Reveiw: Star Trek

I remember when I was 9 years old. A show came on TV that was unlike anything we had seen before. It was the future, but this was believable...we could see this happening. This changed everything. We began to talk seriously about how neat it would be to have your own computer you could go to for answers to any questions, how neat it would be to have a little box you could hold in your hand and communicate with anyone anywhere? I died a little the day they canceled Star Trek. Over the next few years there were rumors and rumblings that they would bring it back to TV or make it a major motion picture (believe me, in those days it was tough to keep up with those rumors). Finally by about 1977, cars/girls/High School later, along comes this little movie that no one knew anything about that changed our world again, this time forever. Now it was obvious even to the dumb a$$e$ that run the entertainment business what fans had been trying to tell them for years: people were desperate for this stuff. Well, over the next couple of decades our cup raneth over with Ep V-VI-I-II-III, VeeGER, Kahn, Death, Resurrection, Whales, Countries, Generations, Space Stations and Voyagers (never got warm and fuzzy about Enterprise). By this time the keepers of the Katra had grown either bored or tired because they were just throwing crap and hoping it would stick to the screen. Then, about 2005 rumors started again about a new direction and a fresh idea to reconsile everything for those who had grown up with it and address a major complaint of many that if you hadn't followed everything you couldn't enjoy the latest offereing. It's been a long hard road, with weekly trips to Trek Movie the last 4 years to keep up with everything.

The long wait is over and all I can say is Wow. What a fun movie.

(No spoilers) The reports are true: you don't need to know anything about Star Trek or be a fan of the stories and characters to enjoy this movie...it stands on it's own, a true and clean new start. It's a busy movie...lots going on, action literally from the first seconds, lots of characters to meet. If I had to compare this to anything I'd say this does for Star Trek what Batman Begins did for that franchise.

There are 2 sequels planed by this team. Here's hoping the next will be like Dark Knight and be even better than this first fantastic story.

Thank you, J.J. Abrams for such a wonderful gift. It struck me last night as the end credits rolled. I looked at my daughter and saw the same wonder in her eyes that I had 40 years and last night ago in my own: things have come full circle and it is good.

Now, the circle would be complete if we could just convince George to let someone help breathe a little fresh air into his world...then I think he would be ready to tackle Episode VII-VIII-IX.