Hype User Reviews: Star Trek XI

[Sam Fisher]

9.5/10. Wow....just wow.

 

[Tony Stark]

I've been a Trekkie since 1966.....loved this movie.

That's good to hear. I loved it too. I just hope that other Trekkies are as accepting of the changes.

 

[chaseter]

I had a huge Trekkie lady behind me and she loved it because she wouldn't shutup. My audience clapped so I think that everyone liked it.

 

[Trainwreck2100]

9/10 it would be perfect, but i think the score was really lacking in the movie.

 

[Sam Fisher]

Yeah, the score is the only real negitive thing I can think of in this movie.

 

[TheVileOne]

What was wrong with the score?

 

[Marvolo]

Just wanted to add that everyone clapped at the end when I went to see it, too. I went to the 7:00 P.M. showing so it was the first in my area, and I think most of the audience were fans. They would all laugh, in a good way, at things which I'm assuming were little throwbacks, that me and my friend would completely miss. I caught a few, though, and did laugh. I always love seeing movies like this on the first showing, cause thats when you get all the fans. They are the most fun crowd.

P.S. My audiences age group was, from what I could tell, 9 to at least 60. I think its awesome this film could appeal to a wide age range. Star Trek to me has never really seemed to draw in the really young, but it was nice seeing little kids experiencing Star Trek on the big screen for the first time. And I don't know why, but I thought it was endearing seeing the older generations coming out for this. JJ hit the right marks with this film, and gave the fans and newcomers all equal enjoyment.

 

[PWN3R]

"F _ _ _ y [space] P _ c _ u _ _ s [space] T h _ e a _. Post 16539"

 

[Trainwreck2100]

What was wrong with the score?

Well right off the bat the first thing i noticed was that the song from the title screen would have been perfect 60 seconds earlier when dad kirk guided his ship to its final fate. Rather than whatever we got for that scene, and it went downhill from there. The score just didn't feel "epic" enough for lack of a better term.

 

[Sam Fisher]

What was wrong with the score?

The score is fine. I just wouldn't say I love it.

 

[PWN3R]

The score was epic, as it should be. The music alone was suiting, but when added to the gorgeous visuals?

Magic. Michael Giacchino, you magic master, you.

 

[DarthAlani]

The movie was tremendous. Everyone nailed their roles. I can't wait for the sequel, hoping for a war with the Klingons.

9.5/10 no film this summer will come close with the possible exception of T-4

 

[Darthkush]

Very few films I've seen in my young 26 years of life have left me speechless and struggling with words. I've seen quite a few great ones. I loved The Dark Knight which redefined the superhero film for today's audiences. Lord of the Rings proved that nerd fantasy can be oscar bait. Heck, you've even seen me wax poetic on this site about smaller films that are long forgotten by many(like The House of Sand and Fog, for example). But Star Trek, J.J. Abrams big budget relaunch(and prequel) has performed a cinematic miracle. It has taken an dying(beloved though it may be to it's cult of Trekkies and casual sci-fi fans) franchise and turned it into a super ginormous, effects-laden action comediy extravaganza that will please fans and general audience members alike.

Star Trek's main focus is on reintroducing the classic characters from the original 1966 tv series in new and more modernized ways. The film begins with the childhoods of Kirk(Chris Pine in a star making role) and Spock(Zachary Quinto who takes his acting range to a whole other level here) and then dovetails into the two joining starfleet academy. It then introduces the other infamous characters like McCoy(Karl Urban doing the best Deforrest Kelly...EVER), Chekov(Anton Yelchin, who i regreted underesitmating), Uhura(the sexy Zoe Saldana who I've been a fan of since the first Pirates film in 2003), Sulu(Harold and Kumar's John Cho who gets arguably the most kickass fight scene in the film), and Scotty(cult horror funnyman Simon Pegg who gets some of the biggest laughs in the film). After the group finishes starfleet, an emergency happens on Spock's home planet of Vulcan involving an renegade Romulan named Nero. Nero HATES Spock and is intent on destroying him now..and FOREVER.

The film is basically Batman Begins only Star Trek as we learn how each charcter came to be and hear all of them utter damn near every famous line we've ever heard them say on the show before. J.J. Abrams(who has impressed me by direcing all of the best episodes of Alias and an couple of Lost episodes during it's first season) does an outstanding job of directing. He makes it looks like he's already directed ten or more fx heavy features and it's crazy that this is really his first one of this nature. The script by Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman with a hand or two from Damon Lindelof is mack tight and never slows down to catch it's breath. The audience is hit with either one hilarious comedy beat or one mindblowing action sequence after the next and sometimes a combination of both as one liners and lazer blasts are firing at 1000 miles an hour at warp speed!

Let's talk about the actors for a minute. I had my doubts about all of them but they all deliver. I've never seen Chris Pine before but now I can't wait to see him again. He never apes Shatner and yet feels EXACTLY like Kirk. He's great and I think he would make a great Flash or Green Lantern as well. Zachary Quinto I had some doubts about since i'm so used to seeing him only as Sylar on Heroes but he's actually MUCH better at this then he is on that show. He's not quite as good as Leonard Nimoy(but then again who could be, right?) but he crafts his own version of Spock that while not the same is a palpable and great character in it's own right. Urban(who I thought was a tepid actor...until now) is amazing as Bones and I think he'll be many fans' favorite character in the flick. He nails McCoy's mannerisms, speech patterns and infamous lines with no effort. Cho, Yelchin and Pegg as Sulu, Chekov, and Scotty respectively have the least to do but all get some great scenes and or lines to make it worth it. As a way of expanding Uhura's role a bit, Zoe Saldana is asked to be Spock's girlfriend for this version of the classic saga and while weird at first, it works and Saldana plays the part with grace and an very good amount of warmth. Rounding out the cast is Eric Bana as Nero the Romulan villain and Leonard Nimoy as Spock(from the future). Honestly, the movie could've been done without Nimoy's Spock but they've managed to make it work and not be contrived. Nimoy is moving as usual and gives the film an continuity with the older series that makes any Trekker with trepedition easily more forgiving. Nero doesn't have a whole lot of depth or dimension to him but ERic Bana does a great job with what little he has. At least his motivations are admirable and he's not just a mustache twirler.

The fx work and sets look amazing. There is obviously cgi that had to be used but you never feel like you're looking at a big mess of cgi splattered everywhere. Everything looks practical and real without looking cheap.

Does Star Trek have any problems? Not much, just minor quibbles. It's an hilarious film but I'm not quite sure how hilarious a sci-fi adventure film is supposed to be. I mean, at times it was borderline action comedy and the writers and J.J. probably should've dialed things back a tad a couple of times. Also, as I mentioned before, Nimoy's Spock didn't HAVE to be in this for it to work. I liked his presence but the story could've gone on pretty similarly with Spock written out and with an slight rewrite about Nero.

But I digress. Now is a time of nothing but celebration. J.J. Abrams and his team of cast and crewman have saved Star Trek. Not only have they saved it, they've breathed new life into it, reigniting the passion of older fans and gaining what are sure to be tons of new ones at the same time.

Live long and prosper my friends and go see Star Trek. I can't say enough good things about it.

4.75/5 stars.

 

[Darthkush]

The movie was tremendous. Everyone nailed their roles. I can't wait for the sequel, hoping for a war with the Klingons.

9.5/10 no film this summer will come close with the possible exception of T-4

I want the Klingons too. I honestly think it's a bit early for Khan. I could see him in a third film but doing him second instantly draws too many comparisons to wrath of khan that aren't really needed.


Also, see the fil in Imax. I did. WOW.

 

[Timstuff]

I'm not sure when I'll write a full review, but I'll just say right now that this movie was AMAZING! Not only was it easily the best Star Trek film ever, but it was also one of the best sci-fi movies I've seen in years! This movie MAKES STAR TREK COOL!

 

[Octoberist]

any good fart jokes?

 

[elgaz]

Saw it last night and loved it. Highlights for me were -

• Opening act, showing Kirk's birth and the sacrifice made by his father - very epic and touching
• The overall acting by most of the cast. Pine was great as a young hotheaded Kirk, without resorting to Shatner-isms. Felt Quinto perfectly embodied Spock also, he doesn't have quite the same gravitas that Nimoy had but IMO did a better job of the emotion/logic conflict going on in his head. Sulu and Chekov were good for their screen time, and Karl Urban was just fantastic as Bones McCoy - nailed the character perfectly. Uhura was ok too though nothing about her stood out for me. Also felt Bruce Greenwood brought a nice sense of nobility and meaning to Pike's role in the film.
• Special effects were excellent - maybe a little too much solar flare at times, but a lot bright, grittier and realistic than the sterilised look of previous Star Trek movies.
• Pacing was fast but this wasn't an issue for most of the film, though it was obvious how much they crammed into 2hrs. Hopefully now the origin is out of the way they can do some more character development in the next film.

My one and only gripe was that I felt Nero could have been fleshed out a lot more, considering he spent 25yrs waiting for Spock we only got to see him much of the time through a viewscreen.

But other than that, thoroughly enjoyed it and think it was a perfect restart to the Star Trek franchise - long may it continue!

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Saw it last night and loved it. Highlights for me were -

• Opening act, showing Kirk's birth and the sacrifice made by his father - very epic and touching

• 
  
  I think that was cheesy as hell.
  
  Too much coincidence (look at the moment where Kirk finds the old Spock... yeah right )
  Almost deus-ex machine like at times (LET'S BEAM 1000 LIGHTYEARS WITH THAT NEW TECHNOLOGY)
  
  They made the old Star Trek mistakes again.
  
  It was disappointing.

 

[Majic Walrus]

Set Phasers to *****ing

My evening at the theatre began in some dismay. After waiting through what seemed to be hours of Disney and Pixar previews the movie finally started. Unfortunately it wasn't the movie we'd all paid to see. Disney Earth started with calming Earthy pictures. A man in the front yelled, "Red Alert" and we all laughed. Several people reported the incident to the management and we were fairly quickly appeased with the correct previews and with our movie. Star Trek.

From the moment the movie started it was apparent that this was a film designed for action. It didn't start off with miles of character development or convoluted backstories designed to bring non-fans "up to speed" it started off in the action. Before 10 minutes into the movie we are knee-deep in a space battle. There are phasers and torpedoes flying around and the action is fast paced. Without giving away too much plot detail we can simply say that in the first 15 minutes I gasped, I laughed, I cried, and I was amazed.

Minutes later the Beastie Boys Sabotage is playing in the car with a young James Kirk behind the wheel. The words of the tagline repeat and replay in my head, "This is not your Father's Star Trek" I start to get afraid. I liked my Father's Star Trek. That's the reason I'm here now. Apprehension sets in.

That is quickly changed by the character of James Tiberius Kirk who is brash, hard headed, and charming as all get out. The acting for Kirk's character is spot on from the odd delivery of lines to the cunning but charming smile. I'm starting to get easier about this.

As other characters are introduced I'm engulfed in the world I'm seeing. Uniforms look "Trekky" the Starfleet Academy looks "Trekky". Sounds and colors make me feel like I'm watching an episode of Star Trek with a few changes. Lingo is spot on and I've started falling more and more into the movie.

The performance by Bones McCoy is terrific and enthralling. Every single actor and actress, even the extras make me feel like I'm part of a Star Trek experience and then BOOM. We're on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise Captained by Christopher Pike. Pike's character is not at all like the Christopher Pike you've seen on ST:TOS, which is welcomed because Pike deserved his own character.

As the action continued and the story progressed I found myself completely bought into the movie. Battle scenes, fight scenes, the new actors and actresses were all amazing. There were some quite noticable changes some larger than others that I don't care to mention now. There were inconsistencies with some storylines that didn't quite make sense. The explaination for why the continuity of the Trek universe had to be changed was welcomed for a someone who is as big a fan of the "Cannon" as I am and I'm sure many Trekkies are.

Before I realized it I didn't want to nitpick. I didn't care to. This wasn't my Father's Star Trek and I would hesitate to call it my Star Trek but part of that was accurate. It was STAR TREK. It gave me the same feelings I got as a child watching Star Trek for the first time. It felt like I was watching Star Trek. Sure the stories were different and somethings, really minor things actually, had been changed for the service of creativity but what did it matter?

I was watching Star Trek.

 

[Rac]

5 - Excellent

****ing loved this film.

 

[Erzengel]

I saw this yesterday. It was probably the best Star Trek movie I ever seen. Do enjoy the little nod to Star Wars with Captain Pike saying "punch it" to Sulu.

 

[Majic Walrus]

I forgot to add that on a scale from 11 to 1 with 1 being Star Trek: Nemesis and 11 being Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan I give "Star Trek" a solid 10. It isn't the best Trek movie but it's damn close.

 

[baerrtt]

9/10.

Fantastic, fun film. Pine is suitably charismatic as Kirk and does imitate William Shatner very affectionately at certain parts. Urban IS Deforrest Kelly's Bones whilst Quinto plays Spock in a manner that is in keeping with Nimoy's original performance and, you imagine, how they'd play such a character if STAR TREK had been an original tv creation in the naughties and not the sixties romance with Uhura and all (and oh yeah Saldana is unbelievably hot).

The thing for me is I felt like I was watching the STAR TREK the general public came to love originally and not the moralising, 'intellectual', technobabble ridden version certain hardcore fans(and future production teams) overestimated it to be.

And more to the point at a time when every recent reinvention from Batman and Bond on the big-screen to that other 'before there was Star Wars' sci-fi franchise Doctor Who(not to mention of course BSG) has come complete with darker undertones and less cheerier endings than yesteryear Abrams intent to remind people of the one mythology based upon complete optimism is a complete success.

May there be more.

 

[Kent]

So, I gathered my thoughts a bit (obviously this is spoiler-laden):

My list of grievances:

- Basic concept introductions felt missing. If this is a restart I think we should've at least gotten to see beaming in action before people start talking about beaming not working for so and so reason.
I don't think we ever saw the location Spock goes to when he gets the council elders and his parents before. Seemed like something we should've seen beforehand.
(bothered me slightly)

- Score. I didn't really like the score for this. Didn't sound like Star Trek to me. Good in its own right, just not trekky.

- Supernova threatening the galaxy? This is just so blatantly wrong, it just bothers me. I mean it's Star Trek, they could've just made up a space-time anomaly of some kind instead of claiming a Supernova was the threat. I mean, bah. As a science not this just bothers me, especially since it could've been easily avoided. (really bothered me)

- Transwarp beaming. So if I remember correctly, the Enterprise has been at high warp for a few hours (at least) while Kirk is stumbling around on the ice-planet, mind-melding with Spock, and so on. Finally, Scotty has the capacity for transwarp beaming, and they beam over. They're like what... several star systems away by now? This really seems strange to me. If you could beam these distances, then why use space ships?
Maybe I missed something though (like they possibly didn't hit warp right away?). (bothered me, assuming my understanding of what happened is correct)

- Aesthetics. Some stuff looked a little too lo-tech for my liking. Like the Starfleet base on the ice planet, or the engineering section of the ships. Phasers firing shots instead of continuous beams.
(bothered me ever so slightly)

- Accents. Nero's accent sounded typically American to me. Especially when he says "Hello Christopher!"... almost sounded humorous to me.
Chekov's accent was a bit too thick. After they played his accent up for a joke I couldn't stop thinking about it as funny, even when I was supposed to take him serously. (bothered me ever so slightly)

Stuff I liked/loved:

- They pretty much got all of the characters right. Karl Urban was fantastic. This is a big plus.
- Amazing visuals and special effects.
- That little alien friend of Scotty's. I hope he hangs around. In particular I liked all the aliens that were mixed in there.
- Set design. Mostly awesome.
- Technobabble. I know it's looked down upon by others, but I loved the little technobabble moments. Made me smile.
- Red-shirt! I lolled.
- The humor works. Loved the hypospray moments between McCoy and Kirk.
- The lighter sense the film has. It doesn't feel like they darkened it up or anything. It feels trek-like. (very good)

It might seem like the negative points overwhelm the good, but I don't really think they do. I enjoyed the film a lot, and I'm looking forward to future installations.

I voted 4/5.

 

[Rocker22]

In terms of how low tech the base looked on the ice planet I think that worked because it was quite obivious that they had been neglecting the place.