Might be treading on thin ice here, but bear with me. This isn't directed at anyone specifically, just responding to a feeling I keep getting from some older fans who feel the need to remark ALL the time about how this movie, based on what little we've seen, is obviously dumbed down for this 'MTV generation' who can't think, can't sit still for more than twenty minutes without being engaged by shit blowing up, and are generally worthless. They've ruined Star Trek by pandering to these monkeys, they say, but believe it or not I find that insulting. (As a member of that generation, see.) But that's not exactly the main point.
Because the way I see it, the only part of the movie that solid opinions can be based on, so far, are the visuals. The props, art direction, all that stuff. We've gotten a good enough glimpse of that stuff, I think, and if you don't like what you've seen, that's fine by me. But the thing is, the story, the acting, the complete themes and things like that all largely remain to be seen. And in my eyes, there really isn't any apparent connection between these two points. Basing a negative opinion on how a thing looks isn't new, but writing off this movie as trash for the younger, brain-dead generation because it's 'pretty and flashy' just doesn't make any sense to me. Yes, this movie's visuals are definitely a product of it's time, but so what? That doesn't offer any indication at all of what the movie will be like, and I offer TWoK as an argument:
First of all, it's a great movie, and obviously "Star Trek" enough, but it looks nothing like TOS. It looks nothing like TMP, either. And aside from not looking much like any other previous Trek, it also has a notoriously Eighties look. Now, I love Disney World as much as the next person, but, I'm sorry, when I watch Wrath I have to make a conscious effort to see the 23d century instead of EPCOT. (Which, I should probably note, is a very retro looking place.) But you know what? That doesn't take away from the movie! Not in my opinion, at least. It's visually completely different than what I've grown up with, have defined as 'good,' but I can still appreciate it as the good Trek movie it is if I try to, instead of merely seeing the trappings and dismissing it off-hand as 'another goofy Eighties movie.'
Do you see what I'm saying? If people raised in this generation can cope with watching this TV show/movie series that's really obviously marked as being from another time, is it *that* hard for the fans from those periods to adjust to seeing visuals, etc., from this era? Am I just being naive? Because if a kid doesn't watch TOS based solely on how it looks, eyes roll and noses turn up because he's clearly too silly to see what's good about the show without being turned off by the plywood and Styrofoam sets, and oh those kids today, so why do the older fans get a free pass for doing the same thing?
I don't know. it's just, I feel like I'm not welcome sometimes. I don't want to have to feel bad about looking forward to this movie, but there it is. I must only be excited because it's pretty or for the OMG KEWL EXPLOSIONS!!!1!, because everyone my age is really, really stupid. I just wanna see a good Trek movie, y'know? In theaters, no less. That's going to be awesome. I'd like to enjoy it. :/
(Uh, unless, of course, the movie actually sucks balls inside and out. Then this is all moot. But I'd at least like to have the chance to see it without being judged unfairly.)
(And sorry if this is spammy; I just needed to vent a little bit. And note, this isn't really about the TrekBBS; well, maybe a little bit, but mostly regarding other places and just Trekdom in general.)
Because the way I see it, the only part of the movie that solid opinions can be based on, so far, are the visuals. The props, art direction, all that stuff. We've gotten a good enough glimpse of that stuff, I think, and if you don't like what you've seen, that's fine by me. But the thing is, the story, the acting, the complete themes and things like that all largely remain to be seen. And in my eyes, there really isn't any apparent connection between these two points. Basing a negative opinion on how a thing looks isn't new, but writing off this movie as trash for the younger, brain-dead generation because it's 'pretty and flashy' just doesn't make any sense to me. Yes, this movie's visuals are definitely a product of it's time, but so what? That doesn't offer any indication at all of what the movie will be like, and I offer TWoK as an argument:
First of all, it's a great movie, and obviously "Star Trek" enough, but it looks nothing like TOS. It looks nothing like TMP, either. And aside from not looking much like any other previous Trek, it also has a notoriously Eighties look. Now, I love Disney World as much as the next person, but, I'm sorry, when I watch Wrath I have to make a conscious effort to see the 23d century instead of EPCOT. (Which, I should probably note, is a very retro looking place.) But you know what? That doesn't take away from the movie! Not in my opinion, at least. It's visually completely different than what I've grown up with, have defined as 'good,' but I can still appreciate it as the good Trek movie it is if I try to, instead of merely seeing the trappings and dismissing it off-hand as 'another goofy Eighties movie.'
Do you see what I'm saying? If people raised in this generation can cope with watching this TV show/movie series that's really obviously marked as being from another time, is it *that* hard for the fans from those periods to adjust to seeing visuals, etc., from this era? Am I just being naive? Because if a kid doesn't watch TOS based solely on how it looks, eyes roll and noses turn up because he's clearly too silly to see what's good about the show without being turned off by the plywood and Styrofoam sets, and oh those kids today, so why do the older fans get a free pass for doing the same thing?
I don't know. it's just, I feel like I'm not welcome sometimes. I don't want to have to feel bad about looking forward to this movie, but there it is. I must only be excited because it's pretty or for the OMG KEWL EXPLOSIONS!!!1!, because everyone my age is really, really stupid. I just wanna see a good Trek movie, y'know? In theaters, no less. That's going to be awesome. I'd like to enjoy it. :/
(Uh, unless, of course, the movie actually sucks balls inside and out. Then this is all moot. But I'd at least like to have the chance to see it without being judged unfairly.)
(And sorry if this is spammy; I just needed to vent a little bit. And note, this isn't really about the TrekBBS; well, maybe a little bit, but mostly regarding other places and just Trekdom in general.)
