First off...if you read this.....it's saying the "marketing" is trying to stay away from the Trekiness....not the film itself. Re-read the article. They seem to be talking mainly about the posters and oversees marketing.
I will say this as some one that is a big Trek fan.
I think some have a what I call "TNG skewed" vision of Trek. Now I have been a Trek fan since a little kid, own all the DVD's and what Blu-Ray's there are for all the films TNG, TOS, and DS9. So I'm not saying this as just a general fan. But many do seem to think that the universe of Trek just revolves around Picard and the way he viewed everything. Including the Prime Directive the mission of the Enterprise and the Federation itself.
I've recently in the past year gone through all of DS9, all of TNG, and recently am half way through TOS and came to quite a realization. Each of the Captains really represented the heart of the show, and a different view point of the universe that Trek is set in. But most do find (including myself) TNG to be our favorite, therefore Picard's point of view. But the reality of it is there was many other points of view. Picard was the best, but did have massive flaws, even in his philosphy which they never really got into as much. I mean at times the Prime Directive was great in TNG, at other times it was so far up it's own butt it was just cruel and made no sense as Spock would say "That is not logical." Picard was a by the book man, his view of everything was following the rules no matter what, even at the expense of innocents and his crew. Though lots of times he would find a way, or some one else would get in trouble (Like Data in Penpals) to end up saving many. But many seem to think this is what Trek is at it's core. I say...no. It is a perspective of one in the Trek world. And to me when many scream "We want more Trek like stuff i these films" it's more along the lines of they want the people to think like Picard and his crew.
Clearly from the other series, not everyone was like Picard...and far from it. Gene even wanted Picard to be very different than Kirk, and later when (Rick) made DS9 it went to even a different place. Unveiling that a lot of things happen out there that Picard's way of thinking would not fix no matter what. What Sisko did to ensure peace with Romulus comes to mind (with what Garak did). Sisko did some other things that I know Picard would have been completely against.
Having said that it's interesting what many consider to "make something Trek". After watching a lot of TOS, really even Gene's son said one time that his dad would have loved to do more action heavy pieces it was just the fact that it was TV the technology and budget were just not there. But in TOS there were many episodes that were adventurous, and action filled (for it's day). I mean there are many scenes where Kirk spends 15 minutes in (today's standards) a boring pointless brawl. That could have been done in a fraction of the time. But back then a lot of the slowness was not really just because it was the style, it was also the limitations of what they could do. They could not have big scenes and a lot of stuff re-watching these things they could cut out 20 minutes in lot of episodes. Many scenes and parts really did not add to characters/story just some of the slowness I've noticed is really just trying to fill time. Now this is not all the time, but there are many times I've noticed this.
However this does not take away my love for it, I knew the limitations. But I think some see these things as crucial to making something Trek. I remember a friend who was not into Trek (and very intelligent) just said it was boring. And many see it that way, and sometimes there is a lot of truth to that. Not with some of the stories but just a lot of filler to make up for lack of budget ect.
Now having said that I think some forget Kirk in a lot of TOS episodes disregards orders, does his own thing and gets in a lot of adventures (for the days times) there are also many episodes Earth bound throughout the multiple series. And honestly STID's trailers show a lot of "space" and other worlds. So I don't think many have to worry about it being all Earth bound.
There are many things that make Trek Trek, but some get certain view points of what makes it that. To me a lot put on the TNG skew of philosophic and how they dealt with problems. Kirk usually fought his way out, Picard would "talk" his way out. But nothing was wrong with both.
In conclusion these films are for sure Star Trek "light" but they are still fundamentally Trek. Just not as much so due to the limitations of film and what you can do with it. But to me they are still Trek through and through. really watching the TOS recently again has re-affirmed that to me. I do want a new TV show. But that's why I think many should watch STID. Because the better this does BO wise it will allow for a new series I bet. That's how TNG really got off the ground was because of the successful past few TOS movies.
So I too want a new Trek series, but I figure even a modern one will take some ides from recent stuff give it a little more thickness but still give it a modern feel of today's TV. Which there is nothing wrong with that. But I thinking Paramount is waiting to see how this film does. Because Trek has lost viewers for the past 15 years, it's lost a lot of it's spark. ST09 really helped re-ignite it and I'm hoping STID does more.
To me ST09 is a superb film, that really gets the broad strokes of TOS down and I love it for that. And to me STID looks like a continuation of that and I think there may be more surprises.
Now I'm not saying people cannot dislike these films but as a Trek fan I enjoy them and these are the reason I see them as Trek.
Go ahead Jamie spoil it for me!