"Star Trek" has made the crossover from that show your geeky friend used to watch into the modern, action-packed movie.
With special effects and witty one-liners, the movie, directed by J.J. Abrams, is now more accessible to moviegoers of all ages.
The older "Star Trek" movies have a distinct look that matches the original series. But this movie looks like Abrams went to Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" and took some good notes.
The costumes looked like modern wear, with shorter skirts and spiffier Enterprise uniforms. Abrams took the script and made it sound more like everyday conversation - he humanized the dialogue by making it sound less scientific and technical.
The movie opens as the U.S.S. Kelvin goes to investigate a "lightning storm" that turns out to be an attack set up by Romulan Captain Nero (Eric Bana). Nero kills the captain, which leaves George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth) in charge of the Enterprise. Kirk evacuates the ship, including his pregnant wife Winona (Jennifer Morrison), but has to stay on the ship to fend off Nero's attacks on the evacuation shuttles. He dies in order to save his son, James.
This scene could be shocking if you are expecting the usual "Star Trek" style fighting with lasers and few special effects. Instead there are huge explosions, lifeless floating bodies and lots of crashing and burning.
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James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is the main character along with Spock (Zachary Quinto). Kirk and Spock become rivals when Kirk cheats on an un-beatable simulation test that Spock made. Kirk's actions get him suspended from the Starfleet Academy.
When a distress signal is sent out from planet Vulcan, the academy packs up its students and goes to help. Kirk is smuggled onto the Enterprise by his friend Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban).
Kirk realizes the situation is similar to the one that his father was in 22 years earlier and convinces Captain Pike that the distress call is a trap. Nero asks Pike to come aboard Narada. In his absence, Spock becomes captain, and Kirk becomes first officer.
The power struggle between Kirk and Spock takes center stage in many scenes during the movie. They have a love/hate relationship, with the love part only appearing at the end of the film.
The battle between the physical and the emotional self plays a big role in how the Enterprise is captained. Spock portrays the emotionless, level-headed thinker, while Kirk is the rambunctious youth who's always going full speed ahead.
The battle between what is rational and what will get the job done is played out as Spock and Kirk fight over how the Enterprise should act when dealing with barbarians who are torturing Captain Pike.
Abrams also gives viewers some good opportunities to have fun with the movie. He included some of the original lingo when Spock says "Space - the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before." But Abrams also gave it a young feeling, because the majority of the cast appears to be in their 20s or 30s.
Thus, the movie backtracks though the lives of Kirk and Spock as they live long and prosper.
"Star Trek"
Now Playing
PG-13
B+
