Star Trek review
As a Star Wars fanatic, my reaction to anything Star Trek has been similar to a vampire’s reaction to sunlight. But, flesh-burning or not, the new Star Trek movie is undeniably good sci-fi. Really good.
The whole design, with a mix of original Star Trek and contemporary influences, is striking, the special effects are, literally, awesome, the acting is surprisingly uniformly superb, the characters are well defined, the banter is witty, the story is clever without being too convoluted and the non-stop action is utterly captivating. This J. J. Abrams upstart is a talented kid.
There are enough in-jokes and references for Star Trek aficionados to spank themselves unconscious but experience of, or enthusiasm for, the originals is far from necessary. Take away the iconic names, ship, characters, pointy-ears, what have you, and you’re left with something that would, perhaps, given expectations and prejudices, feel even more special. Although this would likely result in taking away the $150m budget, and some of the spectacle with it, this isn’t just a fireworks show; there is genuinely good filmmaking afoot.
Forget your preconceptions; this is Hollywood sci-fi at its finest.
29th Apr 2009
I enjoyed this. Lots of fun!
Matt Sephton, 13th May 2009