Is Star Trek 2009 overhyped by desesperate Trek fans?

[Cdr MacDuff]

I may be playing the devil's advocate here. But I got the feeling that a lot of Trek fans, including me, at some point, are overhyping the movie in desperation.

A lot of us, thought or at least worried, that Star Trek as a TV/Movie franchise was now death for a couple of years. Enterprise didn't have the same commercial success than preceding series, while the recent movies didn't either. Star Trek have been around almost every year since 1987, its incredible in television history. It felt realistic to expect tptb (executives) to put Star Trek to rest for a couple of years. Maybe even something like 10, 15 or 20 years.

Now here come the big surprise. They announce a new Star Trek movie, headed by a director on the rise (JJ Abrams). Already at that point its beyond our wildest dreams. Its not about the quality of the product anymore, its about the survival of our beloved franchise. We don't mind if Star Trek have become only a brainless action blockbuster movie anymore. Average Trek is better than no Trek. Sure the movie have many faults, but we dont care. Star Trek is alive and its a commercial success!

Is it the right signal to send? Thats is Average Trek is better than no Trek.

I must admit that somehow I feel the same way. The franchise needed a commercial success at that point. But I got another signal to send. Now that the introduction of the rebooted characters is over. I wish the next Trek movie will have a stronger storyline.

 

[Phily B]

Well I certainly think its better than every other Trek film other than Khan.

 

[indranee]

I may be playing the devil's advocate here. But I got the feeling that a lot of Trek fans, including me, at some point, are overhyping the movie in desperation.

A lot of us, thought or at least worried, that Star Trek as a TV/Movie franchise was now death for a couple of years. Enterprise didn't have the same commercial success than preceding series, while the recent movies didn't either. Star Trek have been around almost every year since 1987, its incredible in television history. It felt realistic to expect tptb (executives) to put Star Trek to rest for a couple of years. Maybe even something like 10, 15 or 20 years.

Now here come the big surprise. They announce a new Star Trek movie, headed by a director on the rise (JJ Abrams). Already at that point its beyond our wildest dreams. Its not about the quality of the product anymore, its about the survival of our beloved franchise. We don't mind if Star Trek have become only a brainless action blockbuster movie anymore. Average Trek is better than no Trek. Sure the movie have many faults, but we dont care. Star Trek is alive and its a commercial success!

Is it the right signal to send? Thats is Average Trek is better than no Trek.

I must admit that somehow I feel the same way. The franchise needed a commercial success at that point. But I got another signal to send. Now that the introduction of the rebooted characters is over. I wish the next Trek movie will have a stronger storyline.

yes, this is ALL hype:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_trek_11/?critic=creamcrop



(agreed about the wish for the stronger storyline, btw)

 

[Cyke101]

The thing is you need a financially strong Trek to lead into better Trek. I'll use TNG as an example: had it not been for the overall crappy but somewhat popular first season, gems like Q Who (which led to Best of Both Worlds) would probably be very different, if they were to be even made in the first place.

And in the minds of pop culture, average Trek is the boring Trek that catered to a niche fanbase with spinoffs and failed movies. In the minds of pop culture, what Abrams gave us isn't average Trek by any means.

 

[Garrovick]

Well, some are. That's obvious. Some even consider the movie a life changing event. For me, it's just another Trek story. With modern day CGI. And young pretty actors.

 

[indranee]

I still haven't been able to persuade some of my best non-Trekkie friends to go see Trek. by themselves, with me, whatever. they just don't want to. whether that's because they don't and never liked TOS or because they've heard bad things about Trek movies... who knows?

still, a lot of people I know who're non-Trekkies did go see it and enjoyed it. some even went back.

it's a start, folks, it's a start.

baby steps.

 

[Jon1701]

Matter of opinion.

I agree the actual storyline was perhaps the weakest part, but overall I really enjoyed this movie. Haven't been genuinely excited by a new Star Trek project for years. It certainly wasn't "average" Trek in my eyes, more "pretty much on the money" Trek.

Its the media that are overhyping this thing, if anything.

I don't think we are desperate. If this movie were shit, I'm sure we would all have an opinion on it. I think, most trek fans fall into the :

"Enjoyed the movie, and although there were one or two things I didn't like, it really didn't bother me all that much" category.

 

[Borgminister]

Hyped by Trekkers and ordinary fans alike, indeed. Box Office don't lie.

 

[Kpnuts]

The first time I saw it, I was blown away, to the point where I wanted to walk straight back in and see it again.

The second time, having seen it already I could sit back and take in every little detail, and had a fucking great time, probably even more than the first when it was sensory-overload.

The third time, I enjoyed myself so much, that for the last 5 minutes, from the moment the Enterprise zooms to safety, I was grinning and smiling like a little kid until a few moments into the end credits when I got up to leave.

Phenomenal film, and to answer your question, no it's not overhyped. It's a remarkable achievement.

 

[TheGodBen]

We shall see in ten years. The legacy of this movie has not yet been written and so it is hard to judge.

For example, I loved First Contact when it was released but as time has gone by it has declined in my estimation. The main reason for this is the Borg Queen who was okay in the movie but was completely ruined in Voyager, and thus First Contact's legacy was damaged as I could now see the problem of introducing such a figure.

If future Trek productions keep what I consider to be a rather brainless formula but they are less entertaining than the current movie then people may look back on this movie with a more critical opinion. On the other hand, this movie may be as popular ten years from now as it is in the present.

Only time will tell, and I for one am in no great hurry to find out the answer.

 

[Balrog]

Sorry, no.

If Trek fans had any power at all, they would have been able to make TFF and NEM blockbuster successes.

The movie's popular with critics, casual Trek fans, non-Trek fans as well as the core Trek audience (minus the VERY vocal minority of detractors of course).

Bottom line, it's a bonafide hit.

 

[indranee]

yes, OTHER people (meaning, the ones who probably don't haunt this board) love it. they're the ones making it the hit it is.

that's not hype. that's reality.

 

[startrekwatcher]

yes, this is ALL hype:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_trek_11/?critic=creamcrop

Looking at Claudia Puig's review:

Clearly aimed at broader audiences than die-hard fans, it boldly goes a long way where previous Star Treks haven't gone before.

She must not have watched a lot of Trek. We've had time travel, planet destroyers, angry villian wanting revenge.

We get the back stories of the two contentious leads, Spock and Kirk, which fill in a lot of blanks.

Not really. Most of the stuff revealed in the film was well known from TOS.

Still, when it comes to sheer spectacle, Star Trek, as re-imagined by J.J. Abrams, delivers.

Yes, it is sheer spectacle. She seems to dwell on this.

We learn that Kirk was a hellion growing up in Iowa and that brainy Spock suffered the slurs of Vulcan bullies.

Nothing we already hadn't learned.

It also posits a surprising relationship between Spock and the linguist Uhura (Zoe Saldana).

Okay? but was it good or bad, Claudia? Me--I found it neutral like most Trek romances.

Simon Pegg is perfectly cast as the upbeat engineer Scotty. John Cho, as helmsman Sulu, shows he can be as convincing an action hero as he was a stoner in the Harold & Kumar comedies. Karl Urban has some of the funniest lines as the irascible yet likable McCoy. Anton Yelchin does a humorously over-the-top Russian accent as young Chekhov. Eric Bana is virtually unrecognizable as Nero, the evil Romulan ruler who despises Spock and menaces the Enterprise.

Yes, dear but is Nero interesting? Apparently not, given that she chose not to expand beyond a character description.

Creator Gene Roddenberry's idea of an enlightened future takes a back seat to pyrotechnics.

Once gain she goes on about pretty 'splosions.

Overall a piss poor review.

Okay here's Mary Pols of TIME let's see what she has to say:

It's a real family film, relatively light on the violence

I guess the near annihilation of an entire species is considered light on violence

Abrams also pays homage to the original with a cameo by one of the old gang. That special guest has one scene too many, but there's a sweetness of intent that makes it forgivable.

Poor Spock was just a plot device. Admiral McCoy's appearance in TNG was sweet and moving. This not so much.

There are many satisfyingly sly flourishes in Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman's script. You probably always assumed, as I did, that McCoy was called "Bones" because he was a doctor. But as he meets Kirk, he's half-drunk and grumbling about how his ex-wife just cleaned him out in a divorce. "All I've got left is my bones," he says woefully. Now there's some back-story.

No, that is not backstory that is just a semi-interesting factoid.

But the ultimate back-story, and the heart of the movie, as it should be, is the love story between Kirk and Spock.

Should be but isn't. The Kirk/Spock scenes were mostly shallow tit-for-tats.

Joe Morgenstrern of the WSJ

Star Trek," which was elegantly directed by J.J. Abrams, goes back with the express purpose of providing delight, and despite inevitable lapses it delivers the goods, starting with interstellar action at supernova intensity and a splendid Romulan villain, Captain Nero, who's played by Eric Bana.

Splendid?!? Nero?!? really?!?

After reading through several of those reviews I can see why the rating is so high. They failed to evaluate the whole of the film and all its various aspects.

It also just shows how they don't make critics like they used to. Even Ebert's review is pathetic and he was far less kind than most.

 

[Borgminister]

Now even the reviews are piss poor!!

Too much!

 

[indranee]

you're gonna do a review of her review here?!?!



write her a frickin' email, kid.

maybe she'll answer you. then you can come tell us all about your little buddyship with a bonafide Top Critic in RT.

 

[bismarck_1892]

I may be playing the devil's advocate here. But I got the feeling that a lot of Trek fans, including me, at some point, are overhyping the movie in desperation.

A lot of us, thought or at least worried, that Star Trek as a TV/Movie franchise was now death for a couple of years. Enterprise didn't have the same commercial success than preceding series, while the recent movies didn't either. Star Trek have been around almost every year since 1987, its incredible in television history. It felt realistic to expect tptb (executives) to put Star Trek to rest for a couple of years. Maybe even something like 10, 15 or 20 years.

Now here come the big surprise. They announce a new Star Trek movie, headed by a director on the rise (JJ Abrams). Already at that point its beyond our wildest dreams. Its not about the quality of the product anymore, its about the survival of our beloved franchise. We don't mind if Star Trek have become only a brainless action blockbuster movie anymore. Average Trek is better than no Trek. Sure the movie have many faults, but we dont care. Star Trek is alive and its a commercial success!

Is it the right signal to send? Thats is Average Trek is better than no Trek.

I must admit that somehow I feel the same way. The franchise needed a commercial success at that point. But I got another signal to send. Now that the introduction of the rebooted characters is over. I wish the next Trek movie will have a stronger storyline.

I would answer you question in the affirmative. Here is another question: Can you save something by destroying it? Answer: No.

 

[Aragorn]

I liked the movie a lot, despite its flaws. I'd put it in the top four of Trek films. It was impressive to see Trek on such a massive scale and now that all the pieces are put in place, we'll see if they can pull a Dark Knight for the sequel.

If anyone is desperate, it's those who hated the very idea of this movie, intended to hate every piece of news that came out, went to see the movie with the intent to hate every minute of it, and keep on bitching and moaning, grasping at straws to the point where they attack positive reviews of the movie.

 

[Admiral James Kirk]

Is Star Trek 2009 overhyped by desesperate Trek fans?

Nope. After Enterprise I hoped that Star Trek: The Franchise would die and stay dead. There were a lot of geeks around saying "Bad Trek is better than no Trek." I said bullshit then and I say bullshit now. I'd rather see it buried than compromised.

When I went to see the new movie I went with an open mind. I got what I wanted out of it. A rollicking adventure that brought back the spirit of the original Star Trek and not the Berman-produced ventures.

I got it.

There was no desperation involved in my hyping the film.

Only manic glee.
Only pleasure.
Only the fact that I got something that not only looked like the Star Trek I loved but felt like the Star Trek I loved and was in fact the Star Trek that I loved.

In short I hyped the movie because I loved it.

Question answered.

 

[M'Sharak]

Now that the introduction of the rebooted characters is over. I wish the next Trek movie will have a stronger storyline.

I think you're not alone in that.

 

[Borgminister]

Now that the introduction of the rebooted characters is over. I wish the next Trek movie will have a stronger storyline.

I think you're not alone in that.

I've got faith.... that it will...