Do you like the new Kirk?
- Thread starter demolished_man
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I think a lot of it has to do with Kirk's age (25) in this movie and the circumstance of his rocky upbringings; his abusive step father. But don't forget his mother was still there and there's no doubt he picked up on his mom's humanity and grace. He helped saved earth and his fellow officers, so Kirk IS a good man with conviction. Doesn't make sense to me to dislike him just because he's a bit reckless and cocky, eh? Starfleet is essentially Kirk's real father in this timeline in a sense that it gives him stability and direction. Yep, he'll do fine as captain of the enterprise.
While I love Shatner, I also loved Chris' Kirk. I thought the character was interesting, and well played. He was fun to watch.
There were things that were OOC at times but for the most part I could see Kirk there in him. Especially the end scene, he nailed TOS Kirk. As the movie progressed, you saw him morph from a troubled young man to a Starfleet Captain.
It was a fun journey.
There were things that were OOC at times but for the most part I could see Kirk there in him. Especially the end scene, he nailed TOS Kirk. As the movie progressed, you saw him morph from a troubled young man to a Starfleet Captain.
It was a fun journey.
Me, too, really -- there are later bits of ENT I've still got to catch up and most of TAS, but I've watched and enjoyed all of the live-action series and don't get at all the inter-series snobbery thing, which I feel runs counter to the spirit of the Trek-verse. They're all Trek, imo, and this new one is, too, if still a bit rough around the edges.
I haven't heard anything like that, nope. Only my opinion that with the considerable likeness, Hemsworth as Kirk must have crossed Abrams mind at least once. To stick with Pine is saying a lot about Pine's grasp of Kirk, despite his lack of overt Kirk resemblance. Certainly a lot of the cast seems to have been put in place with resemblance in mind. Pine didn't seem to nail the audition first time (Abrams wasn't present in his first audition), says it was a bit of a disaster. He mentions coming back for a second audition months later with Abrams in place, in one of his Youtube interviews. Abrams also mentions they looked at a lot of guys before finding Pine. No doubt Hemsworth is too green to be considered for carrying the entire movie, just a fanciful thought I had. Although he did pick up the Thor lead! I guess we'll never know what might have been.
I imagine the casting for Kirk was a nightmare, even more than the others.
I've said this a few times, but I really did enjoy Pine as Kirk. He brought his own thing and put it together seamlessly with some the qualities both the writers over the years and Shatner himself fused into Kirk. It's even more impressive to me that Pine did this without actually being like Shatner in any particular way, though there were flickers, intentional or otherwise here and there.
Still, in the end, I'll always go back to Shatner's Kirk. It was the one I grew up with, and I still think it's the best version. That's just me.
I've said this a few times, but I really did enjoy Pine as Kirk. He brought his own thing and put it together seamlessly with some the qualities both the writers over the years and Shatner himself fused into Kirk. It's even more impressive to me that Pine did this without actually being like Shatner in any particular way, though there were flickers, intentional or otherwise here and there.
Still, in the end, I'll always go back to Shatner's Kirk. It was the one I grew up with, and I still think it's the best version. That's just me.
The "new Kirk" is just starting at a different point compared to the Kirk of 25 or so we might have seen in the original timeline.
The original Kirk would have been serious, dedicated but a bit bland. His arc was to loosen up when he hit outer space.
New Kirk's arc is the opposite - starting out as a wild card and maturing into the seasoned leader we are familiar with. But I have no doubt that both Kirks end up in essentially the same place w/n a decade or so.
New Kirk is a better topic for movies; the old variety would have had a harder time holding the audience's attention, regardless of the talent of the actor.
Another very important reason to change Kirk's arc so that it's the opposite from the original: there's not much contrast between serious, studious Kirk and Spock's persona. Now we have the Kirk-Spock yin-yang thing from then start, to provide dramatic contrast and conflict.
I look forward to seeing that guy evolve.
But he'll never be so serious that he loses his impish sense of humor, I hope, or the wildness.
The original Kirk would have been serious, dedicated but a bit bland. His arc was to loosen up when he hit outer space.
New Kirk's arc is the opposite - starting out as a wild card and maturing into the seasoned leader we are familiar with. But I have no doubt that both Kirks end up in essentially the same place w/n a decade or so.
New Kirk is a better topic for movies; the old variety would have had a harder time holding the audience's attention, regardless of the talent of the actor.
Another very important reason to change Kirk's arc so that it's the opposite from the original: there's not much contrast between serious, studious Kirk and Spock's persona. Now we have the Kirk-Spock yin-yang thing from then start, to provide dramatic contrast and conflict.
I look forward to seeing that guy evolve.
But he'll never be so serious that he loses his impish sense of humor, I hope, or the wildness.I haven't really seen a lot of TOS Trek, though I'm familiar with Shatner's portrayal of Kirk. In this alternate universe, with his father's death, Chris Pine's Kirk cannot be exactly like Shatner's Kirk. There's too much that's different in his childhood.
With that said, I thought Pine captured a young James T. Kirk (not Shatner's portayal) perfectly. He's rough around the edges like others have said, but all the potential and drive of the TOS Kirk is there in the performance. I love that Pine went his own way on this role and gave us such a dynamic Kirk that can grow as this new cycle of movies continues.
As to finding Kirk, it must have been nerve wracking for the casting director. But this is seriously one of the best casts I've seen for a movie. Too bad there's no Casting Oscar.
With that said, I thought Pine captured a young James T. Kirk (not Shatner's portayal) perfectly. He's rough around the edges like others have said, but all the potential and drive of the TOS Kirk is there in the performance. I love that Pine went his own way on this role and gave us such a dynamic Kirk that can grow as this new cycle of movies continues.
As to finding Kirk, it must have been nerve wracking for the casting director. But this is seriously one of the best casts I've seen for a movie. Too bad there's no Casting Oscar.
See, and from that point on you fail as, what passes here for a respectable Trekker.
/or it ist "Trekkie"?
don't say that. many of us "respectable" Trekkies on this board, including Dennis (who's WRITTEN a TNG episode or two) liked ENT.
judging who's a real Trekkie and who's not is muddy waters. let's not start doing that again. we've had enough of it.
Hemsworth was cast as Geroge Kirk way before Pine was cast as JTK.
from what I've read, JJ thought Pine as Kirk was "a revelation".
EDIT: deleted a couple of posts. don't wanna spam! and Temis, yeah, that whole "stack of books with legs" early-persona of TOS Kirk probably wouldn't have gone over well in the new movie/s.
come to think of it, that "stack of books with legs" could have been Captain Pike's (as in Jeff Hunter) early persona as well. interesting thought.
Kirk was on the officer's track when he took the KM and subsequently becoming Captain of the Enterprise. He wasn't just a "cadet" (ensign, et al)
There's a bit of a different between running a simulator mission and the actual day to day running a vessel with 1100 people. The time on the bridge of 5% of a command, paperwork and people are the other 95%.
You realize to get to the KM test, you have to have proved yourself as an able commander and you've been on real ships. You're not just one day in a class room (after 4 years) and then in the KM and then given command.
As a longtime Kirk fan, I have to agree with a lot of what you wrote. The business about Kirk being a womanizer is a myth. When there was a man between him and the Enterprise, Kirk would punch his way through. But if there was a woman between him and the Enterprise, he tried a kinder, gentler approach, and if that didn't work, he'd punch his way through.
I think it was in "The Mark of Gideon," KIrk is doing the romantic lothario bit when the woman said "You must be worried about the rest of your crew," and there's a shot of Kirk's face becoming angry and returning to his role to find the crew.
In Classic Trek, Kirk really only had two loves, and he lost them both: Edith Keeler in "City on the Edge of Forever," and Miramanee in "The Paradise Syndrome." All the others were flings from his past or attempts to save his ship.
It does sadden me to see Kirk being portrayed as a womanizer, but I see in interviews that the characters are given room to grow and mature, and I hope the new Kirk will do that.
Also, of all the new actors in the classic roles, the one I have the toughest time accepting is Chris Pine as the new Kirk. This isn't a criticism of the actor or the script. It's just that Kirk as captain was a pretty mature and clever person who could come up with unexpected battle strategies.
Kirk has always been my favorite character in Star Trek. Still, the transition has been made easier by watching New Voyages/Phase 2. It took me a while to see Jim Cauley as Kirk, but I came around fairly quickly.
Besides, with a name like Christopher Pine, how long could be go without being involved in Star Trek?
I like Kirk. I'm just happy to know that the character, all the characters can successfully live on beyond the original actors. In a way, Star Trek has taken another giant leap towards immortality.
I wasnt a huge fan of TOS but I enjoy the series and most of the movies. I am enjoying the reboot and the new cast playing these characters. I would still be kinda cool perhaps have WS get in shape and perhaps have the nukirk meet oldkirk.
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