To the ardent Star Trek fan, or to be politically correct "Trekkies", a likely pastime may include putting on a Starfleet uniform, brushing up on the odd Klingon and heading to a sci-fi convention. This is what makes the term "Star Trek" divide a nation of filmgoers into ones who say it's just a television series and ones who would give up their phaser figurine collection to be in the new movie. To do the former would be to overlook a canon so diverse its official website counts 380 different types of aliens, 780 ships, 328 forms of food as well as a countless number of characters and actors who have spearheaded the franchise.
The baton has now been passed from the likes of Shatner and Stewart to a third generation crew that already boasts trendy teen show credits like Heroes (Sylar's Zachary Quinto). It leaves director J.J. Abrams the conundrum: how to make a film that satisfies a Trekky appetite but appeal to a new fanbase despite the two being light years apart?
The latter is mainly done thanks to one James Tiberius Kirk (played by Chris Pine). From the childhood car chase to his futile attempts to charm sexy Lieutenant Uhura at a bar (what university student can't associate with that?) we find out our character's playful but rebellious attitude. Much like Batman Begins, this prequel does not deal with the Kirk that Trekkies have to come to know. Bruce Wayne didn't put on a bat suit straight away and nor does Kirk command the S.S. Enterprise.
Instead following orders from his superior Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), Pine is able to make his character much more likable by doing what the average filmgoer wants to see but with a tinge of Trek geekiness. Fights (!) with Romulans. Snappy dialogue (!) with Vulcans. Making out (!) with Orion green chicks. Kirk's make-it-up-as-I-go-along approach to much of the film results in very entertaining action sequences.
It is Kirk's "acquaintance" with a frosty ice creature when you realize the stark contrast his character is to Spock (Zachary Quinto). Played like a human computer and with a "logic answers all" ethos, Quinto makes a great companion to Pine's Kirk. Although the two would not want to admit this, their on screen "friendship" drives the film to a climatic battle against Eric Bana; the biggest bad guy a family friendly 12A certificate would allow.
Abrams states in many interview that he was not a Trekky when he made this film. Instead he embraced a franchise and created a movie that he feels is acceptable to everyone. What he manages to do is produce a well balanced film that does not alienate a fanbase but rather regenerate a series back into warp speed. With an oldboy role for Leonard Nimoy and impressive special effects to boot, this new Star Trek has ushered in the first of hopefully many more summer blockbusters to come.
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