Film - Star Trek (no huge spoilers)

Well, I've seen the latest Star Trek movie, which uses the same titles that appear in a lot of JJ.Abrams product including the sub X-Files rubbish that is Fringe. Don't get me started on Fringe, it's a TV show based on the concepts beyond any rational interpretation of science. Still, at least it's rubbish from the outset, it has had the decency not to draw you in for a series or two before revealing itself as flipping nonsense.

First up, Star Trek credentials on the table. I think Star Trek (the original series) is fun and I like movies 2,4 and 6. Not really interested in any of the other stuff. It's part of my childhood, and I have a moderate fondness for it. I'm not a fan, but I am interested in what they do with it. Probably a bit more than a normal person as I'm a bit of a geek.

Anyway, Star Trek is a very enjoyable film, it runs through with action, comedy, drama, a bit of mawkishness here and there, and enough sly winks to continuity to appeal to the fans without alienating a new audience.

There is one minor problem. It actually tapes over everything ever done in Star Trek, apart from the TV series Enterprise (and for that, the movie is content with a comedy (possible) killing of Captain Archer's Beagle).

This is due to the time-travel element of the plot which changes history. One of the characters is very keen to tell us that this is an alternate universe, but it's clearly not, it's a changed universe. And these changes are big enough to mean that although some history may be repeated, it can't be the same. The old Star Trek you may have seen exists only on DVD and in the memory of one startlingly old looking character.

This of course means nothing to the movie going public, that franchise executives or possibly many fans. But it's interesting that in order to continue the franchise, JJ.Abrams has had to say almost everything that preceded it, while has happened, no longer exists and will now happen differently.

The cast has largely been stolen from some sort of American teen/coming of age movie, and do a competent job without being very memorable. A cynical part of me thinks they've been chosen so young as to be able to last for at least ten films. Let's hope they look the part when they've grown up. More memorable are Spock, played by Sylar from Heroes, Simon Pegg as Chief Engineer Simon 'Scottish accent' Pegg and Karl Urban who actually manages to bring Leonard 'Bones' McCoy gloriously to life. I smiled whenever he opened his mouth.

Perhaps necessarily, the crew have also changed. Kirk is still Kirk, but not Shatner-esque and Spock has been 'emotionally compromised' in the film, so he can never really operate as the Spock we once knew. Bones does appear to be Bones (I did say Karl Urban was great, didn't I?).

The new Enterprise is new, looks okay, with a seemingly intentionally distracting bridge set that you can never seem to focus on. Oh and there's some Nu-Metal Romulans.

So, it's perhaps what it should be, a fun movie going experience. The crew succeed in their goal of securing a sequel and the show can live long and prosper. All I would say in conclusion is, take a little time to remember the original with all its flaws and silliness. The affection invested in that is why this film works.