STID realistic?

[Timewalker]

I was reading an article this morning which was discussing their analysis of starship sizes on fictional shows/films across the decades - apparently ships got increasingly larger through the 80s and 90s and then started to shrink again. They attributed this to the idea that Science fiction in the 80s and 90s dared to dream big, trying to imagine what living in space would be like far in the future (their examples including Star Destroyers and the massive motherships from ID4), but that by the 2000s, the genre was settling back into a much more 'realistic' view of what space travel would be like. One of their examples for this increased 'realism' was STID.

Now, I don't really want this to turn into another discussion about who liked the movie or not, and I want to make it clear that I'm not saying the movie is bad just because I don't find it 'realistic', but I want to ask this one question:

Is there any particular aspect of space travel in ID which people believe is truly 'realistic'?

I just don't really see how that description applies here...

Shall we start with that ridiculous "lava rafting" thing nuSpock does in the beginning? As in he comes out of it without a scratch, AND his gizmo not only turns off the lava on the planet's surface, but apparently way down in the planetary mantle, as well. The atmosphere got cleaned up really fast. Oh, and I guess the gases didn't make the ocean water acidic (since nuScotty never mentioned anything about it possibly having an adverse effect on the ship). And speaking of the ship, it must have displaced quite a bit of water when it entered and exited the ocean. Yet nobody noticed...

Realism in starships? REALISM? In what context? Faster than light travel? Artificial gravity that makes life aboard the ship as comfortable as walking around a mall? Please don't tell me these things are really possible in any way that would approach 0.1% of how they are presented in ANY version of "Star Trek".

Interesting that you mention malls, 'cause that's what the nuEnterprise reminds me of. What's the point of all that empty space? The brig area resembles a DS9-like Promenade where the cells are actually the stores.

Oh, see nuKirk get shot out of the ship in his space suit. See his helmet get compromised and cracked numerous times by space debris. See nuKirk not even a little bit worried about running out of oxygen or suffering decompression. Damn, those must be really strong helmets that can crack like a windshield and still be perfectly safe to use.

And speaking of artificial gravity... can anyone explain the part where people are sliding all over the place and falling? Was the artificial gravity completely off, or was it just wonky? If it was completely off, people should have been floating, not flailing around like it's a Titanic/Poseidon Adventure remake...

I'm not familiar enough with starship blueprints to comment on the measurements of the various ships, but damn, nuScotty could have used a Segway when he was running... and running... and running... and running...

 

[BillJ]

Is there any particular aspect of space travel in ID which people believe is truly 'realistic'?

Is there any aspect of space travel in any incarnation of Star Trek that is truly "realistic"?

Oh, see nuKirk get shot out of the ship in his space suit. See his helmet get compromised and cracked numerous times by space debris. See nuKirk not even a little bit worried about running out of oxygen or suffering decompression. Damn, those must be really strong helmets that can crack like a windshield and still be perfectly safe to use.

His facial expression says that he is worried. Do we have to have every bit of information presented in dialogue? I always thought that mantra of movies was "show don't tell"?

 

[Timewalker]

Was that supposed to convey "I have multiple cracks in my helmet and could suffer decompression at any moment"? Did he ACT like he was having trouble breathing?

 

[BillJ]

Was that supposed to convey "I have multiple cracks in my helmet and could suffer decompression at any moment"? Did he ACT like he was having trouble breathing?

Why would he have trouble breathing while the faceplate was still intact? Picard didn't seem to have any issue breathing after Hawk-Borg stomped on his face plate and cracked it. Nor did he seem to be worried about it at all.

I understand the vacuum of space. I don't need a character to explain to me that having a cracked faceplate is a bad thing.

 

[Timewalker]

You understand it. I understand it. NuKirk didn't seem to understand it. He was worried, yes - about going off-course. I don't remember anyone being concerned about his cracked helmet (or if they did, I must have missed it).

 

[BillJ]

You understand it. I understand it. NuKirk didn't seem to understand it. He was worried, yes - about going off-course. I don't remember anyone being concerned about his cracked helmet (or if they did, I must have missed it).

What exactly would it have accomplished for Kirk to be overtly concerned about the faceplate?

 

[Timewalker]

It would have demonstrated that he was intelligent enough to be scared.

 

[BillJ]

It would have demonstrated that he was intelligent enough to be scared.

Oh Jesus Christ, you really are reaching for reasons to bash the film. How many times should the character of Kirk been scared over the last forty years yet wasn't?

It's a character trait, Kirk puts the mission before his own emotions.

 

[SeerSGB]

It would have demonstrated that he was intelligent enough to be scared.

Fear is not indicative of intelligence. Not everyone gets scared at the moment something goes wrong, and death is a possibility. If they do, they contain it till later. There's time to breakdown later.

 

[BillJ]

It would have demonstrated that he was intelligent enough to be scared.

Fear is not indicative of intelligence. Not everyone gets scared at the moment something goes wrong, and death is a possibility. If they do, they contain it till later. There's time to breakdown later.

It would've been a much better film if Kirk had started flailing violently and screaming "Spock... I'm gonna diiiieeeeeeeeee".

Some people really make you shake your head.

 

[Commishsleer]

It would have demonstrated that he was intelligent enough to be scared.

Kirk is awesome. He doesn't act scared. He's an example to his crew - just like Picard or Janeway.
Besides if he got back on-course he was going to be saved by getting to an atmosphere.

 

[SeerSGB]

It would have demonstrated that he was intelligent enough to be scared.

Kirk is awesome. He doesn't act scared. He's an example to his crew - just like Picard or Janeway.
Besides if he got back on-course he was going to be saved by getting to an atmosphere.

Bingo. Don't worry about the problem, worry about the solution.

Faceplate cracked: He's in space, if the faceplate gives way, he's dead. So what do you do? Focus on getting to the other ship before he faceplate cracks. To do that, he's gotta stay on course.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Jim Kirk's motto: "Never say die".

 

[CorporalCaptain]

It would've been a much better film if Kirk had started flailing violently and screaming "Spock... I'm gonna diiiieeeeeeeeee".

Some people really make you shake your head.

How CC would have made it :

*Kirk's faceplate cracks*
Sulu: Kirk's faceplate has cracked.
McCoy: Dammit, Jim, if your faceplate breaks, you'll die!
*Uhura gasps*
Kirk: Spock?
Spock: Yes, Jim?
Kirk: Remember when I provoked you into beating me to a pulp back when Vulcan was destroyed?
Spock: Yes, Jim.
Kirk: This may be my last chance to say this: I did it because I cared.
Spock: I know. And I didn't mean to beat you to a pulp, either.
Kirk: Yeah.
*Uhura is crying now*
Spock: Jim?
Kirk: Yes, Spock?
Spock: Get aboard that ship, and kick Marcus's ass!
Sulul: Yeah!
*everybody cheers*
Spock: Khan, change course to 2-4-8 mark 2. You can intercept Kirk before *yadda yadda yadda*

 

[Timewalker]

It would have demonstrated that he was intelligent enough to be scared.

Oh Jesus Christ, you really are reaching for reasons to bash the film. How many times should the character of Kirk been scared over the last forty years yet wasn't?

It's a character trait, Kirk puts the mission before his own emotions.

Yeah, nuKirk would have totally aced the gom jabbar test.

My point is that the ACTOR failed to convince me that his character, nuKirk, had any concern whatsoever that his helmet had started coming apart and he would soon be dead. If the cracks got big enough, he wouldn't need to worry about what course he was on. He'd be dead.

 

[Set Harth]

See nuKirk not even a little bit worried

Really?

KIRK: Damn it.

SPOCK: Captain, what is it?

KIRK: My helmet was hit. Uhura, tell me you have Mr.Scott back.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

It would have demonstrated that he was intelligent enough to be scared.

Oh Jesus Christ, you really are reaching for reasons to bash the film. How many times should the character of Kirk been scared over the last forty years yet wasn't?

It's a character trait, Kirk puts the mission before his own emotions.

Yeah, nuKirk would have totally aced the gom jabbar test.

My point is that the ACTOR failed to convince me that his character, nuKirk, had any concern whatsoever that his helmet had started coming apart and he would soon be dead. If the cracks got big enough, he wouldn't need to worry about what course he was on. He'd be dead.

Assuming he doesn't slam into the hull of the starship he's heading to, because I'm pretty sure as fast as he was going that would likely kill him way before the cracks is the faceplate cause it to either leak all his air out or shatter.

 

[F. King Daniel]

It would have demonstrated that he was intelligent enough to be scared.

Has Kirk ever shown fear for his own safety? Nothing comes to mind.

Besides, he's smart. He'll either make it to the Vengeance before his faceplate shatters or he won't. Why fret when he can concentrate on getting back on course?

 

[Timewalker]

See nuKirk not even a little bit worried

Really?

KIRK: Damn it.

SPOCK: Captain, what is it?

KIRK: My helmet was hit. Uhura, tell me you have Mr.Scott back.

M'kay, I must have missed that. Okay, my mistake. He does express some concern.

 

[SeerSGB]

It would have demonstrated that he was intelligent enough to be scared.

Oh Jesus Christ, you really are reaching for reasons to bash the film. How many times should the character of Kirk been scared over the last forty years yet wasn't?

It's a character trait, Kirk puts the mission before his own emotions.

Yeah, nuKirk would have totally aced the gom jabbar test.

My point is that the ACTOR failed to convince me that his character, nuKirk, had any concern whatsoever that his helmet had started coming apart and he would soon be dead. If the cracks got big enough, he wouldn't need to worry about what course he was on. He'd be dead.

Bigger problems at the time. They were all going to be dead if they didn't stop Marcus. Focus on that first, give that your attention, don't worry about what might happen--especially if you're screwed anyway.