The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for everyone!

[GhostFaceSaint]

In his interviews promoting the new film Leonard Nimoy stated that this new film contains more emotional content than any past film and I agree with him, in fact I believe Star Trek has surpassed the other ten Trek films in evoking more emotional reaction as well leaving the many of the others seem dry in comparison. The birth of James T. Kirk, the heroism and sacrifice of George Kirk, Spock's troubled youth, Amanda Grayson's death, along with the destruction of the planet Vulcan, the humor of the film, the portrayal by the new cast of the original crew of Star Trek, and finally keeping to Gene Roddenberry's optimistic vision of the future, this film was an emotional thrill ride!

Many people I knew who disliked Star Trek in the past loved this new film, some have stated that they consider this film one of the best if not most fun films they have ever seen, and I believe it is precisely because of this films emotions! I believe Star Trek under Orci, Kurtzman, and Abrams is Star Trek done the correct way, entertaining everyone, and showing us a passion and humanity that few films can duplicate.

 

[teya]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

I agree.

I still say the most emotional moment for me was Spock's line, "I am now a member of an endangered species." No matter how many times I see the film, I still gasp at that line. *sniff*

 

[davejames]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

I agree.

I still say the most emotional moment for me was Spock's line, "I am now a member of an endangered species." No matter how many times I see the film, I still gasp at that line. *sniff*

Agreed about that moment, but as much as I loved the movie, I can't honestly say I found it more emotionally affecting overall than any of the others.

In fact I find Kirk's sense of feeling old and antiquated in TWOK to be a much more compelling story. It's always a huge thrill to see him retake command of the Enterprise in that movie and prove that he still has what it takes.

And I consider TSFS to be pretty full of emotion too. Seeing everyone band together and risk their careers to save Spock, Kirk's reaction to the death of his son, Spock finally speaking at the end....

 

[Chrisisall]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

passion and humanity that few films can duplicate.

Agree here too. "My God Bones, what have I done?" used to be the gold standard for me. This new movie easily lived up to that high bar.

 

[GalaxyX]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

Agreed about that moment, but as much as I loved the movie, I can't honestly say I found it more emotionally affecting overall than any of the others.

In fact I find Kirk's sense of feeling old and antiquated in TWOK to be a much more compelling story. It's always a huge thrill to see him retake command of the Enterprise in that movie and prove that he still has what it takes.

And I consider TSFS to be pretty full of emotion too. Seeing everyone band together and risk their careers to save Spock, Kirk's reaction to the death of his son, Spock finally speaking at the end....

I agree. While I liked nuTrek, emotionally, almost all the TOS movies (except for TMP) do it better.

 

[Manisphere]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

Nothing will effect me the way Wrath of Khan's ending did. I mean, Spock died. Honestly, that movie is a masterwork.

I don't think Abrams' ST really tried to jerk us around emotionally. (Yet it still made me tear up several times) It was for the most part a roller coster. The sentimental and tragic moments were so well done, brief, and not dragged out. There was little time for lingering in a feeling for too long.

Also the addition of humor, successful humor was a catalyst that made the whole thing that much more emotional.

 

[Chrisisall]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

Also the addition of humor, successful humor was a catalyst that made the whole thing that much more emotional.

An important element to successfully accessing our inner weepy.

 

[Manisphere]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

Also the addition of humor, successful humor was a catalyst that made the whole thing that much more emotional.

An important element to successfully accessing our inner weepy.

Dang right! If ST didn't have the level and quality of humor it had, it would have flopped let alone make us cry.

 

[NileQT87]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

That was something I also felt about the new film and something I thought about even more with seeing TOS and the TOS movies. While TOS had occasional moments of emotional pay-off done the dramatic, right way (Spock's death), the new film upped it to levels that fit more with the emotionalism seen in more recent years (mostly in fantasy television) where there is no reset button and writers have been putting their characters through a lot more.

I see a lot of emotionalism in Golden Age '30s movies, the Silver Age of the '80s had it and I see it coming back now (though it hasn't been seen quite as much in fantasy/action movies as it has in cinematic-level fantasy television). A lot of the C.G.I. spectacles have been getting it wrong for a long time now. If you look back at all the movies they're trying to duplicate, the excessive focus on fun gimmicks and action rips the heart right out. The fact that Empire Strikes Back is almost unanimously considered the best Star Wars film says a lot, as it's the one with the least action, the most mature comedy and most mature, human drama. The Bespin scenes speak for themselves.

Star Trek did it right a few times, but overall I feel kind of empty during some of the material. The '60s were the king of the television reset button, which is understandable, but they did manage a few moments of emotional brilliance (often from McCoy and often during the few moments where Spock was allowed to be emotional--because our response to it coming from him is just that much stronger). Wrath of Khan ultimately got the closest to what was needed for a film version of Star Trek; the kind of gravitas and weight that the films must have. McCoy's scene with his father or Kirk's saying goodbye to Spock and talking at his funeral were scenes that worked.

However, ST XI just had so much more of it in comparison to the majority of the old films. The problem with a great many of them is that they played down the emotions so far that it didn't work. I was honestly disappointed by how they downplayed Spock in scenes that could have been so much more poignant with just slightly stronger emotionalism (even if it were just the other characters towards him). ST XI finally gave me what I wanted from Spock. Full circle. Finally having to explore what it means to straddle both his Vulcan and Human lineage and testing his responses to changed variables in his life.

 

[diftorhehsmusma]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

XI finally gave me what I wanted from Spock. Full circle. Finally having to explore what it means to straddle both his Vulcan and Human lineage and testing his responses to changed variables in his life.

that's freakin' beautiful. :') could not agree more. back in TOS it was all teasers. not that it isn't fun to speculate, but man.... i love how spockprime gets to give his younger self some pointers on that. in the original timeline it took him decades to get at, but in this one he has been robbed of the luxury of long-term denial of the parts of himself he finds distasteful. really i think his part (at the very least) of the story is about self-acceptance, and the power of that. truly a great message.

 

[Chrisisall]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

The last two posts are among the most thoughtful I have ever come across regarding Trek. Thanks, peeps.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

There was alot in the new movie that really hit home for me (most of that has already been said above), George Kirk's death, James Ts birth, Spock's inner struggles and more.

But even after all these years, the end of WoK still makes me SOB.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

I'll admit I was annoyed that they destroyed Vulcan, but otoh, it does signal that JJ & crew are not gutless and don't pull punches, and the whole sequence was the most powerful I've seen from Trek since the glory days of DS9. Compare that with the reset-button-here-we-come destruction of Earth on ENT. No punch at all there.

And considering that the survivors can go live on another planet that will look just like Vulcan, and build a culture that will look just like what we would have gotten on Original Vulcan, it's not like we've actually lost anything as viewers.

 

[Jeri]

Re: The emotions of Star Trek(XI), a true rollercoaster ride for every

But even after all these years, the end of WoK still makes me SOB.

Me, too; I saw it again a couple weeks ago, when I caught the tail end of a rebroadcast. I was amazed at the power of that scene.