SFX Magazine - 5 out of 5 Stars

[CordrazineOD]

While "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was not the best Trek episode

...it was damned close.

Didn't you die in that episode?

 

[Argus Skyhawk]

I'm sure that someone will suggest that a similar reaction would have resulted from a surprise preview of "Nemesis," but no one really believes that...

I'm imagining how the audience would have reacted if they went expecting to see TWOK, and were shown Nemesis instead.

 

[Argus Skyhawk]

I particularly liked this quote from the review, though it may offend some.

True, there will be those who wrinkle their noses and accuse this movie of vapidity, of being too action-orientated, too teen-targeted, of abrogating Star Trek’s responsibility to tackle weighty social issues - the only themes tackled here are grief and vengeance. To them, we say firstly: come on, let’s be honest. Star Trek’s intellectual credentials have been massively overstated. Look at the original series: action-packed or simply downright fun adventures far outnumber more thoughtful episodes. Secondly, this new beginning isn’t necessarily the time or place for deep thought or big ideas: there’ll be ample time for that in future instalments.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I particularly liked this quote from the review, though it may offend some.

True, there will be those who wrinkle their noses and accuse this movie of vapidity, of being too action-orientated, too teen-targeted, of abrogating Star Trek’s responsibility to tackle weighty social issues - the only themes tackled here are grief and vengeance. To them, we say firstly: come on, let’s be honest. Star Trek’s intellectual credentials have been massively overstated. Look at the original series: action-packed or simply downright fun adventures far outnumber more thoughtful episodes. Secondly, this new beginning isn’t necessarily the time or place for deep thought or big ideas: there’ll be ample time for that in future instalments.

That's absolutely so, and one of the reasons this new incarnation is so welcome.

The best of the "thoughtful" TOS stories were adventures of one kind or another where the characters had reason to reflect on or make some decisions that had dimensions of responsibility or sacrifice to them - but they were action pieces first and foremost. "Balance Of Terror" may be fodder for thought regarding the costs and fuility of war - if that's what one sees in it - but so do most war action films that are directed at audiences other than children and that has been true as long as Hollywood has been making them. When the writers have the opportunity to invest the stories with their own experience of what such situations are like or meant to them, it leavens the mix considerably - and that is a more interesting process than deciding to "send a message."

 

[CordrazineOD]

Oh, I like this:

Gene Roddenberry’s big mistake was deciding that, in the far-future, humanity would have evolved, become more perfect, more harmonious. But a bunch of stuffed-shirt paragons do not make for gripping human drama.

I think this criticism is more applicable to TNG than TOS. In TNG Roddenberry really took it to the extreme by more or less forbidding substantial conflicts among the Starfleet protagonists.

 

[CordrazineOD]

I particularly liked this quote from the review, though it may offend some.

True, there will be those who wrinkle their noses and accuse this movie of vapidity, of being too action-orientated, too teen-targeted, of abrogating Star Trek’s responsibility to tackle weighty social issues - the only themes tackled here are grief and vengeance. To them, we say firstly: come on, let’s be honest. Star Trek’s intellectual credentials have been massively overstated. Look at the original series: action-packed or simply downright fun adventures far outnumber more thoughtful episodes. Secondly, this new beginning isn’t necessarily the time or place for deep thought or big ideas: there’ll be ample time for that in future instalments.

That's absolutely so, and one of the reasons this new incarnation is so welcome.

The best of the "thoughtful" TOS stories were adventures of one kind or another where the characters had reason to reflect on or make some decisions that had dimensions of responsibility or sacrifice to them - but they were action pieces first and foremost. "Balance Of Terror" may be fodder for thought regarding the costs and fuility of war - if that's what one sees in it - but so do most war action films that are directed at audiences other than children and that has been true as long as Hollywood has been making them. When the writers have the opportunity to invest the stories with their own experience of what such situations are like or meant to them, it leavens the mix considerably - and that is a more interesting process than deciding to "send a message."

As long as it's addressing the human condition, and human nature, in a fundamentally optimistic and altruistic way, then it's bona fide Trek. Tackling grief and vengeance certainly qualifies. And I agree that the "new beginning isn’t necessarily the time or place for deep thought or big ideas."

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

As long as it's called Star Trek and is produced by Paramount it's "bona fide Trek." Fans just have to decide whether they like it or not.