Is anyone not in either LOVE or HATE the new movies group?

Anyone not outright LOVE or HATE the new movies?

I ask because that seems to have been the pattern since the last movie. So far people have either loved what JJ Abrams has done with Star Trek or outright hated it.

At least you would get that impression from this forum. Any criticism is rejected or alternatively any praise is dismissed and resented.

I don't fit in either of these groups. I very much enjoyed the first movie and am very much looking forward to the new one. But I also think it had some big flaws.

I am not looking to change anyone's mind or start a fight. Maybe I should not be in a online fan forum...

 

I'm with ya too, bud. The franchise was in need of a serious shake up after it petered out with Enterprise and Abrams delivered a polished blockbuster that got Trek back in the mainstream. I didn't think the movie was perfection by any means, but it was a damn sight better than the two part TV episodes masquerading as summer blockbusters we'd been subjected to.

 

I'm in the same group. I think the 2009 movie was definitely above most of the other movies, although I'm not entirely sure if that's saying much.

Most times you'll hear the extremes because there's a loud minority. It usually starts with the bitter critics that have asinine lists of flaws with the movie. Then the other extreme feels the need to defend against that. Negativity, especially of the unpopular type, is much more willing to draw a crowd.

When it comes to entertainment, I don't think it's nearly that polarizing. Most people probably fall in the middle or can't be bothered to feel that passionately about it. Niche forums hardly represent any regular cross section of people though.

 

IT WAS THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER MADE.

 

I have felt this way since 2009. Its really heated up over the villain speculation. We have very little real information. So its all based on what people want or don't want him to be. The lines are already being drawn about whether its a good choice or not... With lack of knowledge of what the actual choice is being irrelevant.

Truth is I mostly come here now for entertainment. Hopefully the movie will be too! LOL

My main hope is this works as a standalone story. I am not really sure yet if I think the first did. Is this whole thing really just living of memories and nostalgia for the original series, with a few random changes for shock value? Or are those changes going to be fully explored and developed to give this incarnation a truly realized separate identity? That really depends on this second chapter.

Most of the villain speculation is built on assuming similarities to who those characters were before. But its possible whomever he actually is is really nothing like the first version. Which than opens up the question, does it matter? Its ultimately going to be a new character whether in name or not. If its a Khan done in a very different way... hiding behind another name... How is it Khan????

But to get to the point of this thread - Does that even matter? I don't think so at all. One thing I do know is that Benedict Cumberbatch is a dame fine actor. All that remains to be seen is whether the material is deserving of him.

 

I disliked aspects of the last film, but while I didn't greatly enjoy it, I'm pleased it succeeded. I'm going into the new one without big expectations, which I think is the best way to approach it - no real prospect of disapointment.

 

Re: Anyone not outright LOVE or HATE the new movies?

There are always flaws to be found in movies. Especially when it comes to a Trek movie where every frame and second of it is scrutinized for years.
Now, if these flaws are big and important or small and in the end irrelevant is up to each person to decide.

And don't worry, you are not alone. There have been plenty of people over the years who feel like you do.

 

To be honest, Trek XI was a pretty bad movie when all was said and done. STID looks a hundred-fold better, but the jury's still out as to whether it'll be good or not.

But I am at the moment more pumped for STID than I was for Trek XI in December 2008.

 

Re: Anyone not outright LOVE or HATE the new movies?

I, too, agree with you. Very happy to see a new take on TOS to revitalize Trek and get people (both old and new fans) into the theaters. Some things I liked a lot (I think the actors did a great job making these characters their own while still taking their cues from the original actors), some changes I did not care for, but learned to live with in this new Universe (Enterprise being built on earth), and some things I really did not like and sincerely hope they change (Brewery engine room). I think Scotty jettisoning & detonating the warp cores could not have done anything other than simply blow up the ship before it was crushed by the black hole afew seconds later, but hey... I've never created my own way out of a similar situation PLUS previous also did stuff like this, too. Overall, I am pleased, but I feel there is room for improvement. Like Life, in general....

 

Re: Anyone not outright LOVE or HATE the new movies?

Star Trek (2009) was many things but, above all else, it was fun. It captured the slightly cheeky energy that pervaded TOS perfectly, IMHO. There were also so many touches, both obvious and not, that demonstrated that the writers and production crew wanted fans of TOS to feel at home. It was a love-letter to Star Trek and the most fun I had in a movie theatre that year.

That's why it worked so well. The science was dumb and the story, so-so, but the frenetic pacing and pitch-perfect performances more than made up for it.

 

Why are you presenting this as a fact? Please rephrase.

 

That's something haters can't do. They are right, no one in their right mind could like this movie, according to them. So they present their opinion as a fact.

 

I was pretty lukewarm on Star Trek 2009, thought the acting and directing were fairly decent for the most part, thought the story had terrible logic gaps and depended far too much on coincidence to get where it needed to go.

Have no idea whether Star Trek Into Darkness will be any good or not.

 

Even though I loved the 2009 movie, I did have some minor problems with it, but none of them made me enjoy the movie less.

 

I enjoyed the film a lot. But it's a maddening film, it almost seems to be trying it's best to ruin itself through lazy plotting and illogical contrivances. For every great character moment, there's an idiotic "Whaaaaat?!" moment.

Somewhat amazing that it's still a good movie.

 

I suppose I could say "IMO, Trek XI was a bad movie," but what would be the point? If I'm posting it, than it's obviously my opinion.

Provided I never write anything offensive or provoke anyone in anyway, why criticize the style in which a post was written?

 

Who knows why? You can never tell when forgetting an "IMO" will set someone off.

 

This is generally the way I feel -- although I will say I found ST09 to be very entertaining -- even though I had some issues with the logical progression of the story.

I suppose the bottom line is that i did find it to be fun and entertaining (which is important) and it is entertaining enough that I can overlook the flaws while I'm actually watching the movie. However, those flaws become more apparent after viewing the film and I think about it more.

 

I think that's the tough thing about being too close to a particular property. Is that you pay closer attention to it than you do other things that you only have a passing interest in.

When I saw Skyfall, I gave it an easy 'A'. Entertaining movie. But then I saw the review thread where people who are much more interested in the Bond franchise were tearing it up for many of the same things I disliked in Star Trek 2009. Things I didn't really pay attention to because I was just along for the ride.