Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & rising?

[sto vo kor]

When paramount announced they were going to make the next film I thought cool, but my expectation was that is was going to be rather pathetic due to the last two trek films.

Then, slowly but surely as each announcment comes out my expectations keep rising and rising.

First - Abrams = cool, paramount are taking it seriously.
Second - Nimoy likes the script = very cool, it's not gonna be crap.
Third - Zachary Quinto = Great choice, they're putting a lot of thought into the casting.
Fourth - All other casting very good (even Simon Pegg as Scotty now I have thought about it).
Fifth - Reported budget of 150 to 160 million, very cool.

Hopefully, they will cast a good Pike, I'm sure they will after the other castings.

So from thinking, hope it's not crap, I now think it better be very very good indeed.

 

[Samuel T. Cogley]

My expectations are actually leveling off.

Accepting the reality that the "real" Kirk, Spock, et al. are being recast has been something of a difficult exercise for me, albeit, I'm sure, a healthy one.

Now that I've accepted the reality that we are moving on, I have accepted these new incarnations, but I have no emotional attachment to them.

Rather than bundle up my love for all that has been good about Trek in the past 40 years and then smear it lavishly all over this new cast of strangers and Trek's latest father (Abrams), I'm going to let the burden rest with them -- as, of course, it should -- to entertain me.

Their job is to convince me that they have earned the right to carry the torch. Or, in the very least, they have to convince me that all of their machinations and efforts were worth ten of my dollars.

Don't get me wrong; I expect it to be good.

But I can see this forum's posters beginning the very human process of ramping up their expectations beyond all reality, beyond anything that any one movie could satisfy.

So rather than be responsible for my own eventual disappointment, I'm going to try to maintain a healthy (and yet still positive) detachment until after I've seen the movie.

I'm hoping they blow me away.

 

[Captain Craig]

I'd say my level of expectation is is low to moderate, moving from low and into moderate.

I am one of the few who actually likes Nemesis, warts and all. However, being aware of the warts and knowing for many those warts are actually cancer causes me to be cautious for Star Trek 11.

I've no issues with casting cause I'm old enough to know the uproar many made, and this is pre-internet, about Michael Keaton as Batman. Then the furor of Tobey McGuire as Spiderman to reserve judgement till I see them in action.

 

[seigezunt]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

I'm still taking a wait and see approach, with some optimism. Glad to see all the casting news. I hope they don't blow it, and am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

Depends on what your expectations are and have been. It sounds so far like this is going to be a real movie, made with the intent of really utilizing the best of "Star Trek" to deliver something entertaining on its own merits regardless of one's past interest or lack of it. So yeah, my expectations are much higher than they've been in many years.

 

[Brutal Strudel]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

I'm past the point where Hollywood mega-budget would-be blockbusters excite me much. Even the best ones in recent years--X2, Spiderman 2, Revenge of of the Sith--have a certain hollowness to them. And most of them are really, really awful. So I am curious to see what happens and I hope for the best but I expect a disappointment (which is, by definition, not so very disappointing at all).

 

[ZZYFRX]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

Oh yeah, this just keeps getting better and better.






Not!



Sorry, but this movie is going to seriously blow chunks in a way that will have everyone, Trekkies and non-fans alike, weeping and gnashing their teeth. The cast thus far is completely awful on every level with not a single charismatic actor in the bunch except for Pegg, and although he's a good actor he's just been woefully miscast.

I don't care if Nimoy likes the script, I have to like the script. Well all remember what happened when Stewart and Spiner liked the scripts, right?

They could make the budget 500 million for all I care, throwing money at a turd doesn't make it smell any better.

JJ Abrams has had a very iffy career, and he's not the genious some people make him out to be. MI:III was mediocre at best, Lost if floundering and his other shows other than Felicity were all FLOPS!!!

I have a bad feeling about this.

 

[Samuel T. Cogley]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

ZZYFRX said:
JJ Abrams has had a very iffy career, and he's not the genious some people make him out to be. MI:III was mediocre at best, Lost if floundering and his other shows other than Felicity were all FLOPS!!!

I have a bad feeling about this.

Aren't you the guy that cornered the market on "__________ IS A FLOP!" and "__________ IS GOING TO FLOP!" threads?

We humans are an interesting bunch of characters, aren't we?

 

[Mooch]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

ZZYFRX said:I don't care if Nimoy likes the script, I have to like the script. Well all remember what happened when Stewart and Spiner liked the scripts, right?

Well, in fairness to Nimoy, he does have story credits on The Voyage Home and The Undiscovered Country so it's a good sign that he thinks it's good (assuming you like those movies, which I do)...

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

ZZYFRX said:
Oh yeah, this just keeps getting better and better.

Absolutely Right(TM)!

 

[Garth Rockett]

Samuel T. Cogley said:
Accepting the reality that the "real" Kirk, Spock, et al. are being recast has been something of a difficult exercise for me, albeit, I'm sure, a healthy one.

Now that I've accepted the reality that we are moving on, I have accepted these new incarnations, but I have no emotional attachment to them.

I think your post largely mirrors my own feelings. I do find myself growing more excited with the recent announcements, but it comes more from a feeling of "Hey, they really are going to make another Star Trek movie" than anything else, since I'm largely unfamiliar with the actors announced to date.

I'm still very much keeping my expectations in check, but I remain encouraged in that I've yet to hear any news about the film that I find troubling.

 

[Flake]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

Its rising for me, the announcement of pegg and the budget rumours have upped it a notch. Simon Pegg is a huge surprise and big in the UK so I think hes a great choice.

 

[CaptainDonovin]

I, like Captain Craig a few posts up, liked Nemesis despite the fact that it should have been the best Trek movie with the TNG cast and it bombed instead (Frakes should have directed). That said, the fact that Abrams, Orci and I think one other producer/writer are Trek fans (Orci seems the biggest of them) makes me think we're gonna get a fun, great movie. Part of me likes this because there are still many stories to be told with this crew and I can live with new acters playing the parts.

 

[steveman]

CaptainDonovin said:
I, like Captain Craig a few posts up, liked Nemesis despite the fact that it should have been the best Trek movie with the TNG cast and it bombed instead (Frakes should have directed). That said, the fact that Abrams, Orci and I think one other producer/writer are Trek fans (Orci seems the biggest of them) makes me think we're gonna get a fun, great movie. Part of me likes this because there are still many stories to be told with this crew and I can live with new acters playing the parts.

I agree on Nemesis. Everything was set up for that movie to be one of the more darker, engrossing chapters of Trek. But when you get an incompetent baffoon like Stuart Baird piloting the whole ship, well... let's just say he's got a little something in common with Troi when she did the same thing in GEN. Crash and burn.

Like others, I just don't see Abrams screwing this up. I don't. He cut his teeth on M:I 3, now it's time to see him rock-and-roll.

 

[Warp Coil]

I remain "cautiously optimistic" about the film. Trek XI is quite possibly the biggest shake-up the franchise has received since TNG debuted 20 years ago. We have Paramount really investing in the franchise, pouring $100+ million into a big-screen blockbuster. They've also cleaned house, and brought in a completely new creative team, led by young JJ Abrams. Some of the people working behind-the-scenes at Trek have been there for decades. We finally get fresh blood at the helm.

They're essentially starting over with the franchise. It's a risky move for the studio, and it's no surprise if fans are cautious or worried. But I have a lot of faith in the creative team that's now in place - I love JJ Abrams. I think Orci and Kurtzman are going to do a great job with the script. I think the right elements are in place to make something really cool. The more I hear about the project, the more optimistic I get.

 

[RAMA]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

sto vo kor said:
When paramount announced they were going to make the next film I thought cool, but my expectation was that is was going to be rather pathetic due to the last two trek films.

Then, slowly but surely as each announcment comes out my expectations keep rising and rising.

First - Abrams = cool, paramount are taking it seriously.
Second - Nimoy likes the script = very cool, it's not gonna be crap.
Third - Zachary Quinto = Great choice, they're putting a lot of thought into the casting.
Fourth - All other casting very good (even Simon Pegg as Scotty now I have thought about it).
Fifth - Reported budget of 150 to 160 million, very cool.

Hopefully, they will cast a good Pike, I'm sure they will after the other castings.

So from thinking, hope it's not crap, I now think it better be very very good indeed.

So far, it appears that a lot of thought has been put into the casting, and they've resisted going to too many big names for the cast. Though they have been wise to cast some familiar faces. Eric Bana has been a great addition, he lends a level of respect and class to his roles. He's actually a BETTER actor than Russel Crowe (a bit of a one note performer), though Crowe is certainly still a better known one. If the main goal of this production is to expand Star Trek's appeal it's succeeding spectacularly, and anticipation in the press and fandom will only grow for 2008 as the premiere approaches. Is it making the old fart "purists" of TOS happy? Probably not, but who really cares?

RAMA

 

[RAMA]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

CaptainDonovin said:
I, like Captain Craig a few posts up, liked Nemesis despite the fact that it should have been the best Trek movie with the TNG cast and it bombed instead (Frakes should have directed). That said, the fact that Abrams, Orci and I think one other producer/writer are Trek fans (Orci seems the biggest of them) makes me think we're gonna get a fun, great movie. Part of me likes this because there are still many stories to be told with this crew and I can live with new acters playing the parts.

If a movie like ST:Nemesis...which has had mixed reaction in general, and mediocre to good fan reaction (it had a cinemascore of A-, though obviously the ticket buyers of the movie were a minority) can make money (counting all secondary sources) then there is no reason a decent EVENT movie with a good budget and cast with the Star Trek name on it can't do really well and keep the franchise going.

RAMA

 

[Dale]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

I wouldn't say my expectations are rising as much as my excitement level... with all the casting news things are getting very real, and that feels good. I am honestly trying to keep my expectations low so that I might be pleasantly surprised. I am not very familiar with any of the actors except Quinto and Nimoy and the alleged plot makes me want to roll my eyes a bit but I am, as the LA Times article generally described our feelings, cautiously optimistic.

It's nice to feel like Trek is alive and kicking again.

ZZYFRX, you're the one that's a turd...

 

[Orac Zen]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

seigezunt said:
I'm still taking a wait and see approach, with some optimism. Glad to see all the casting news. I hope they don't blow it, and am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Pretty much my mindset, too. It's nice to have casting and budget news - makes the movie seem more "real" (for lack of a better word). I'm unfamiliar with most of the people cast thus far (Zachary Quinto excepted) and it's been interesting to see the very mixed opinions of the Scotty actor. I have to say Nimoy's opinion of the script means no more to me than anyone else's, though (I consider TVH overrated and it hasn't aged very well, and while I like TUC plenty of people seem to think it has major plot flaws)...but it's good to know there actually is a script.

Really, though, the only thing that's going to make me think twice about seeing this movie is if Tom Cruise is involved in any way, shape or form. Otherwise I know very well I'm going to want to see it.

 

[tomalak301]

Re: Is it just me, or is your expectation of XI rising & ris

It's just you. I don't have any current expectations for this movie because other than the current casting news, I really know nothing about it. I'm not sure how Abrams is going to do this, and will the writers do to this movie what they did with Transformers and if they do, I will be a tad disappointed.