've already posted the story to the contrary from the horse's mouth.