Non-Trekkie Seal of Approval

[Greg Cox]

Honestly, I don't think non-trekkies are the ones who are likely going to hate it.

It has mass appeal, sure, then the question becomes really how great is mass appeal? Obviously financially it's great, but if the model is what kind of movie will get the most audience are we going to move in a good direction with filmaking?

Mass popularity and quality are not mutually exclusive.

 

[Messianni]

Here's the thing: STAR TREK should never be an exclusive club that only the cognoscenti can appreciate.

And can we please stopping bashing "the ignorant masses"? As annoying as it is when the media unfairly stereotypes us Trekkies as basement-dwelling virgins (a breed of fandom that's more myth than reality), that doesn't mean we need to sneer at "jocks," "tweens," "mouth-breathers," and whatever other perjorative we want to throw at people who just have a casual interest in STAR TREK. You know, like our families and co-workers?

Just because a person doesn't know what a Horta is, or refers to THE VOYAGE HOME as "the one with the whales," doesn't mean they're a mindless philistine who only likes pretty special effects and explosions.

If that was the case, VAN HELSING would have been the biggest hit in the world . . .

I agree with this entirely, thank you for bringing it up. I hate it when people around here decry "the ignorant masses" - it's pathetic and elitist.

On topic...

I've been to two screenings now, the first with a few big Trek fans like myself but mostly (group of 12 of us, only myself and one other were big fans) casual or non-fans. Each and every person didn't just like but loved the film. Likewise I went today with three other friends, the kinds who occasionally catch a TNG repeat, seen a movie or two, etc. but who wouldn't really call themselves "fans". All of them, likewise, were blown away by just how much they liked it.

Another friend stated, "if they make another one this good or better, I will be more than happy to say Trek is better than Wars, hands down."

 

[Gertch]

One co-worker I went with took his wife today and she liked it. He said the theater applauded after the movie as well.

Another co-worker I saw it with says his wife is making him take her next week after a business trip.

So yes, non-Trekkies are getting into this too. Isn't that so exciting?!

I'll have to see the movie again. For some reason the lens flares never even registered with me. Hopefully next time I can notice them so I can be aggravated too.

 

[Star Treks]

Of course, the big problem is that the majority of the non-fans will immediately stop caring the moment the foot leaves the theatre door... after all, they've got other movies this summer to look forward to. :S

Really, I wonder what this obsession so many 'fans' have with making sure that what they like goes mainstream...

Two main reasons:

First of all, if you're a fan of a series and love it, I think a natural reaction is to want other people to appreciate it too - you want that appreciation you feel to also make others' lives better.

But, more importantly, financial success is necessary for the franchise to continue in filmed form. I love Trek, I don't really care how many other people like it - but I DO care whether or not people pay to see it, because I want more. That's all.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Who's badmouthing whom? No one has the right to call someone else a true fan or not. That smacks of fundamentalism. It's ugly and divisive.

Every single one of a few thousands fucking posts on this forum that, whenever someone even managed a PEEP that may be negative about this film, were pile-ons about how the fan in question was worse than Hitler and Stalin combined and how nothing the movie could do would be as bad as anything else Trek has ever done.

And all of it, really, for the assinine idea that "Now I'll be COOL because this is COOL Trek for everyone, not GEEK Trek which made me ashamed to be alive" or something. Honestly, the amount of pandering to be accepted by the masses is pathetic. Great, Trek's now a mindless action/T&A summer popcorn series! Woo hoo! We're right up there with Transformers now!

You may disagree, but you seem to be making ad hominem insults on other posters. And doing that is against the rules here. And it's just sucks, man.

I don't respect rules, or the people who issue them, when they're not fairly applied. Since the amount of obvious flames and trolls in this forum over the past couple of months number in the literal thousands, and nearly all of them are forgiven so long as they support the new film, then why I should bother giving respect?

The behaviour of this so-called fan base to itself has been an embarassment. It's a bunch of children discovering that they might, for a moment, be part of the 'in crowd' and are willing to crap on anything and everyone they've been with for decades in order to feel better about themselves for a fortnight.

In one month's time, the new 'cool' Trek will be replaced with the new 'cool' Transformers. The movie will be over, Hollywood's attention will be done with you, and you lot will be right back here.. only this time with a lot of pissed off people that you felt compelled to treat like shit.

WE HAVE A WINNAH!!

 

[T'Bonz]

Hey! Don't turn my thread into an attack thread or make it ugly. Or I will go Romulan on your asses. And I'm more competent at it than Nero too.

We need the n00bs to get into Trek. The established fan base alone can't do it. There aren't enough of us. We need more young blood too. With no new Trek on TV since Enterprise, we haven't had a chance to attract new fans.

I know, when the sequel comes out, that my Mom will willingly go with me/us. She's a new fan.

Me? I'll be a Trek fan 'til I drop dead, I guess. I wish, though, that some of the events in this movie would be reversed. First time I ever wanted the reset button.

 

[DaveyNY]

I'm just glad I'm Not one of 'Those' Fans...

 

[urbandk]

The behaviour of this so-called fan base to itself has been an embarassment. It's a bunch of children discovering that they might, for a moment, be part of the 'in crowd' and are willing to crap on anything and everyone they've been with for decades in order to feel better about themselves for a fortnight.

I've always been a part of the "in-crowd," because it's whatever crowd I'm in. I don't need Star Trek for that, and I don't need validation from anyone else. So speak for yourself, and don't project other people's hang-ups on me.

Back on topic: I just saw the movie a third time tonight, and I'm starting to notice the whole Trekkie/non-Trekkie distinctions in the crowd. The different laugh lines. The "hey that's Tyler Perry" comments. It's funny!

 

[Amaris]

Hey! Don't turn my thread into an attack thread or make it ugly. Or I will go Romulan on your asses. And I'm more competent at it than Nero too.

We need the n00bs to get into Trek. The established fan base alone can't do it. There aren't enough of us. We need more young blood too. With no new Trek on TV since Enterprise, we haven't had a chance to attract new fans.

I know, when the sequel comes out, that my Mom will willingly go with me/us. She's a new fan.

Me? I'll be a Trek fan 'til I drop dead, I guess. I wish, though, that some of the events in this movie would be reversed. First time I ever wanted the reset button.

Who knows what is in store for the future? I love Vulcan. Love the whole culture, the whole planet, everything about it. I was crestfallen when it was destroyed, but I hold out hope that something greater is in store for the future. We both know there will be a sequel. We know it. This movie will do excellently. Paramount will be eager to do it again. I expect to see you there when they do.

J.

 

[USS Gettysburg]

My wife and I went to Star Trek on Thursday night. She is pretty ambivalent to Star Trek in general and was going because I was going. (She roles her eyes when I talk about it) However, she is a huge Lost fan so the fact that JJ was directing pushed her to go a little more than Nemesis did (It was a mistake to take her to that). We left the theater and of course I was excited about how well done it was and she readily agreed that it was definitely a new and better Star Trek. Well today, out of the blue, after she gets done reading People (which gave it 4 stars) she comes up to me and says that we should go see Star Trek again. I WAS FLOORED. She has never said that about any movie, even Gladiator, which was her favorite. A combination of JJ, a great movie, and I think a little bit of something in People made her want to go again.(She also apparently has a crush on Chris Pine now too) I can't express how I never thought that I'd hear my wife say she wanted to go see a movie again, especially Star Trek. Consequently, this made my day.

 

[Starbreaker]

I've had lots of friends tell me they saw the movie and enjoyed it. It shocked the hell outta me, but I'm happy about it.