I know he's Korean and not Japanese but doesn't matter, i thought he nailed the role.
Was John Cho perfect for Sulu or what?
- Thread starter EmmanuelZorg
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Well...there was fencing and flying a starship. Both of which were included.
Cho was excellent, I really liked his Sulu.
The bit on the bridge where teh crew are discussing Nero and the Narada, and planning what to do next... when he says "Why bother, why waste ammunition, we obviously weren't a threat to them" - I swear it sounded like Takei.
Piloting the ship, sky-diving and attacking the drill, flying the Enterprise up from Titan and taking command of the ship and coming to the rescue of Spock?
That's scenery to you?
The bit on the bridge where teh crew are discussing Nero and the Narada, and planning what to do next... when he says "Why bother, why waste ammunition, we obviously weren't a threat to them" - I swear it sounded like Takei.
Piloting the ship, sky-diving and attacking the drill, flying the Enterprise up from Titan and taking command of the ship and coming to the rescue of Spock?
That's scenery to you?
I had to try a little harder than i wanted to keep the phrase "milf, milf" running in my head whenever he spoke (he was the guy that coined the phrase in American Pie). not that he's a bad actor or anything but he's come from pretty much all comedies right? Takei was unique because he had that distinct voice. a friend of mine heard a clip of him on the radio doing something for Howard Stern or whatever and asked "is that the Sulu guy?". he just has that extra little presence that Cho just didn't have with the whole voice thing. what is that, baritone or something? Nimoy had it for Spock but Quinto didn't and that was just as missed
Cho couldn't give Sulu the Takei voice or else it would come across as parody, I think. It's so easy to imitate the voice that you lose the meaning behind it, I think. It was a wise choice.
Anyway, I credit Cho/Sulu for really helping to make this film fun. TOS would never dream of having Sulu play such a prominent role on the drill(he would never be paired off with just Kirk for a pivotal scene, for instance), and look! He kicked ass! The scene on the drill was just really dynamic, and more than made up for the perceived (if humorous) nervous bit about warp.
When I went to go see the film a second time, something happened that didn't occur on the first viewing: when the missiles were about to hit Spock and the Enterprise warps in just in time to blast them all, the audience actually clapped, and someone yelled out GO SULU!!! To that, I say "Hell yeah."
Anyway, I credit Cho/Sulu for really helping to make this film fun. TOS would never dream of having Sulu play such a prominent role on the drill(he would never be paired off with just Kirk for a pivotal scene, for instance), and look! He kicked ass! The scene on the drill was just really dynamic, and more than made up for the perceived (if humorous) nervous bit about warp.
When I went to go see the film a second time, something happened that didn't occur on the first viewing: when the missiles were about to hit Spock and the Enterprise warps in just in time to blast them all, the audience actually clapped, and someone yelled out GO SULU!!! To that, I say "Hell yeah."
I think this scene showed off his acting skills the best. He pulled off a very effective "sheepish" look when he was asked by Pike if he knew how to fly a ship.
I was all primed for a wild-man Sulu type role but I liked that he didn't seem too far out there. He's depending more on his innate charisma.
i really liked cho.
he got to run through several emotions just with the little parking break scene.
the look he gives after spock makes his suggestion (it really was the brake..
) was cool.
and that they included the fencing ., even if it was with the more pratical switchblade katana.
and yeah that why waste the ammunition was that type of asides that gt would toss in.
we need to see chekov and sulu next carrying on about different destinations like they did in amok time.
he got to run through several emotions just with the little parking break scene.
the look he gives after spock makes his suggestion (it really was the brake..
) was cool.and that they included the fencing ., even if it was with the more pratical switchblade katana.
and yeah that why waste the ammunition was that type of asides that gt would toss in.
we need to see chekov and sulu next carrying on about different destinations like they did in amok time.
I thought Sulu was No. 7 if your ranked the importance of the big seven to the plot. No. 8 if you throw in Pike.
That being said, the funniest thing I read in a long time on TrekBBS was the one poster claiming stereotypes and backward thinking and Roddenberry spinning in his grave because they made Sulu capable of handling himself in a fight. As if somehow making him a pussy who gets his ass handed to him would somehow be culturally sensitive.
It's like the guy who said Corporal Yo from Beetle Bailey was racism because he was ten times smarter and more efficient than the white characters.
That being said, the funniest thing I read in a long time on TrekBBS was the one poster claiming stereotypes and backward thinking and Roddenberry spinning in his grave because they made Sulu capable of handling himself in a fight. As if somehow making him a pussy who gets his ass handed to him would somehow be culturally sensitive.
It's like the guy who said Corporal Yo from Beetle Bailey was racism because he was ten times smarter and more efficient than the white characters.
Cho was likable but neither he nor the character really struck me as really Sulu-ish myself.
I don't know, it would have been a pretty short film if Sulu had remembered to turn off the external intertial dampeners without Spock's help...
john cho was not a good sulu. especially with his hidden talent for fighting. he just looked too geeky looking. mind you, the ship on the drilling platform was awesome, but for me john cho' will always be associated with American Pie and the "Milf" comment and also Harold and Kumar. maybe they could've gotten Daniel Henney aka Agent 0, that Asian guy from Wolverine with the guns.
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