Opening 7 May 2009
Directed by:
J.J. Abrams
Writing credits:
Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Gene Roddenberry
Principal actors:
Chris Pine, Zachary Pinto, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood
Based on the original TV series from 1966, this is the eleventh film version of one of our most popular stories: Star Trek (called Raumschiff Enterprise in Germany). With this forty-three-year history and thousands of expectant and critical hardcore fans, director J.J. Abrams is courageous if not foolish to put forth a new version, seven years after the last one.
Trekkies rest assured: you will not be disappointed. Here we go back to the beginning with Kirk growing up in Iowa of all places and Spock the victim of bullying because of his human-vulcan bi-racialism. Upon manhood and graduation from an exclusive academy, a world threat throws them together on the spaceship Enterprise which is part of a “peace-keeping humanitarian armada.” Along the way they pick up our old friends Dr. McCoy, Sulu, Pavel Chekov, Uhura and Scotty. They fly off to conquer their nemesis Nero (Eric Bana): that tattooed Romulan whose spaceship looks like a gigantic clump of seaweed. Except for a welcome surprise appearance of original member Leonard Nimoy, the cast is refreshingly new, young, and good looking: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, and Anton Yelchin.
This Star Trek version is full of action; it’s suspenseful and funny. The newest special effects show state-of-the-art spaceships; rugged, frozen environments and even a monster. The bombastic music will lift you out of your seat and catapult you straight into outer space. The plot upholds morals such as honesty, true love, loyalty, braveness, and dependability – all good examples for your kids, probably 10-12 years and older, although it might be rated PG-13. This Star Trek promises to take on board a whole new generation, kids who will quote, “Beam us outta here” as the new version puts it. Probably the originator Gene Roddenberry, to whom the film is dedicated, would agree with that, or he might just salute with four fingers and say, “Live long and prosper.” (Becky Tan)
