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Sunday November 29, 2009 10:44 PM AEST
Skip Navigation LinksPC Authority > Features > Movie Geek: Star Trek's new Enterprise is worth boarding
Movie Geek: Star Trek's new Enterprise is worth boarding
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FEATURE

Movie Geek: Star Trek's new Enterprise is worth boarding

by Movie Geek  on Dec 5, 2008
Tags: star | trek | movie | geek | dvd | enterprise
Abrams introduces the first important scene to us: our first glimpse of Captain James T. Kirk as a young firebrand. After trying to score a rookie chick in a bar scene lifted straight out of the Cantina in Star Wars (including a motley selection of drinking aliens), this troublesome, cocky and undeniably handsome young star (played by Chris Pine) gets into a major tussle and has his ass handed to him on a platter.

The young Kirk drives a souped up Motorcycle, flashes confidence as only Tom Cruise could have done as a young Maverick in Top Gun, and gets given the whole ‘your father was a great leader/fighter’ story, even if that has been done to death a zillion times before in this genre. At times, we could have sworn Kirk was going to break out and scream; “I feel the need for speed”.



The cutting in the film appears to have a Michael Bay inspired slickness. Fortunately, JJ Abrams is a disciplined filmmaker and you’re given a little more time to breathe in this Trek universe than with other modern action films of genre. Thankfully, no Bourne-style shakeycam here - that would've killed it for us.

Cinematography is mostly A-grade; there are some very pretty long shots (particularly when we first see the Enterprise), pulsing action pans and sweeping landscape frames that gave us flashbacks of young Luke toiling around his home planet of Tatooine in Star Wars Episode IV.



The production design of the Enterprise ship is a loving homage to the original. If anything, it feels much bigger and grander. Giant gaping hallways, massive control rooms and huge operating decks all help to transform this film into a more realistically imagined version of a naval aircraft carrier floating on a peace mission in space.

A bunch of old names reappear as younger faces: Kirk, Spock, Scotty and Sulu. Leonard Nimoy even makes an appearance – but we won’t tell you how it comes about, unless you’ve already checked the film's IMDB page and then of course, it spoils the whole thing. His appearance helps to justify the connection between this film and the older sequels. Eric Bana looks good as the main villain, Nero – and makes use of what chewy lines he has. And yes, there is time travelling, skydiving and plenty of alien fist fights on show.

The new Trek will be released worldwide in May next year, when we see if JJ Abrams and crew can persuade wider audiences to believe that this Trek isn’t just for hardcore fans. The film has potential to go mainstream. Though it may not please everyone, especially Trekkies, it should be worth the wait to find out. Until then, live long and prosper.
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