Tags
Captain Kirk, Chris Pine, cry, franchise, Leonard Nimoy, movie, opinion, Spock, Star Trek, Trekkie, X-Men, Zachary Quinto
First, let me say – I am NOT a Trekkie! I’m not even a Star Trek fan (meaning I’ve seen some of the TV episodes and some of the movies). With that out of the way, I really enjoyed this movie! As I’ve stated in previous posts (Iron Man 3) I think one (of the many) aspect of a good movie is making it enjoyable to those that know very little to nothing about the larger franchise. Both of the recent Star Trek movies have done that for me. I also really enjoy story lines that provide you with insight into a story you already know (X-Men: First Class, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Star Trek).
It has been fun for me to see the actors of these newer Star Trek movies bring their well-known characters to life at a younger age than when we first met them. At this point, Chris Pine (James T. Kirk) is my favorite. I love his cocky attitude, quick wit, and fierce loyalty (which shine in this movie). I remember seeing Pine is a few movies before he became Captain Kirk and I never would’ve picked him to be one of the key figures in such a large franchise – I’m happy to say I was wrong. There is something about him that is very “boy next door” combined with a little “bad boy” that I like.
Anyone that plays a character with no emotion (or just a tiny bit) impresses me. Leonard Nimoy (makes another appearance) was/is always great and Zachary Quinto does the name of Spock proud. Interestingly enough, it is Quinto/Spock that made me cry (just a little) in this movie. The friendship between Kirk and Spock is deepen and, I would say, cemented in this film.
Bones, Sulu, Scotty, Uhura and Chevok are all represented well in their younger years and watching the friendships, trust, and camaraderie develop is an interesting window into the past. The appearance of Khan (and his back story) was a surprise for me (remember, I’m not a Star Trek fan, just a movie fan). Benedict Cumberbatch made me hate, feel sorry for, question, and (dare I say) root for Khan.
Because of this movie, I want to watch the older Star Trek movies (especially Wrath of Khan). The small and interesting window into the past that I was able to peek through makes me want to walk through the Star Trek door – just don’t expect to see me at any Trekkie conventions.