Film Review -- Star Trek (PG-13)

Directed by J.J. Abrams
Released May 8, 2009

Star Trek was one of those movies I saw was coming out and wanted to see right away. However, about ten movies got in the way and I always put Star Trek off as an "I'll see it later" film. But with it being out in theaters for almost two months, I started to worry my local twelve-plex was going to stop showing the film with summer blockbusters bursting on the scene (Transformers 2 with over $200 million in the first week? WOW!). So I buckled up, shut up and went to see the two-hour adventure with a bag of Jiffy Pop in Magical Sara's purse (recession woes).

What I got was pretty much what I expected. I had enough trusted friends tell me that this was a good movie that I knew it would be in fact a good movie. And it was. Nevertheless, what I got in the theatre was probably more entertaining than this film. NOT TO DOWN TALK THIS ACTION FLICK - it was good. But the antics in the seats around me were too much to not divert my attention away from Spock (Zachary Quinto) and Kirk (Chris Pine) at least for a little while. I will focus on two great spectators: 1. The ULTIMATE Trekkies in front of us and 2. The BRAINIAC young Trekkie behind me.

The ULTIMATE TREKKIES were unreal. There were three of them. They knew every quote to the film. They clapped more than they blinked. Their collective hard-on for the film started off painfully annoying and ended leaving me wondering, "Have they seen this movie ten times or have they just seen every episode of the series ten times?"

The BRAINIAC YOUNG TREKKIE had some great play by play: "Saturn is the second largest planet in the Solar System" and "Did you know Gravity would pull Kirk at the speed of 9.8 meters per second per second making him accelerate at an incredible velocity that would make pulling his shoot after dropping this distance from U.S.S. Enterprise nearly impossible?" (Impossible for anyone but Captain Kirk of course). I couldn't see his face - but I imagined he was just like that little kid in Jerry Maguire. You know the quote, "Did you know the human head weighs eight pounds?" I have often been compared to this little egg head.

But it was these two groups who reminded me who Star Trek is for and why, although I do not hang on Sulu's every word or marvel at Scotty's ability to beam, the show and many films have an incredible power for those more brainy on this Earth. Indeed, J.J. Abrams (LOST) did a great job of mixing the brains of Spock with the braun of Kirk. I only wish there was a cameo from the PRICELINE NEGOTIATOR!

For you Trekkies, I am glad your show has been revived from the shaky-camera, low budget film of the past. Congratulations - after 43 years since your epic show first began - Star Trek might finally be cool.

3 out of 4