I grew up on Star Trek. Now before you go thinking I was running around with felt points glued to the top of my ears... No... I am not a life long trekkie. I simply mean it was on, and available and often watched in my household. Prepare yourself for a Boony life-bit: I grew up in a small home with a smaller TV and only two channels... and one of them was french. Soooooo Trek was a welcome distraction. And well, now you might kind of understand my deep love of film... and giant TVs. Moving on, I did follow Trek through the years. There is part of me that loves sic-fi and it hard to argue Treks lasting effect, and scope, within the realm.
So a few years back JJ "I put on my pants one leg at a time like everyone else, but when I get my pants on I make gold record- wait, I mean Billion Dollar films yo!" Abrams, remade the beloved franchise from the beginning. And wow, did he ever. I mean the first ten minutes of the film are straight up on par with the greatest openings in film history. The rest of the film delivered. Did it ever. Turning legions of people that denounced trek for years into fans. The casting was great - Chris Pine as Captain Kirk. Zachary Quinto - as the loveable emotionless Spock, Zoe Saldana - as the very hot communication expert, Uhura.
Now they all return to burn up the screen in another awesome sic-fi adventure.
Or do they? (dramatic pause)
The plot goes like this. Kirk is still headstrong and follows his gut, Spock is still a goody two shoes, and well Uhura is still hot. So A guy decides he dislikes the federation and starts blowing up stuff trying to lay the ground work for a war. Kirk goes after him. Along the way we will have to see if Kirk can learn control, humility, and if Spock can embrace his human side ...
And thats it. All you need. Cause spoilers are for sun dried milk (Ya my slang is tight!) All the classic stuff you could want is here... Explosions. Exploding control panels. Exploding ships. Bodies hurled into space. Exploding explosions. Big ships with laser guns. Bigger ships with bigger guns. Klingons. Space sex. Oh did I mention Alice Eve is in this? Ya. Space sex.
Anyway, lets get into this. First, trek at its core has always been the debate between the burden of the entitled and those not so. The lines between helpful society and over bearing war force, and of course the bromance between Spock and Kirk. Let me address the D-bags saying the supporting characters didn't get enough time in this one... seriously? Have you ever... ever watched an episode of the show? Kirk. Spock. McCoy. And well, once every 5-10 episodes someone else got involved in a lead role. The side players get more time here than they had in the last film. Sulu gets a chair moment, Chekov has a slightly more than last time role, Scotty is all over this bitch, and ok Uhura really doesn't do much ore than mean Mug Spock. Still, I was satisfied. The bromance was prime. Lots of debating about the "Do not interfere with undeveloped species" Directive. Debating the needs of the many out weighing the needs of the few... all gold.
 |
| Spock, baby. I Um, don't think a human can, um, do it like that.. |
And the action is awesome. I mean just jaw droppingly good. The opening Volcano scene is just impressive... But.
Ya there's a but.
It just doesn't connect with the audience as much as the first entry. First the villain (brilliantly played by Benedict Cumberbatch) is amazing and yet, lacking just the smallest something. Like a third dimension? You'll understand when you see it. The action is amazing, but in the spaces between it really doesn't expand on the characters as much as I expected. It's more just time used to explain the next crazy set up for more exploding things. Most of the characterization takes place in the midst of the action and well, it's a little hard to feel saddy things while my man parts are being overloaded with adrena-juice (that, that was a fun sentence lol). I think I would have been happy with the slow burn of the first. Letting the film build to a final 30 minutes of action, but the action is good. And they know it. So they have no shame using it as popcorn munching eye candy filler. And well, I really didn't mind that much.
Alice Eve... um why did she and Kirk not get a moment? Big issue there. Even a "we're gunna die" type moment. Nothing. Luckily both actors are so damn attractive and charismatic that we get the connection anyway, but still... what the F.
 |
| I'm sorry. Were you expecting alien "Parts"? |
Yes I am aware my picture quotes are more hormone filled than usual. It's summer. And, dammit If I make it through this review without a "I'd explore that garden of Eve" joke... it will be a miracle...
To anyone that is complaining or has heard the complaining about the ties to the original film... (deep sigh) Shaddup. Listen. We here at Boonsweet & Bucklesworth did not do spoilers (with the exception of the CRAP! segment of course, for your own good) because at the end of the day you need to be able to see a film without prior knowledge of key plot if you so chose. You. Your opinion is the one that matters, and that should be unpolluted. I loved the twists. As a man familiar with the original, they really played on that knowledge. I mean Trekkies... what do you want? Them to remake a film word for word with beloved pastness.
LOL.
But sometimes it does seem thats what these damn super Fan B-boys want. Well, sorry, thats just silly. You're silly.
Movie Scale 3.5 out 5 stars
Sci-fi scale 4 out of 5 stars.
Its fun. Its big. Its cool. And sexy. And well, its just... My issues were minor. I really did enjoy this. Not to the level of the previous, and well, I think the first (however slight) crack in JJ's invincibility (and yes it will still make a ton of cash as it should). If they ever do get around to a 3rd film, I have the suspicion JJ will be nowhere near it... perhaps he will be in galaxy... far, far, away... had to :)
-Boonsweet is of to explore strange new short shorts, and boldly go where only 10-24 men have been before...
Giggity.
Follow my shizzie @tallwhitefox or my occasional film ranting @BoonsBuckles
No comments:
Post a Comment