Star Trek (Dir. J.J. Abrams, 2009)

I watched this Star Trek back in 2009. Oddly, that was before I had seen much of the Original Series. I had just watched a few of the episodes of the OS on insistence of my friends, so I didn’t have any idea what Star Trek was about. Since then I have come to the conclusion that Star Trek is the greatest thing on earth and beyond, a portrait of the most wonderful future imaginable and a hopeful vision for humankind. When I saw Into Darkness I was thrilled at the awesome revision of the original series, certainly my favorite of all Star Trek series. But I had forgotten Star Trek 2009 version. I didn’t even recall that Vulcan was destroyed. How did I miss something huge like that? So I had to re-watch this movie.

I like this 2009 movie. The fact that this is Kirk and Spock and all my favorite characters in an alternate timeline works for me. I mean, how many times did the OS have alternate timelines itself? This is like “Mirror, Mirror” or “City on the Edge of Forever”. So this is plausible. And now I get to see the beginnings of the man, Kirk, who I respect above all Captains. He is an unbelievable man. He commands with such humor, grace, intelligence, and courage that even as a fictional character, I would follow his command wherever that led me- till death do us part haha. I love him far more than I love even Picard, though I hope to be like Picard myself.

Star Trek 2009 does a good job starting a new series with our beloved original characters. It’s not the best plot they will come up with (as proven by Into Darkness) but it allows for the characters to live separate, individual lives without ruining the timeline of the original. And I am excited to see the possibility of Kirk not living up to the name of Captain, to Spock never growing wise and Vulcan (for this Spock has so much restrained emotion), or to these new actors becoming brilliant in their own right.

I tend not to like alternate histories because too much of the world changes without logic to it. But with this alternate history it means that the personalities are there but the people can change. It’s a really good start to explore this strange new world.

Chekov didn’t have any expertise in the Original Series. And though I like him, he is arguably the most useless character of the bunch. This new Chekov has skills that make me understand how he became part of the Enterprise crew. This Chekov can beam two people in a freefall, snatching them out of mid-air! And his youth is perfect for the naivete of his character. Bones does a better job in this Star Trek than Into Darkness, but I wish we could have seen Bones before he is a charmingly curmudgeonly old fart. He still has youth in his old age, so at a young age I want to see him less set in his ways. Spock is so emotional in these new movies, no where near the Spock I respect so much, but that is interesting to see. It’s Spock if he made different choices. And then there’s Kirk. I think Chris Pine can do this. No one will ever be William Shatner, the greatest Captain ever to command, but Chris Pine has potential as Kirk. And I’m excited to see where this continues to go.

I don’t believe any Star Trek  will ever overshadow the magic of the Original Series. Never for me at least. But I’m very glad to have new, exciting Star Trek material to consume.