As a Standalone: Was Trek XI a Good Movie?

[Kirk1980]

Pretend Star Trek before 2009 did not exist, if you can.

I won't give my opinion just yet (although for those who are familiar with my posts, this is likely obvious) but I'm curious....

If this was a brand spanking new movie...

What are your thoughts?

There's no continuity from the past, there's never been any other actors, any other shows, anything. Pretend it's completely and utterly new (I am sorry for overstressing this but I found that when I ask this of some people, they are unable to do it, so I'm hammering the point home as annoyingly and brutally as I can )

 

[Star Treks]

It's difficult to answer precisely. I would have thought of it as a fun, entertaining sci-fi action flick which was perhaps a bit derivative but nonetheless a solidly entertaining - if not really "great" - movie.

 

[Borgminister]

If Star Trek itself had never existed, I'm sure they would've had to focus a bit more tightly on Spock's backstory, but other than that, I think all other characters were well-defined enough to stand on their own.

But we'll never know, unless... where's the Guardian of Forever when you need it?

 

[QuasarVM]

Yeah. I though it would be fine as a "stand alone"...

 

[Lapis Exilis]

As a standalone, this movie is kind of big, dumb fun. But it falls short of being a great movie because the story is constructed as Kirk's rise to leadership, yet the character arc of the movie is Spock's. Kirk doesn't change throughout, consistently displaying the same rebel-without-a-clue recklessness he showed at the age of 11. He doesn't seem to learn any lessons, yet he is rewarded with tremendous responsibility. Spock, who did actually learn a thing or two about himself and moved forward as a character, is relegated to asking him for a position as second in command, which feels very bizarre. Kirk's story, and thus the backbone of the overall story, lacks any sort of emotional resonance for the audience because he achieves a position of power without having earned it. This seriously weakens the tale. Too bad too - it wouldn't have taken much to make this a really good film.

 

[Borgminister]

Perhaps Spock the elder's mindmeld imparted a bit more information to Kirk; but I disagree to some extent, because it was Kirk who told Spock it was "logical" to offer and rescue Nero, that shows some strategic thinking on his part.

His learning curve might have to be steep, maybe that'll be evidenced in the next movie, if and when that happens.

 

[startrekwatcher]

My opinion wouldn't change. It is a passable action vehicle with decent performances but fundamental problems with the plot and the villian.

The film tries to do too many things in a little over two hours and in the process it hurts all of them.

 

[Cryogenic]

If this was a brand spanking new movie...

What are your thoughts?

"What the hell is this crap?"

Seriously, I'd be appalled by the awful camera work, the hokey melodrama, the cheap jokes, the bad science, the ridiculous contrivances, the lame characters and the overall juvenile and simplistic style.

 

[Biggshow]

If this was a brand spanking new movie...

What are your thoughts?

"What the hell is this crap?"

Seriously, I'd be appalled by the awful camera work, the hokey melodrama, the cheap jokes, the bad science, the ridiculous contrivances, the lame characters and the overall juvenile and simplistic style.

So you don't like Star Trek at all?

I kid.

 

[miraclefan]

As a standalone, this movie is kind of big, dumb fun. But it falls short of being a great movie because the story is constructed as Kirk's rise to leadership, yet the character arc of the movie is Spock's. Kirk doesn't change throughout, consistently displaying the same rebel-without-a-clue recklessness he showed at the age of 11. He doesn't seem to learn any lessons, yet he is rewarded with tremendous responsibility. Spock, who did actually learn a thing or two about himself and moved forward as a character, is relegated to asking him for a position as second in command, which feels very bizarre. Kirk's story, and thus the backbone of the overall story, lacks any sort of emotional resonance for the audience because he achieves a position of power without having earned it. This seriously weakens the tale. Too bad too - it wouldn't have taken much to make this a really good film.

I don't think the average movie watcher is going to care! As it stands it's pretty good as a stand alone.

 

[rscultho]

Not Star Trek - more like reading a comic book.

Stand alone Star Warish movie

 

[Kirk1980]

Right now, I'm graitified people are actually taking the challenge to keep their sights focused on JUST this movie. It's hard to do, of course.

 

[MvRojo]

It's hard to say from my perspective, but based off my friends who have watched very little ST, it is a great standalone film.

 

[DaveG]

As a standalone it stands with many other lots of CGI and lack of story movies, which seems to appeal to a large audience these days.

 

[Gepard]

Too much of the character work and humor in the movie came from us already knowing who these people were. Everything meaningful about the finale, especially, boiled down to "You've known them and loved them, now see them all as one crew." The part there that got the biggest reaction in the theater was, seriously, Scotty yelling that he was giving it all he's got.

Now, I'm not against callbacks to familiar traits, moments or lines; heck, we were all waiting for them. But I do want something more than just a stimulus-response regurgitation of character traits where they push the right button and expect reflexive audience appreciation; that way lies Epic Movie madness. I don't think the film had enough developments beyond that kind of approach to make it truly stand on its own.

 

[Mr. B]

I don't think it works well as a standalone film. The plot... well... yeah. The character exposition is a little light so we don't have much reason to care about them or the destruction of Vulcan. The movie's villain is a nebulous figure to put it generously and his motivations make no sense. Judged on it's own, Star Trek XI is on par with Michael Bay trash.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Sure. Great movie.

 

[Islander]

Assuming that ST didn't exist at all prior to this but other sci-fi did, I would be comparing this new universe the the existing space based ones of Star Wars, Babylon 5 or Farscape (to name those that quickly comes to mind, maybe even Stargate even if not purely space based).

Given that it is a motion picture, action oriented and fun for the family, Star Wars would be the closest relative. Some stated bad camera works but I actually enjoyed the closeups filling the screen. It intensifyed the action in space. Overall very good movie.

 

[anti-matter]

A good movie perhaps but not a great movie.

It's just amazing to me how well Cris Pine nailed the legendary Kirk so well. Even with the alternate universe this movie answers many questions and piques emotions that a stand alone wouldn't satisfactory address.

And no one resists change more than I do. I've always hated change but this movie was a change for the better. Is it possible to sustain this maximum effort...I dunno.

 

[erastus25]

I would call it an above average summer blockbuster, I think. On the same level as Iron Man but below The Dark Knight, for recent context. Of course, it's nearly impossible to pretend seeing it cold have watching a bajillion hours of ST.