http://www.sltrib.com/arts/ci_12308656? ... id=4871589
Growing up as a Trekkie, I was relentlessly teased to the point of my mental fragility today.
I was -- and still am -- a hard-core fan of the original series right down to my AMT model of the Enterprise, my life-size and keychain-size communicators, and my original copies of the Starfleet Technical Manual and Star Trek Concordance.
I know and adore the original "Star Trek." The new movie opening Friday is no "Star Trek."
At least it's not the "Star Trek" baby boomers know and love from the late 1960s. This is a bombastic, crazed version where stimulating the brain plays second fiddle to kick-starting the adrenal glands.
For non-Trekkies or even "Trek" haters, this is a "Star Trek" to
Favorite Star Trek film
Which of these six "Trek" films is your favorite?
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek: Generations
Star Trek: First Contact
None of these
embrace. What warps into theater screens Friday is a reboot: The characters have the same names, the same mannerisms and repeat the same catchphrases. Yet for the most part, it doesn't capture the same spirit. This 2009 "Star Trek" by director J.J. Abrams (producer of "Lost" and "Fringe") is a "Trek" for the 21st century. It's Gene Roddenberry's vision with an extra coat of polish and an overdose of methamphetamine for today's ADD audiences.
It's thrilling, aggressive and loud, with plenty of galactic explosions and futuristic hanky-panky (Uhuru tends to be amorous in this version).
But while the actors inherit the names of James T. Kirk, Mr. Spock and the rest, most have a difficult time inhabiting their characters. Whenever
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they spout off their trademark phrases (Spock's "Fascinating," or Scotty screaming "I'm giving it all she's got!"), it feels obligatory. The exception is Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy, who absolutely embodies the essence of the irascible Southern doctor.
Chris Pine's Capt. Kirk channels not Shatner, but Tom Cruise's patented cocky lead from "Top Gun" and "Days of Thunder," while Zachary Quinto conveys a much angrier Mr. Spock, who lacks any of the wry wit and gentleness of Leonard Nimoy's
original. Worst of all is Simon Pegg as chief engineer Scott, who simply plays him for lanky comic relief without a hint of the character's engineering brilliance.
Also missing is an engaging, thought-provoking science-fiction story, a trademark of the original "Trek" that employed some of the best-known writers of its day, including Harlan Ellison and Robert Bloch. Instead, we're handed a typical time-traveling jaunt through space without a sense of awe.
If Abrams wanted to change the original series that much, perhaps he and Paramount should have just created a whole new cast of characters. Capt. Kirk and his crew had their turn hopping around the galaxy, so why meddle with our fond memories of their original five-year
Admittedly, this is the "Star Trek" for everyone else. And as a popcorn summer blockbuster, it delivers. But it proves that when it comes to this admittedly stodgy, older-generation "Star Trek" fan, I would rather celebrate the original "Star Trek" for what it was, not hope for what it can be.