New Star Trek Film - Mini Review

Got back a few hours ago from seeing the new Star Trek film. If I have to use only one word to describe this film, it would be "awesome!" Easily the best film I've seen since The Dark Knight last year and probably the most fun I've had with a film like this ("Death at a Funeral" is very funny but very different) since Iron Man.

I laughed more than I thought I would. There were more loving nods back to TOS that I expected. And, with all due respect to the original actors whom I have come to love lo these forty years, I basically forgot them as I watched the new cast do their thing. Karl Urban does a great Deforest Kelley but makes McCoy his own. Sulu's just as dashing as before. Chekhov actually shows that he belongs on the Enterprise. Ditto for Uhura whose skill and expertise help the ship. Pine as Kirk is fantastic and different than Shatner's which is good. I'd hate to see a parody. And Quinto as Spock is brilliant. I don't watch Heroes so I don't have to get Skylar out of my head. Quinto does so good and you can physically see the emotions broiling just under his skin.

The action sequences are phenominal. Sometimes, yes, the action's too close up to get a true understanding of what's going on but that's the nature of modern action filmmaking. The space sequences with the starships are fantastic and believably 3D with ships rising and falling and soaring through space.

And dangit if I didn't get a bit misty during the U.S.S. Kelvin sequence. That's me: a softy. But that made the actions of the characters that much more human and it gets to some of the essence of why Star Trek is so good. It's not the starships, the aliens, or the fights. It's the people.

I'll probably say more later when I've gathered my thoughts. But, in short, this is a great film, and probably The Film of the Year. It should appeal to Trekkies like me and non-Trekkies as well.

Thanks, J. J. Abrams. You Did Great!