REVIEW: Star Trek (2009)

By DANIEL J. CASSAVAUGH

TIMES FILM CRITIC

SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2009

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Star Trek

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 127 minutes

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto

My rating: 4 stars

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I never made it through one episode of any of the �Star Trek� television series; I�ve never watched an entire Star Trek movie. I�m as virgin as they get.

After watching Star Trek today, I can proudly say I�ve finally sat through an entire Star Trek-something. I will not be going back.

That�s not because Star Trek isn�t good, because it has moments of greatness. It isn�t because I thought it was bad, although there are times of great cheesiness. It is because I still don�t care.

I debated even going to see Star Trek because I felt there was really no need. Anyone who wants to see it, or has any fascination with the Star Trek culture, will go see this film. Trekkies are automatic ins, so who is left? I suppose that would be the Star Trek virgins who like action films.

So for them, I say this film is a non-stop, action-packed, visually stunning piece of work and you should go see it to admire the special effects.

The story needs some work, but I can�t get into that because, frankly, I didn�t really understand it and the plot holes seem endless.

I suppose that only matters to a Trekkie, and they�ve already blogged about it or posted on Star Trek message boards. You won�t find a rehashing of the plot here.

In fact, I don�t really know what to say about it. I didn�t understand a lot of it and had lunch with a friend after to talk about it. She didn�t get it either, and she�s a Star Trek fan (not a Trekkie, though).

I was thankful that every 10 minutes or so, the plot was dumbed-down and explained to me. Otherwise it would have been a 127-minute snoozer for me.

Star Trek is about the coming-to-power, if you will, of Captain Jim Kirk (Chris Pine). It�s the story of how Kirk and Spock (Zachary Quinto) learned to mutually respect each other.

There�s pain from family losses and mixed races and cultures. Romulus survivor Nero wants to kill Spock and the Star Fleet. Meanwhile, Kirk just wants to be captain and, of course, save the galaxy. Yada, yada, yada.

I was on the edge of my seat, clenching my pen in one hand, my gummies in the other. My notepad had barely a mark on it because I was too engrossed in the on-screen hoopla.

That alone is a rarity and a reason you should go see it. The film humanizes the emotionless Spock and gives some depth to the goofy Captain Kirk. It�s fun at times, over-the-top at others and has that Trekkie feel that should please everyone.

J.J. Abrams directed it, so you know it�s going to be exciting, terrifying, funny and intense.

Just don�t think too much about the plot. Wait, let me rephrase that: Think about the plot a lot and explain it to me. I can�t list my questions here because I don�t want to spoil the fun.

I think Star Trek would be more enjoyable to people who already have a relationship with the characters. See, most of the character development was done in the other movies and the TV shows, so that part needn�t be in the film. That left people like me out, and detracted from the experience.

That is why I still didn�t care about anyone on board the Starship Enterprise once the credits rolled.

Now I�m going to go listen to the best song resulting from a Star Trek celebrity. Four stars.