star trek 2009 movie review

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“Star Trek” as a concept has voyaged far beyond science fiction and into the safe waters of space opera, but that doesn’t amaze me. The Gene Roddenberry years, when stories might play with questions of science, ideals or philosophy, have been replaced by stories reduced to loud and colorful action. Like so many franchises, it’s more concerned with repeating a successful formula than going boldly where no “Star Trek” has gone before.

The 2009 “Star Trek” film goes back eagerly to where “Star Trek” began, using time travel to explain a cast of mostly the same characters, only at a younger point in their lives, sailing the Starship Enterprise. As a story idea, this is sort of brilliant and saves on invention, because young Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, Scotty and the rest channel their later selves. The child is father to the man, or the Vulcan, and all that.

Don’t get me wrong. This is fun. And when Leonard Nimoy himself returns as the aged Spock, encountering another Spock ( Zachary Quinto ) as a young man, I was kind of delighted, although as is customary in many sci-fi films, nobody is as astonished as they should be. Holy moly! Time travel exists, and this may be me! It’s more like a little ambiguous dialogue is exchanged, and they’re off to battle the evil Romulan Capt. Nero ( Eric Bana ).

Time travel as we all know, is impossible in the sense it happens here, but many things are possible in this film. Anyone with the slightest notion of what a black hole is, or how it behaves, will find the black holes in “Star Trek” hilarious. The logic is also a little puzzling when Scotty can beam people into another ship in outer space, but they have to physically parachute to land on a platform in the air from which the Romulans are drilling a hole to the Earth’s core. After they land there, they fight with two Romulan guards, using ... fists and swords? The platform is suspended from Arthur C. Clark’s “space elevator,” but instead of fullerenes, the cable is made of metallic chunks the size of refrigerators.

But stop me before I get started. I mention these details only to demonstrate that the movie raises its yo-yo finger to the science, while embracing the fiction. Apart from details from the youths of the characters and the Spock reunion, it consists mostly of encounters between the Enterprise and the incomparably larger and much better armed Romulan spaceship from the future. It’s encouraging to learn that not even explosions and fires can quickly damage a starship. Also that lifeboats can save the crew, despite the vast distance from home base.

That would be because of warp speed, which for present purposes consists of looking through an unnecessary window at bright lights zapping past. This method of transportation prevents any sense of wonder at the immensity of outer space and is a convenience not only for the starship but also for the screenwriters, who can push a button and zap to the next scene. The concept of using warp speed to escape the clutches of a black hole seems like a recycling of the ancient dilemma of the rock and the hard place.

But there are affecting character moments. Young Spock is deliberately taunted in hopes he will, as a Vulcan, betray emotion. Because Zachary Quinto plays him as a bit of a self-righteous prig, it’s satisfying to see him lose it. Does poor young Spock realize he faces a lifetime of people trying to get a rise out of him? Nimoy, as the elderly Spock, must have benefitted, because he is the most human character in the film.

Chris Pine , as James Tiberius Kirk, appears first as a hot-rodding rebel who has found a Corvette in the 23rd century and drives it into the Grand Canyon. A few years after he’s put on suspension by the Academy and smuggled on board the Enterprise by Bones McCoy ( Karl Urban ), he becomes the ship’s captain. There are times when the command deck looks like Bring Your Child to School Day, with the kid sitting in daddy’s chair.

Uhura ( Zoe Saldana ) seems to have traveled through time to the pre-feminist 1960s, where she found her miniskirt and go-go boots. She seems wise and gentle and unsuited to her costume. Scotty ( Simon Pegg ) seems to have begun life as a character in a Scots sitcom. Eric Bana’s Nero destroys whole planets on the basis of faulty intelligence, but the character is played straight and is effective.

The special effects are slam-bam. Spatial relationships between spaceships are unclear because the Romulan ship and the Enterprise have such widely unmatched scales. Battles consist primarily of jump-suited crew members running down corridors in advance of smoke, sparks and flames. Lots of verbal commands seem implausibly slow. Consider, at light warp speeds, how imprecise it would be to say “At my command ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...” Between “2” and “1,” you could jump a million galaxies.

I thought about these things during “Star Trek” because I could not help myself. I understand the Star Trek science has never been intended as plausible. I understand this is not science fiction but an Ark movie using a starship. I understand that the character types are as familiar as your favorite slippers. But the franchise has become much of a muchness. The new movie essentially intends to reboot the franchise with younger characters and carry on as before. The movie deals with narrative housekeeping. Perhaps the next one will engage these characters in a more challenging and devious story, one more about testing their personalities than re-establishing them. In the meantime, you want space opera, you got it.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Star Trek (2009)

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence, and brief sexual content

127 minutes

Chris Pine as James Tiberius Kirk

Zachary Quinto as Spock

Leonard Nimoy as Spock Prime

Eric Bana as Capt. Nero

Bruce Greenwood as Capt. Christopher Pike

Zoe Saldana as Uhura

John Cho as Sulu

Anton Yelchin as Chekov

Ben Cross as Sarek

Winona Ryder as Amanda Grayson

Chris Hemsworth as George Kirk

Jennifer Morrison as Winona Kirk

Directed by

J. J. Abrams

Screenplay by

Roberto Orci
Alex Kurtzman

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Movie Review | 'Star Trek'

A Franchise Goes Boldly Backward

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By Manohla Dargis

May 7, 2009

A bright, shiny blast from a newly imagined past, “Star Trek,” the latest spinoff from the influential television show, isn’t just a pleasurable rethink of your geek uncle’s favorite science-fiction series. It’s also a testament to television’s power as mythmaker, as a source for some of the fundamental stories we tell about ourselves, who we are and where we came from. The famous captain (William Shatner, bless his loony lights) and creator (Gene Roddenberry, rest in peace) may no longer be on board, but the spirit of adventure and embrace of rationality that define the show are in full swing, as are the chicks in minis and kicky boots.

Initially appearing in 1966, the original “Star Trek” is a utopian fantasy of the first order, a vision of the enlightened future in which whites, blacks, Asians and one poker-faced Vulcan are united by their exploratory mission (“to boldly go”), a prime directive (no intervention) and the occasional dust-up. An origin story directed with a sure touch and perfect tone by J. J. Abrams, the fully loaded film — a showcase for big-studio hardware, software, muscled boys who can act and leggy girls who aren’t required to — turns back the narrative clock to the moment before the main characters first assembled on the deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise, a sleek spacecraft that invariably sails into intergalactic storms. Even utopia needs a little bang.

Apparently so do franchise reboots, which explains why the movie opens with a loud, somewhat chaotic scene filled with fireballs, airborne bodies, heroically clenched male jaws and a squawking pregnant woman about to pop out the future James Tiberius Kirk. Born in space (well, a shuttle craft), Kirk is destined to return to its embracing darkness. (Future “Trek” scholars will be working the Oedipal angle hard.) But this being an origin story, first there’s a peek at a boy (Jimmy Bennett as the young Kirk) tearing down an Iowa highway in a stolen hot rod, a paradigmatic character moment that’s juxtaposed with images of a young brainiac (Jacob Kogan as the wee Spock) problem-solving with intelligence and a few punches.

Kirk and Spock don’t meet in person until they’re adults — now played by Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto — at Starfleet Academy, which, in keeping with the show’s liberal leanings, is in San Francisco. At school Kirk flirts with Uhura (Zoë Saldana), a hot number who coolly brushes him off, and makes friends with a doctor, Leonard McCoy, a k a Bones (Karl Urban, wild-eyed and funny). Kirk also comes smack up against Spock, an officious instructor. In the tradition of many great romances, the two men take almost an instant dislike to each other, an antagonism that literalizes the Western divide between the mind (Spock) and body (Kirk) that gives the story emotional and dramatic force as well as some generous laughs.

Those laughs never slide into mockery. Mr. Abrams doesn’t treat “Star Trek” as a sacred text, which would be deadly for everyone save the fanatics. But neither does he skewer a pop cultural classic that, more than 40 years after its first run, has been so lampooned (it feels like there are more “South Park” parodies than original episodes) it was difficult to see how he was going to give it new life. By design or accident, he has, simply because in its hopefulness “Star Trek” reminds you that there’s more to science fiction (and Hollywood blockbusters) than nihilism. Mr. Abrams doesn’t venture into politics as boldly as Mr. Roddenberry sometimes did, though it’s worth noting he does equate torture with barbarism.

The barbarians here are the Romulans, who at one point in television time used to look a lot like Spock, but here resemble a Maori motorcycle gang complete with facial tattoos and Goth threads. Led by the glowering psychopath Nero (Eric Bana, an actor who knows how to take villainy seriously), the Romulans are mainly on hand to provoke the Starfleet cadets into space. There Mr. Abrams shows off some expensive-looking special effects, including an enemy warship that, with its enormous, grasping tendrils, by turns resembles a monstrous jellyfish and a malignantly blooming flower. The film comes down on the side of hope, but its apocalyptic interludes, including the image of a planet imploding into gray dust, collapsing like a desiccated piece of fruit, linger.

Despite these visions, the flashing lasers and latex aliens, “Star Trek” is fundamentally about two men engaged in a continuing conversation about civilizations and their discontents. Hot and cold, impulsive and tightly controlled, Kirk and Spock need each other to work, a dynamic Mr. Abrams captures with his two well-balanced leads. Mr. Quinto lets you see and hear the struggle between the human and the Vulcan in Spock through the emotions that ripple across his face and periodically throw off his unmodulated phrasing. Mr. Pine has the harder job — he has to invoke Mr. Shatner’s sui generis performance while transcending its excesses — which makes his nuanced interpretation all the more potent. Steering clear of outright imitation, the two instead distill the characters to capture their essence, their Kirk-ness and Spock-ness.

Written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the story has plenty of chatter, but Mr. Abrams keeps the talk moving, slowing down only intermittently, as when Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood) or the wryly smiling Leonard Nimoy (!) unload some paternalistic advice on Kirk. A television veteran (“Lost”), Mr. Abrams handles the action scenes better than he did in his only other big-screen outing (“Mission: Impossible III”), largely by not lavishing too much time on them. By far his finest moments take place on the brightly lighted deck of the Enterprise, where against the backdrop of limitless space, Kirk, Spock and the rest of the young crew fumble with roles that — much like the young actors playing them, including Anton Yelchin as Chekov and John Cho as Sulu — they ultimately and rather wonderfully make their own.

“Star Trek” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). Some intense but bloodless action.

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Star Trek reignites a classic franchise with action, humor, a strong story, and brilliant visuals, and will please traditional Trekkies and new fans alike. Read critic reviews

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Aboard the USS Enterprise, the most-sophisticated starship ever built, a novice crew embarks on its maiden voyage. Their path takes them on a collision course with Nero (Eric Bana), a Romulan commander whose mission of vengeance threatens all mankind. If humanity would survive, a rebellious young officer named James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and a coolly logical Vulcan named Spock (Zachary Quinto) must move beyond their rivalry and find a way to defeat Nero before it is too late.

Rating: PG-13 (Sci-Fi Action|Brief Sexual Content|Violence)

Genre: Sci-fi, Adventure, Action, Fantasy

Original Language: English

Director: J.J. Abrams

Producer: J.J. Abrams , Damon Lindelof

Writer: Roberto Orci , Alex Kurtzman

Release Date (Theaters): May 7, 2009 wide

Rerelease Date (Theaters): Sep 8, 2023

Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013

Box Office (Gross USA): $257.7M

Runtime: 2h 6m

Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Production Co: Bad Robot

View the collection: Star Trek

Cast & Crew

James T. Kirk

Zachary Quinto

Leonard Nimoy

Spock Prime

Bruce Greenwood

Capt. Christopher Pike

Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy

Zoe Saldana

Montgomery "Scotty" Scott

Anton Yelchin

Winona Ryder

Amanda Grayson

Chris Hemsworth

George Kirk

Jennifer Morrison

Winona Kirk

Rachel Nichols

Faran Tahir

Capt. Robau

Clifton Collins Jr.

J.J. Abrams

Roberto Orci

Screenwriter

Alex Kurtzman

Damon Lindelof

Executive Producer

Jeffrey Chernov

Michael Giacchino

Original Music

Cinematographer

Maryann Brandon

Film Editing

Mary Jo Markey

Scott Chambliss

Production Design

Michael Kaplan

Costume Design

Keith P. Cunningham

Supervising Art Direction

Art Director

Dennis Bradford

Luke Freeborn

Beat Frutiger

News & Interviews for Star Trek

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Critic Reviews for Star Trek

Audience reviews for star trek.

Thanks to sleek direction and a strong script, Star Trek is the true definition of a blockbuster - managing to both satisfy longtime fans while appealing to all demographics with fun and intense action with some of the best visual effects ever put to screen.

It came as a shock to many people when it was announced that Paramount Pictures would make a new "Star Trek" movie that would reboot the franchise. But when the movie came out, pretty much everybody agreed that it was pretty good. This movie is awesome! J.J. Abrams managed to make a movie with some incredible acting and a really good story. The new actors were all pretty good and, of course, Leonard Nimoy who returned to play the older version of Spock proved that he still got it. The weaknesses of this movie are the visual effects when it comes to the creatures and then the villain who is incredibly weak. I didn't think that they had gave him a good reason for him to do what it is that he does. However, I still love this movie and I can't wait to see where this franchise will be going.

Plenty Star Trek super fans stand by the notion that the rebooted/re-imagination that J.J. Abrams brought us in 2009 should not be considered canon or even a part of the franchise. I tend to believe Abrams did right by the franchise's history and pathed the correct way to take the series. That's not to say the film doesn't ask its audience to take some leaps of faith, they certainly do. Beginning with an entirely new cast of actors playing iconic characters. Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Simon Pegg, and the late Anton Yelchin surrounded the film with impressive young talent. Luckily, they all fit right in with the actors who previously played the crew of the Starship Enterprise, while also bringing a fresh new face to the front of the franchise. Much like 2015's The Force Awakens, J.J. Abrams took a relatively simple and safe approach to revamping the series with Star Trek. Take the villain for example, Nero, he's a vengeful leader of a race who demands payback against those who wronged him. In this case those people are one, in Spock. Though Eric Bana is unrecognizable and quite good as Nero, he's sort of an antagonist doing antagonistic things just so that Kirk and Spock can have something to overcome. As it is a reimagining of sorts for the crew, we get to see Spock, Kirk, and even Uhura in places we've never seen them, both physically and emotionally. I particularly enjoyed the much more involved Uhura, though I'm not sure she needed to have a romantic relationship with Spock. But it does also provide us with a more unplugged version of Spock, though obviously still emotionally guarded. In all, the characters still feel like the same old Enterprise characters from the old films and series, just with a fresh spin. And that's okay Trek fans. Of course, there are quite a few gaps in the storytelling. After a highly emotional beginning with a great expanded cameo from Chris Hemsworth (up and comer at the time), I don't think the film ever reaches those gut punching heights, so from that angle, the film doesn't necessarily succeed. At other times, events happen that aren't explained well enough and warrant perhaps too much suspension of disbelief. With that said, once Leonard Nimoy steps into the film, everything begins to make a bit more sense and the entire film takes a leap forward in quality as well. It just takes a little bit to get to that point. This Star Trek reboot is far from perfect, but it's certainly nowhere near the 'dismal' quality some 'Trekkies' deem it. +The Kirk and Spock relationship is the krux of the story +Uhura's role amped up +J.J. reinvigorated the series -Some conveniences -Never hits the emotional heights of the first segment 8.0/10

This was a very very very smart way to reboot the franchise, especially with concern to using the characters from the original series. Very effective job by the actors. Zachary Quinto steals the show as "the new timeline Spock." It's amazing, the script that this team of writers can put together when directed by a quality director (they also wrote the first Transformers).

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Star Trek (2009)

Genre(s): Science Fiction, Action, Adventure Paramount | PG13 – 126 min. – $47.99 | June 14, 2016

Date Published: 06/23/2016 | Author: The Movieman

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Movie Review: Star Trek (2009)

General Disdain
Movie Reviews
9 responses
--> May 6, 2009

I didn’t think I would ever say it this is my lifetime, but it looks like the science fiction obsessed, dressing up and convention going social outcasts known as Trekkies are now getting their due. J.J. Abrams has finally dropped Star Trek into the theaters, a movie which may be the most highly anticipated reboot in years ( James Bond and Batman had restarts that were salivated over by their fan bases too).

It was no small task either. Abrams and the writing duo of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (responsible for Transformers ) deserve the utmost credit for what was, no doubt, an incredibly tedious developmental process. They needed to create a movie that kept true to the source so as to not alienate the existing rabid fans, while at the same time reinvigorating it to draw in new movie-goers. A lot can go wrong with this scenario and, increduously, they’ve walked the tightrope without falling.

It all starts with an intense, 15-minute space battle between the U.S.S. Kelvin, commanded by George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth), and the Narada, a Romulan warship helmed by the Khan-like Nero (Eric Bana). It ends poorly for the good guys, but is surely puts a taste for more in our mouths, especially when Nero scampers off in wait of his real target . . .

At the same moment, a skirt chasing James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is contemplating his next move and ultimately decides, at the behest of Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the Starfleet Academy. He eventually finds himself on the majestic and technically awe inspiring U.S.S. Enterprise with fellow cadets: Spock (Zachary Quinto), Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Sulu (John Cho) and Chekov (Anton Yelchin). It’s all fun — Kirk wants to get friendly with Uhura (who wouldn’t) — and “friendly” competition — Kirk and Spock each look to one up each other — until Pike goes down and they’re forced into action.

There is no shortage of action or adventure in Star Trek but what was a most unexpected treat was at how well the two main roles were defined and acted out. Kirk, played extremely well by relative unknown Pine, gets to show off multiple facets of his character as he matures — cocky, uncaring playboy to daring, resolved leader. Spock, played just as well by Quinto, is especially complex as he deals with internal anger stemming from his half-blood roots. The two believably portray contempt and ultimately admiration for each other, as if this is the fourth installment they’ve starred in together and they’ve been through it a thousand times. The rest of the crew do a good job (some more so than others), albeit, mostly for well placed tension breakers with humor or sexual innuendos. I suspect, and hope, they’ll play a larger part in upcoming sequels. Adding Leonard Nimoy in as future Spock was a great touch too.

But how dare I simply gloss over the effects and action. The ships are modeled with great precision and it was good to see the U.S.S. Enterprise looking better than ever. Future San Francisco with its towering towers is a civil engineers wet dream. The fight and chase sequences are jam-packed and well choreographed. The explosions are big and many. The film starts off with a bang and rarely slows down enough for you to catch your breath; J.J. Abrams knew what this franchise needed and delivered it.

Although I tend to cringe into the fetal position when I see or hear the words “reboot”, “remake” or “retelling” attached to a movie (they usually signify the lack of creative juices in Hollywood), even I felt the Star Trek franchise needed a new beginning. Star Trek is a great start over. So much so that I even look forward to the sequel due in 2011.

I'm an old, miserable fart set in his ways. Some of the things that bring a smile to my face are (in no particular order): Teenage back acne, the rain on my face, long walks on the beach and redneck women named Francis. Oh yeah, I like to watch and criticize movies.

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'Movie Review: Star Trek (2009)' have 9 comments

May 6, 2009 @ 11:14 pm Gaviin

Thanks for the nice review. I’m anxious to see this.

May 7, 2009 @ 9:55 pm Ray

I’ve never been much of a Star Trek fan but with all the positive reviews, I think I’m going to have to check this out over the weekend!

May 10, 2009 @ 4:01 am Nomad

I dare say this new Capt. James T. Kirk is a more accurate embodiment of all that is Capt. James T. Kirk (better than the original)

May 10, 2009 @ 6:22 am Cohen

I’d go further than the previous commenter – this movie is better than the orginal Star Trek.

This is what Gene Roddenberry envisioned.

May 11, 2009 @ 5:39 pm O'Neel

I wouldn’t exactly say Spock and Kirk go through a friendly competition considering Spock tries to get Kirk thrown out the Academy and beats his ass..

May 12, 2009 @ 9:44 pm BlaznXazn

Love it! Saw it at the IMAX. Well worth it! Saw it a second time with friends who couldn’t make it to the IMAX, not as good, but still really good. Action! Lots of it!

July 8, 2009 @ 11:48 am Rosie

After second viewing, I came to the realization that STAR TREK is one of the most badly written movies I have seen in years. Very disappointing.

August 11, 2009 @ 2:13 pm Alone?

Why does everyone love this movie? I wanted to like it. I tried HARD to like it. It looked good, it sounded good, the characters and acting were good. The story was STUPID. I suspended disbelief as long as I possibly could, but please… Kirk gets beamed onto a random planet, chased by a pointless monster that should have caught him in 3 steps, falls into a cave… and happens to bump into… Spock?!?!? Who then explains the convoluted and ridiculous plot to him?!?! And the bad guy was 2 dimensional and silly; “I’m going to travel back in time and make Spock watch his planet explode??? Really??? That was his plan??? The space scenes looked cool, but the bridge of the Enterprise looked like a health spa. And the Enterprise has a water slide now??? A good start at reviving Star Trek. Go ahead and add all the action you want, change the rules, alter history… FINE; but next time try to have it make sense.

March 31, 2012 @ 10:00 am Jackrabbit Media

Probably one of my favorite installments, liked your review. I think I enjoyed this version more than any of the others.

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Common sense media reviewers.

Classic franchise gets new life; OK for older kids.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Even with its sci-fi action and occasional flirty

Almost every character in the film puts aside some

The sci-fi military-style action violence is plent

Some suggestive talk and kissing; two female chara

Some language throughout including "arse" (in the

The movie is set in the 24th century, but somehow

Characters drink beer, wine, and hard liquor, some

Positive Messages

Even with its sci-fi action and occasional flirty sexuality, the movie has positive, welcome messages about individual responsibility, collective accomplishment, institutional tradition, and working for the greater good.

Positive Role Models

Almost every character in the film puts aside something -- regret, pain, selfishness -- for the ultimate mission, with teamwork as its own reward. Zoe Saldana's Uhura is a strong female role model. Good cast diversity.

Violence & Scariness

The sci-fi military-style action violence is plentiful but not especially bloody. At one point, an entire planet (with a population in the billions) is destroyed. The crews of various starships are pummeled by explosions, struck with torpedoes, sucked out of hull breaches into space, and generally assaulted. A character is impaled with a sharp-ended staff; another falls to her death; another receives several harsh pummelings. Some fistfights. Humanoid aliens are shot close-up; a monstrous beast threatens a character.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Some suggestive talk and kissing; two female characters are seen in their underwear. An underwear-clad couple makes out on a bed, though it initially seems like they're having sex. There's a joke about "farm boys having sex with animals."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Some language throughout including "arse" (in the context of kicking), "damn," "ass," "hell," "oh my God," "bulls--t," "goddamn," and "whore." One clear (though not particularly noticeable) use of "f--king" in the lyrics of a Beastie Boys song played during a scene.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

The movie is set in the 24th century, but somehow Nokia and Budweiser manage to make appearances.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Characters drink beer, wine, and hard liquor, sometimes to excess.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that although this slick, upbeat sci-fi adventure isn't much more violent than the earlier Star Trek movies , there's a heightened feel that gives Star Trek a little bit more edge. While the action is (mostly) bloodless, it's also intense; expect lots of fights, battles, and hand-to-hand combat. At one point, the villains destroy an entire planet of humanoid aliens. Some of the comic relief scenes have a flirty, playful sense of sexuality (Kirk has always been a ladies' man), but that's balanced by the mature depiction of a relationship. There's also a bit of language ("bulls--t," etc.) and some drinking. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

Parents say (82)
Kids say (127)

Based on 82 parent reviews

Star Trek 2009

Good film for adults, what's the story.

Re-starting the Star Trek franchise from its very foundations, STAR TREK begins as a time-travelling bad guy comes from a far-flung future to the early days of the Trek universe. Seeking to avenge a future tragedy, unstuck-in-time villain Nero ( Eric Bana ) attacks the very foundations of the Federation, including Vulcan and Earth. The only ship that can stop him, the Enterprise , is in the hands of untested Starfleet officers Spock ( Zachary Quinto ), McCoy ( Karl Urban ), and a rebel who just barely made it on board, James T. Kirk ( Chris Pine ).

Is It Any Good?

Rocketing at warp speed without ever slowing down, J.J. Abrams directs this reboot as a smart, speedy thrill ride that doesn't indulge in nostalgia for its own sake. Star Trek welcomes newcomers while still delivering every moment fans might want from of the crew of the Enterprise . Quinto and Pine are both excellent in their own right and also have a real chemistry between them, while Zoe Saldana turns the thankless role of communications expert Uhura into a vital part of the story.

The film isn't perfect -- there are a few minor missteps -- but at the same time, it's also lovingly made, speedily paced, and completely aware of its job: to entertain audiences without leaning too heavily on speeches or sadness, opting instead to deliver action, adventure, and (perhaps a little too much) comedy. Still, in an era when too many summer blockbusters think they can get away with being dumb by claiming to be "fun," it's a pleasure to see a movie as well-made, clever, and charming as this actually seem to want to earn our money by putting on a real show.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the enduring appeal of Star Trek -- what makes people become such faithful fans? Why do you think the studio decided to make a new version? How does it compare to the older movies and TV shows?

Talk about revenge, which is a major theme in the film. Ask kids whether it's ever justified to hurt others in the name of revenge. How much of the movie's violence can be traced back to that motivation? How much impact does it have compared to the violence in other action movies? Why?

There is a good amount of diversity in the cast, both mirroring and improving on the original series . Why does having diverse media role models matter?

How do the characters in Star Trek demonstrate teamwork ? Why is this an important character strength?

Movie Details

In theaters : May 8, 2009
On DVD or streaming : November 17, 2009
Cast : Chris Pine , Eric Bana , Zachary Quinto
Director : J.J. Abrams
Inclusion Information : Gay actors
Studio : Paramount Pictures
Genre : Science Fiction
Topics : Adventures , Space and Aliens
Character Strengths : Teamwork
Run time : 126 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : sci-fi action and violence, and brief sexual content
Last updated : March 3, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Review by Brian Eggert May 7, 2009

Since the 1960s, Star Trek has continued to reshape how we understand the space opera. And with the sharp mind of director J.J. Abrams at the helm of the latest film in Gene Roddenberry’s franchise, simply titled Star Trek , the creator’s concept once again becomes an immovable force in pop culture iconography. But now it’s just a helluva lot more fun. Abrams’ picture races onto the screen and seems to end almost as fast as it begins, despite the just-over-two-hour running time. It leaves us so completely entertained on a level of cinematic escapism, while on another level, it keeps us emotionally invested in otherwise timeworn characters. The exceptional thing about Abrams’ reimagining of the series, beyond being at once smart and more engaging than most other blockbusters, is that his film renews the franchise without starting from scratch. Like Ouroboros, it begins where Roddenberry’s original strain left off and reprocesses from there.

Allow me to explain. The basic idea behind Abrams’ film is to revisit the adventures of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, and the other members of the original Enterprise crew, but also not ignore the stories already told in the numerous films and shows that came before. The immediate concern with a Star Trek revamp that keeps the continuity of the franchise thus far, but somehow starts over, is how to make the new product feel modern for today’s audiences, even though the original television show may seem dated and campy to contemporary audiences. Moreover, how can Abrams set his film prior to everything we’ve seen in the series, but also ensure that it looks better than anything the series has had to offer thus far? This is a natural apprehension, one that cannot be resolved given the technological advances in moviemaking and special effects since the series began. So in this regard, fans must simply accept that a film made in 2009 will look better than Roddenberry’s show from the 1960s.

The story begins by twisting time to restart the Trek-verse from a precise point in the known timeline and then reinvents from there. The McGuffin used restarts the characters we’re already familiar with, and if you’re not familiar with them, even better. An embittered Romulan miner, named Nero (Eric Bana), is inadvertently sent one hundred-plus years back in time, arriving, conveniently, just about where the future Captain Kirk is born. Nero, hungry for revenge against an aged Spock (Leonard Nimoy) from his era, attacks the Federation Starfleet ship carrying Kirk’s father (Chris Hemsworth), who, in turn, sacrifices himself to save his family. Since the timeline changes with Nero’s arrival and the death of Kirk’s father, the change allows for the characters within to grow in ways that innovate, and yet complement what we know.

Charismatic actor Chris Pine eventually appears as the young, brash James Tiberius Kirk, who desperately hopes to live up to the memory of his father and becomes a Starfleet cadet. We’re forced to wonder how the absence of a strong father figure would alter Kirk’s personality. As it turns out, it makes him even more reckless and foolhardy. Meanwhile, the young half-Vulcan, half-human named Spock, played by Zachary Quinto, struggles to balance his two sides. Does he embrace his human emotions or Vulcan logic? He’s tested when all Starfleet cadets are called into active duty because Nero’s ship is attacking the Vulcan home planet. Now we must wonder how the emotionally scarring loss of Spock’s home planet will change him. For reasons best left to the story’s explanation, Nero wants to see all Starfleet wiped out of space and time, the latter evidently being the true final frontier . And though Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) commands the Enterprise at first, after confronting Nero, Kirk ultimately takes Pike’s place in the captain’s chair.

Each beloved character is given their full due within their respective scenes, and the actors playing them are only bettered by their predecessors, if at all. John Cho makes a solid helmsman Sulu and shines during his bravado swordfight sequence. Anton Yelchin enlivens the otherwise bland role of Pavel Chekov, making him humorous and even lovable, while still pronouncing those V s as W s. The role of Uhura was improved by Zoe Saldana, giving her some flirtatious scenes with Kirk, and elsewhere an emotional ground to stand on, namely Spock. And not appearing until halfway through but nearly stealing the show, Simon Pegg’s performance as Scotty is just as lively and hilarious as the actor’s fans might expect while staying true to his role’s handyman nature.

Though the characters have always supplied the franchise’s dynamism, the effects here make for splendid visuals—bursting with phasers and photon torpedoes and wild spatial anomalies. There’s always something stunning onscreen, from alien monsters to dizzying spaceship designs. It’s a visual playground. Light sources have a natural sheen thanks to lens flares, and during space scenes, they remind us how planets reflect the sun’s rays. Abrams brings the series alive through these effects, leaving behind the television shows’ roots and occasionally low budgets of the previous films, thanks in part to the reported $150 million Paramount Pictures entrusted to him to generate success. Their investment was a sound one.

As with almost everything Abrams touches, from Lost to Cloverfield , the result is presented in an intelligent but always entertaining way that never ceases to involve the audience. While not exploring the scientific theory, existential philosophy, or social commentaries like some of the headier Star Trek films and episodes, Abrams exhilarates on a basic level that will draw general audiences back into Roddenberry’s world, universe, and space-time continuum. The film is an icebreaker, ensnaring us via elaborate effects and a fast-moving scenario, so we cannot resist anticipating inevitable sequels, as well as the evident pull of the characters and the actors portraying them.

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star trek (2009)

The greatest adventure of all time begins with "Star Trek," the incredible story of a young crew's maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind. The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before!

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TAGGED AS: films , movies , television , TV

For Star Trek Day, we decided to have a look at how all of the Star Trek films and TV shows across the entire universe rank together. Interestingly, the most recent entry in the franchise came out on top. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds — led by Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Number One, and Ethan Peck as Science Officer Spock — boasts two Certified Fresh seasons at 99% and 97% on the Tomatometer. Not too bad for the youngster of a franchise whose history goes back 57 years to its inception with the original Star Trek series created by Gene Roddenberry.

Related: • Star Trek TV Series Ranked by Tomatometer • All Star Trek Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

It’s worth noting that while SNW has a 98% average Tomatometer on 84 reviews across two seasons, the 2009 reboot film Star Trek in the No. 2 position is Certified Fresh on 356 reviews. Some might argue that the film’s volume of reviews makes it the top title, but if we want to start nitpicking on the franchise level, the series also represents 57 hours of programming compared to the film’s 2 hours and 7 minutes. Perhaps the audience score can settle the debate: a 78% average for the series versus 91% for the film. And should No. 3, The Animated Series , even be counted with its relatively meager 18 reviews?

And no “probably” about it, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is officially — by Tomatometer standards anyway — the worst of the franchise.

What do you think? Tell us which is your favorite Star Trek movie or series in the comments.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022) 98%

Star Trek (2009) 94%

Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973) 94%

Star Trek: Prodigy (2021) 94%

Star Trek: First Contact (1996) 93%

Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020) 92%

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) 92%

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) 91%

Star Trek: Picard (2020) 89%

Star Trek Beyond (2016) 86%

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) 87%

Star Trek: Discovery (2017) 86%

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) 84%

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) 83%

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) 82%

Star Trek (1966) 80%

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) 78%

Star Trek: Voyager (1995) 76%

Star Trek: Enterprise (2001) 56%

Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) 55%

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) 53%

Star Trek Generations (1994) 48%

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) 38%

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) 21%

Star Trek movies and series can be viewed by subscription on Paramount+ , and purchased on demand on Vudu , Prime Video , Apple TV , and elsewhere.

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The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.
On the day of James T. Kirk's birth, his father dies on his damaged starship in a last stand against a Romulan mining vessel looking for Ambassador Spock, who in this time, has grown on Vulcan disdained by his neighbors for his half-human heritage. 25 years later, James T. Kirk has grown into a young rebellious troublemaker. Challenged by Captain Christopher Pike to realize his potential in Starfleet, he comes to annoy academy instructors like Commander Spock. Suddenly, there is an emergency on Vulcan and the newly-commissioned USS Enterprise is crewed with promising cadets like Nyota Uhura, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov and even Kirk himself, thanks to Leonard McCoy's medical trickery. Together, this crew will have an adventure in the final frontier where the old legend is altered forever as a new version of the legend begins. — Paramount Pictures
When a Romulan mining vessel attacks the USS Kelvin, Lt. George Kirk substitutes his captain, who goes to meet the Romulan captain on his vessel to negotiate a ceasefire. He orders the evacuation of the damaged starship, including his wife who goes into labor giving birth to their son James Kirk, and crashes the Kelvin against the vessel. Aboard the USS Enterprise, the most sophisticated starship ever constructed, a novice crew embarks on its maiden voyage. Their path takes them on a collision course with Nero, the Romulan captain from the future whose mission of vengeance threatens the Federation. Once humanity would survive, rebellious young officer James T. Kirk and coolly logical Vulcan officer Spock must move beyond their rivalry and find a way to stop Nero before he destroys Earth. — Blazer346
In 2233, the Federation star ship USS Kelvin is investigating a "lightning storm" in space. A Romulan ship, Narada, emerges from the storm and attacks the Kelvin leaving it defenseless. Narada's first officer, Ayel (Clifton Collins, Jr.), demands that Kelvin's Captain Robau (Faran Tahir) come aboard to negotiate a truce. Robau is questioned about the current star date and an "Ambassador Spock", whom he does not recognize. Narada's commander, Nero (Eric Bana), kills him, and resumes attacking the Kelvin. George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth), Kelvin's first officer, orders the ship's personnel, including his pregnant wife Winona (Jennifer Morrison), to abandon ship while he pilots the Kelvin on a collision course with Narada. Kirk sacrifices his life to ensure Winona's survival as she gives birth to James Tiberius Kirk (Chris Pine). Seventeen years later on the planet Vulcan, a young Spock (Zachary Quinto) is accepted to join the Vulcan Science Academy. He has always been taunted as a half human, half Vulcan by his peers and dislikes references to his human mother in anyway. Realizing that the Academy views his human mother, Amanda (Winona Ryder), as a "disadvantage", he joins Starfleet instead. On Earth, Kirk becomes a reckless but intelligent young adult. Following a bar fight with Starfleet cadets accompanying Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Kirk meets Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), who encourages him to enlist in Starfleet Academy ("Your dad was the captain of a star ship for 12 mins and saved 800 lives. I dare you to do better"), where Kirk meets and befriends Doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban) (He lost everything in the divorce, except the bones in his body) Three years later, Commander Spock accuses Kirk of cheating during the Kobayashi Maru simulation. The simulation required cadet captains to face death and protect the crew in a no win scenario, but Kirk cheats and inserts a sub routine to change the scenario and beat it. Kirk argues that cheating was acceptable because the simulation was designed to be unbeatable. Spock argues that Kirk not only cheated but failed to get the most important learning of the simulation that a captain cannot cheat death. The disciplinary hearing is interrupted by a distress signal from Vulcan. With the primary fleet out of range, the cadets are mobilized, with McCoy and Kirk boarding Pike's ship (Kirk is grounded on account of his academic suspension, but McCoy argues that Kirk is his patient and he wont leave for the mission unless he is allowed to bring Kirk along), the Enterprise. Spock considers Uhura as his favorite student and assigns her to the Enterprise. The enterprise is a few minutes late in departing as the new helmsman Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin) & Hikaru Sulu had not released the external inertial dampener and hence the warp drive did not engage. Realizing that the "lightning storm" observed near Vulcan (shortly after which Vulcan was attacked by a Romulan ship and sent a distress signal to Earth) is similar to the one that occurred when he was born, Kirk breaks protocol to convince Pike that the distress signal is a trap. When the Enterprise arrives, they find the fleet destroyed and Narada drilling into Vulcan's core. Narada attacks Enterprise and Pike surrenders, delegating command of the ship to Spock and promoting Kirk to first officer. Kirk, Hikaru Sulu (John Cho), and Chief Engineer Olson (Greg Ellis) perform a space jump onto the drilling platform. While Olson is killed mid-jump, Kirk and Sulu successfully reach and disable the drill, but are unable to stop Nero launching "red matter" into Vulcan's core, forming an artificial black hole that destroys Vulcan. The Enterprise manages to rescue Spock's father, Sarek (Ben Cross), and the high council before the planet's destruction, but not his mother Amanda, who falls to her death before the transporter can properly lock onto her. Out of 6 Bn Vulcans only 10,000 are saved. As Narada moves toward Earth, Nero tortures Pike to gain access to Earth's defense codes. Nero declares his intention to destroy all federation planets, starting from Earth. Uhura is shown to have romantic feelings towards Spock. Spock deduces that the Narada is from the future and has used the black hole technology to create a passage through space time. Nero's presence, beginning with the attack on USS Kelvin has altered the flow of history and created an alternate reality. While in pursuit, Spock maroons Kirk on Delta Vega after he attempts mutiny (Kirk wanted to go after Nero and the Narada, while Spock wants to hook up with the rest of Starfleet in the Laurentian system, as per orders from Captain Pike). On the planet, Kirk encounters an older Spock (from the original time line) (Leonard Nimoy), who explains that he and Nero are from 2387. In the future, Romulus was threatened by a supernova, which Spock attempted to stop with an artificial black hole made of "red matter". However, his plan failed, resulting in Nero's family perishing along with Romulus, while both the Narada and Spock's vessel were caught in the black hole and sent back in time. Spock quickly found they were sent back 25 years apart, during which time Nero attacked the Kelvin, thus changing history and creating a parallel universe. After Spock's arrival, Nero stranded him on Delta Vega to watch Vulcan's destruction as revenge. Reaching a Starfleet outpost on Delta Vega, Kirk and the elder Spock meet Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (Simon Pegg), who helps them by devising a trans-warp beam system, allowing both him and Kirk to beam onto Enterprise while it is travelling at warp speed. Following the elder Spock's advice, Kirk provokes younger Spock into attacking him, forcing Spock to recognize himself as emotionally compromised and relinquish command to Kirk. After talking with Sarek, Spock decides to help Kirk. While Enterprise hides itself within the gas clouds of Titan, Kirk and Spock beam aboard Narada (Uhura reveals her first name is Nyota to Spock). Kirk fights with Nero and Ayel, killing the latter and rescuing Pike, while Spock uses the elder Spock's ship to destroy the drill. Spock leads Narada away from Earth and sets his ship to collide with Nero's ship. Enterprise beams Kirk, Pike, and Spock aboard. The older Spock's ship and Narada collide, igniting the "red matter". Kirk offers Nero help to escape, but Nero refuses, prompting Kirk to give the order to fire, dooming Narada to be consumed in a black hole that Enterprise is only barely able to escape. Kirk is promoted to captain and given command of Enterprise, while Pike is promoted to rear admiral. Spock encounters his older self, who persuades his younger self to continue serving in Starfleet, encouraging him to do, for once, what feels right instead of what is logical. Spock remains in Starfleet, becoming first officer under Kirk's command. Enterprise goes to warp as the elder Spock speaks the "where no one has gone before" monologue.

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Star Trek Trilogy - 4K Blu-ray Review

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This reviewer is a little slow to update to new technologies. When it came time to replace some of my old equipment, I dove deep into the pros and cons of the next (and many say last) generation of home movies: 4K. The pros and cons of yet another format are involved and not a blanket statement. For example, when you hear that a lot of alleged 4K moves are in fact up-scaled lower resolution scans, why you drop extra money for a ‘fake’ 4K disc? Also true, is that most of the high end blockbusters we consume are still rendering their effects at 2K, because it takes forever to render the files. With the boom of physical media well and truly behind the average Joe, the advent of streaming becoming ever more favoured, why even bother going down this rabbit hole?

Having just watched the ‘ Kelvin Universe ’ Star Trek trilogy, I’ll attempt to show you why. This is what the 4K naysayers refer to as a ‘fake’ bunch of discs. IE: they are 2K up-scaled prints with the HDR. It’s HDR you should remember as we go through the movies. The film reviews are simply ported over from theatrical releases, but I’ll go into a bit of the experience of these movies on a modern system and, for the trilogy at least, show why what may be true of some discs isn’t true of all. Come to those of us who are lucky enough to indulge this wonderful pastime, and we’ll try and share our experiences as best we can.

STAR TREK (2009)

Many moons ago a younger version of myself was befriended by a fella in high school that loved Star Trek —REALLY loved it. Having always been a bit cold on the adventures of Kirk and Spock, and thinking the new bald guy in the new Star Trek show ( The Next Generation ) was a cranky old British bastard, it took him some time to bring me around. But my pal’s insistence paid off in the end, and I became an eager consumer of all the Star Trek series/films, etc. More than that, I now share in its appeal to millions of Trekkies/Trekkers/whatever the hell you like to be called, and share your passion.

Why the hell am I telling you this? Well, I am about to go see J.J. Abrams retooling of the original Star Trek characters, and no matter how much I like the creator of Alias and Lost (to name but two of his excellent works) the news that ‘ Star Trek ’ was to be remade did not sit well with me at all—I hated the idea.

Star Trek has proven time and again its legs to continue with new permutations, new characters, and its creator Gene Roddenberry was a forward-thinking man. So what possible reason could there be to rehash what has come before? Apart from the usual money hungry corporate lack of imagination that seems to be plaguing our silver screen in ever-greater volume (and robbing new generations of future classics of its own by unimaginatively re-whatever-ing ours.)

But I digress, in two hours I may have a better answer. Having been quick to reject, slow to come around the first time to ‘ Star Trek’ and its spin offs, I will not make the same mistake twice. See you in two hours.

Back. Well, there’s good news and bad. First the good: Star Trek works like Gangbusters. It’s exciting, fast-paced, has an engaging, emotional story, a powerful antagonist (Australia’s Eric Bana ), breathtaking visuals, unparalleled action, and J.J. Abrams has admirably succeeded in his intention to redefine the series.

This is an origin story for all seven iconic characters (no small task to squeeze into one film), but with Abrams’ pedigree in providing great character development with large ensemble casts—while maintaining an active pace—if anyone was going to pull it off it was him. Without spoiling the story, nor getting bogged down in the multitudes of plots and subplots, this film takes our heroes from youth to the men and woman assigned to the Starship Enterprise that we remember. Any deviation from what was canon before has been answered by the plot (whether you accept it or not is up to you). The fact that they use the legendary Leonard Nimoy to achieve this is a poignant and respectful nod to all that everyone involved wants to honour what has come before them.{googleads}

The actors inhabiting roles vacated by legends after five decades had their work cut out for them, but each and every one of them rises to the task and makes it their own. Karl Urban may be the closest to dangerously imitating his predecessor, but I suspect with another film under his belt, Leonard McCoy will become his own. Chris Pine is an outstanding leading man, has channeled some Harrison Ford into his Kirk, has an incredible sense of comic timing and was a joy to follow.

The bad: The frenetic pacing can get a little overwhelming, with very few moments of calm. There are several plot contrivances that seem a little too convenient, none the least being a cadet becoming a captain rather rapidly. Is it sufficiently explained? Sure. Is it believable? Not really. The trek techno-babble has been stripped to its bare minimum, and, being expounded in moments of crisis, it tends to get a little lost. If the intention of the makers is to make Star Trek more accessible to a wider audience (and they insist that is one of their goals) then more care is needed or the Sci-fi newbies are likely to miss something, or simply lose interest. But by far the most profound negative for this reviewer must be an unsatisfied answer to the question: Was a reboot necessary? With very little tweaking this film would have worked with new characters. Did it have to be Kirk and Spock and Co.? Why must we go back, when we could go forward? Well the answer is IP safety for the studio.

At least, in this era of unrelenting unoriginality, Paramount gave the reigns of a beloved franchise-gone-by to a very talented and respectful creator. If it had to be done, then Star Trek fans the world over can breathe a sigh of relief J.J. Abrams got the gig. Unlike a lot of remakes, this one is worth the time, this one truly has a shot of connecting with a new generation, and this one looks to be the beginning of something fresh and great.

Blu-ray Details:

Star trek (2009) / 4k ultra hd + blu-ray + digital - review.

Star Trek was shot in 35mm, and upscaled to 4K from a 2K scan. This means, if you’re buying the Fake vs Real division it’s a fake. Having just watched it, however, on an 82 inch Samsung QLED, that isn’t all she wrote. The 1080p Blu-ray looks gorgeous on this set also, and would get no complaints from anyone, but the 4K release ups the ante considerably with HDR (High Dynamic Range) and makes everything on the screen pop. Dimension in every scene is sharply and firmly on another level. The colours of the uniforms leap off the screen, with every primary-coloured seam so brilliantly rendered, you feel like you could pull one off the display. JJ’s penchant for lens flare is also emboldened and given more depth in this transfer, as is Quinto’s five o’clock shadow, but by far the greatest sharpening is in the blacks in any scene (and in a movie about space, there’s plenty). You get deeply inky blacks in this picture that go beyond the blacks of the Blu-ray while sharpening its muddy details to full potential. This is an extraordinary looking picture and in no way inferior. Could they do better with a 4K scan? I would be hard pressed to see the difference. Don’t know if Paramount employed any DNR, but the only thing I could see being better, is a truer to source grain detail in the future, should they choose to bother.

A 7.1 DOLBY ATMOS mix that is about as good as it gets, and extremely busy through all channels from the first scene. It’s bold, immersive, thrilling. Dialogue through the centre is crisp and never drowned out by the weighty and constant pounding of the sub and rears. Absolutely first rate stuff.

Supplements:

Commentary :

Special Features:

I got sent the trilogy set, which includes all three movies with the Blu-ray counterpart included and the features of those releases still there. As with most 4K discs these days, (as they take up a whole lot of storage space on a disc) there isn’t anything much. You do get the same commentary track from the Blu-ray.

Blu-ray Rating:

Star trek into darkness (2013).

You could never accuse JJ Abrams of not having courage. Here is a near 50 year-old franchise with more television and cinematic entries than most in the world, with a rich history, and a ravenous and supporting fan base, and he decides to remake it.

2009’s Star Trek was a wake-up call to the world that the adventures of the Starship Enterprise still had some legs, and with a little modernization in pacing and some stripping back of tired old formulas, the film was a roaring success—the most successful Star Trek film ever. So a sequel was a done deal.

Where to go? They had successfully ret-conned the adventures of Kirk and Spock and could take it pretty much wherever they liked. Without getting into spoiler territory, if you thought they had balls last time, the direction they chose this time can only be described with one word: brave.

Jim Kirk and crew roar into the sequel, breaking one of Starfleet’s most sacred mandates. In the aftermath, Kirk is relieved of his command and the crew is split apart. When a 23rd century terrorist by the name of John Harrison begins attacking Starfleet and its personnel, a great loss befalls Kirk. He begs for the chance to redeem himself and bring Harrison to justice for his crimes. But all is not what it seems, and the price will be high for Kirk to learn from his mistakes and to better himself.{googleads}

Let’s go with the good first, because there’s plenty of it. Again, the pacing of this film makes it accessible to anyone. It is a fun, action packed, rollicking good ride through space. The characters, by and large, are established now and the actors playing them have settled in well. Effects are extraordinary again. Music is similar to the last movie, with no standout new themes coming through, but it’s a good continuation of the last flick. There’s great humour again, accessible and relatable characterizations, and a solid continuation of a more humanized, less sterile Star Trek universe.

The bad: the script’s attempts at complexity quite often fall flat or come across as convolution for the sake of it. They show courage in tackling things most Trekkers consider sacred, but I don’t believe it’s successful this time out—too tall an order. I was hoping to see more of Karl Urban ’s McCoy become his own in this one, but he’s really not given that much to do. Not his fault. Benedict Cumberbatch ’s character is full of surprises, but I think he is under-utilized, and considering the big reveal of his character, more screen time was required and a more exciting conclusion warranted. There are some poignant themes that are weakened by essential rehashes of scenes that have come before in other Trek movies: changing the players around doesn’t make it clever. And there are far too many tendrils set up in this film held over for another. Some are great, but it gets beyond a joke.

There is no reason you can’t come to this movie and have a good time. Set your brain to stun, and a visual, engaging feast awaits you. But if you’re at all familiar with Roddenberry’s original conception of Star Trek, this film is lacking it; added to which they gambled on using a Star Trek icon and don’t pull it off. They gave themselves free reign to change anything they want in this universe with the first one. Perhaps they should avoid what’s been done and, next time, ‘go where no man has gone before’.

Star Trek: Into Darkness / 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital - Review

Expecting more of the same gushing about this upscale? You’re not gonna get it—you’re gonna get even more! While this is the weakest movie of the three, it looks even better than the first disc, and I didn’t think that was possible. The reason is that JJ shot some of the wow scenes in IMAX 65mm. That works out to be around 11K of resolution, and the detail at that level—even downscaled to a 2K master and then up-scaled back to 4K—is breathtaking. Although only certain scenes are delivered in the film this way, switching back and forth between 35mm shot scenes is never jarring. By picking his moments, JJ shows every colour, pore, explosion, and shadow with fine grain details that keep you glued. We don’t give half stars at Reel, and apart from a native scan of the camera negative, this is as good as it gets.

FLAWLESS DOLBY ATMOS 7.1 mix. Impeccable and jaw dropping sound. A good one to show off your system’s capabilities.

Same as the other disc. Nothing new and all on the included Blu-ray, not the 4K disc.

STAR TREK BEYOND (2016)

The previous entry in the franchise, Into Darkness , left a sour taste in many people’s mouths. JJ Abrams had decided to jump onto that other little known franchise with Star in the title. There was development and script issues galore, but when all the dust settled, Justin Lin (who had come to great acclaim helming in the Fast and Furious franchise) was chosen to helm the next entry and, they hoped, bring back some good will to the franchise.

It didn’t go to plan.

Star Trek Beyond sees the crew of the Enterprise going about their exploration as normal. Their captain is starting to get itchy feet, and fears atrophy is setting into his current role. Secretly, he’s been looking for other challenges, and has put into effect plans that will see him move on. But before Starfleet starts to consider his proposal, they send Kirk and company off for a rescue mission when escape pods appear and ask for aid to rescue the remainder of their crew from a stranded ship. All, however, is not as it seems, and when the Enterprise arrives at the alleged rescue site, catastrophic events besiege our beloved crew. Their rescue mission becomes a fight for survival and the threat of being stranded themselves—perhaps forever.{googleads}

This catalyst of this story is compelling and what befalls the crew early on is affecting and exhilarating, but what unfurls is an overly complicated reveal of who the main antagonist (wasted Idris Elba ) is, and what his true agenda will be. Elba’s bad guy is a new creation for Trek, had the potential to be something interesting, but the execution of what we learn of him is told in past tense, not shown, and slows down the pacing of the movie. He is also just not that interesting a villain, and, considering the capabilities he’s come to have, reduces his efforts to a fist fight at the end. It’s an underdeveloped character that not even Elba can sell. Sofia Boutella had very interesting make-up and a half way decent character that has more interaction with the main players than anyone. Pine ’s Kirk just seemed far too young and vital to be mentally where he is at the start of this story.

Lin’s kinetic direction is best when he’s given terrestrial scenes. His space battles and the final charge at the end are also good, but Abram ’s hyperactive camera has a different visual and Lin’s lacks his complexity.

There are definite attempts to answer some of the criticisms from fans that these movies weren’t Trek enough, and the camaraderie between the principle actors definitely earns them points, but the sum total of this one, for me, was underwhelming.

I came out of this feeling it was okay but not great. The first of these pictures, narrative wise, gave the chance to do whatever they wanted. Their follow up made the mistake of retreading holy ground and this one stayed so closely to well trodden (and far better executed) Trek tropes that the best I can say is its safe. Inoffensive and decently made, but not compelling the audience to come back for more. They lost an opportunity to make this their own.

Star Trek Beyond / 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital - Review

Beyond, unlike the first two movies, was shot with digital cameras. Paramount didn’t even release the film theatrically at full resolution, due to the amount of effects (all rendered at 2K). This gives the film a sterile and crisp as all get out appearance. Film purists will decree this look as inferior to the detail of actual film stock, but this 2K up-scale is an awesome representation of what was shot. The subject matter kind of compliments this looks in fact. I’m going to take one point off this transfer, because at 4K resolution, every technique used to make this fantasy come alive is slightly more obvious than the previous two movies. I am only guessing, as I am no cinematographer, but I would surmise the blending of layers may be a little less razor sharp in a combination of film stock and digital effects, and therefore hid the magic a teeny, tiny fraction more.

Reference quality. Superb. Another DOLBY ATMOS 7.1 triumphant mix. How many adjectives can one repeat for this set? Have fun with it. Scare the neighbours across town.

CRAP. Again, all the features are on the Blu-ray, not the 4K disc, and are the same as the previous release, which was crap. The struggles of this film’s inception would have made for a compelling documentary, and a 5 minute nod to the late Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin is a pretty insulting effort.

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Star Trek: The Kelvin Timeline / 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital

Home Video Distributor: Paramount Available on Blu-ray - July 15, 2019 Screen Formats: 2.39:1 Subtitles : English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish Audio: English: Dolby Atmos; English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1; French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1; Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1 Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; Nine-disc set Region Encoding: 4K Blu-ray: Region free; 2K Blu-ray: Region A

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Star Trek (2009)

It was the classic “Star Trek” episode “Mirror, Mirror” that first introduced the idea of an alternate reality, like the world we know in many respects, but with key differences. In that episode, it was certainly the Enterprise transporter deck in which Kirk and his team materialized during that fateful ion storm — but one look at Mr. Spock in that goatee, cruelly torturing the transporter operator for his unsatisfactory performance, and it was obvious that this Enterprise wasn’t our Enterprise.

Artistic/Entertainment Value

Moral/spiritual value, age appropriateness, mpaa rating, caveat spectator.

The “mirror universe” was in many respects pretty antithetical to “our” world, but later chapters in “Star Trek” continuity explored a wider and more subtle range of alternate realities. The “Star Trek” universe was revealed to be a multiverse of interrelated, ever-diverging infinite possibilities — some indistinguishable from one another but for the smallest of details (the flavor of a birthday cake), others nightmarishly distant (the Federation on the brink of destruction).

For too many years, the continuity of that one particularly well-documented universe that has hosted six “Trek” TV series and ten feature films has been so exhaustively explored and mapped out that there was essentially nowhere else to go with it. It had become so mythology-bound that it was all but incapable of surprising us.

Which raises the head-smackingly obvious yet revolutionary question: Why stick to that universe?

And so, for the first time in forever, we have Star Trek really and truly boldly going where we haven’t been before — taking Kirk, Spock, Bones, Uhura, Scotty, Sulu and Checkov on a brand-new adventure for the very first time. Before you know it, you’re getting to know old friends in an entirely new light. It’s like what Alan Moore said about Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns : “Everything is exactly the same, except for the fact that it’s all completely different.”

You can call the new film, from director J. J. Abrams and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (the creative team behind Mission: Impossible III ), a reboot, and it effectively is. At the same time, it begins with an onscreen, plot-level mechanism diverting this continuity from the one we know all too well. It’s a bold, startling opening, an introduction to James Tiberius Kirk I wasn’t expecting, and it opens the movie with a wallop both narratively and emotionally.

The energy of the opening carries right into the next scene, and the one after that, blending action, character development and humor with remarkable deftness. In fact, the film’s mercurial vitality seems almost to flow from its youthful protagonist, the young James T. Kirk, brilliantly played by Chris Pine.

Kirk’s jaunty forwardness and impulsive audacity are accentuated here by growing up fatherless in Iowa farm country. The Kirk played by Shatner, who knew his father, evidently absorbed similar traits from the old man, but perhaps channeled them more responsibly and maturely. This Kirk, reckless and immature, has a way to go, though old Captain Pike (an authoritative Bruce Greenwood) can see that the boy is his father’s son and has what it takes, if he cares to extend himself.

Whether Spock (uncanny Zachary Quinto, 24 ) has also somehow had a different upbringing in this timeline is impossible to say, but Abrams and company explore sides of his identity crisis growing up I haven’t seen before, including Vulcan bullying (something that Peter Chattaway reminds us was previously alluded to but never seen).

Spock’s conflicted meta-emotions, his desire to distance himself from his human side without distancing himself from his human mother, and his delightfully ironic embrace of a most Vulcan gesture as a way of expressing solidarity with his mother, offer a persuasive and satisfying take on a character that may be the franchise’s most compelling — one that holds up admirably even when the one and only Leonard Nimoy shows up as Spock “Prime,” the Spock of the familiar universe.

It’s entirely logical that when this Kirk and Spock meet at Starfleet Academy, they should have nothing but contempt for one another — particularly when Kirk pulls his famous Kobayashi Maru stunt, beating the unbeatable test as described in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . (The Kobayashi Maru scene itself is one of the movie’s few miscalculations, though, since Kirk’s jokey frat-boy insouciance in that scene makes it a juvenile prank rather than a subversively idealistic denial of “no-win scenarios.”)

Kirk’s well-known womanizing gets some comeuppance as he repeatedly hits on Uhura (assured Zoe Saldana, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl ), who refuses give him her full name, and there’s a brief, abortive bedroom scene that — a bit like a similar scene in Iron Man — is more about the hero’s foibles and shortcomings than his way with women.

As the story swings into action, we meet an already irascible Bones (Karl Urban, shedding Éomer to channel DeForest Kelley), Sulu (John Cho of Harold and Kumar ), Checkov (Anton Yelchin) and finally Scotty (hilarious Simon Pegg from Shaun of the Dead ). Humor runs high among the supporting cast, though Kirk gets his share of the fun, notably in a sequence of jaw-dropping physical humor as Bones tries to finagle a seat on the Enterprise for the grounded cadet Kirk and in a moment of unexpected absurdity when Scotty’s first minutes on the Enterprise almost become his last.

There’s also plenty of action, from starship dogfights to an exhilarating spacedive with retractable parachutes and perilous hand-to-hand combat on a narrow ledge of a space drill high in the stratosphere above Vulcan. Eric Bana plays a rather generic alien menace, a tattooed Romulan named Nero, and at some point the story begins to falter as coincidences pile up and certain points don’t quite jibe.

By the time Kirk meets old Spock (following a priceless subversion of the “bigger fish” cliché) on an ice planet, it’s clear that, as reboots go, Star Trek isn’t in the same league as Batman Begins or Casino Royale . As brilliantly as Abrams and company have reimagined the world of “Star Trek,” they haven’t crafted a story within that world with the thematic resonance of The Wrath of Khan , The Search for Spock or even The Voyage Home .

And yet compared to any but the most brilliant origin stories — compared to the modest pleasures of Iron Man , say — Star Trek delivers superbly, while opening the door to the possibility of better things yet to come. Where a typical franchise prequel like last week’s Wolverine merely hits the expected numbers, Star Trek surprises and delights. That’s something “Star Trek” hasn’t done in a couple of decades or so. I’ll take it.

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

It’s not saying much, but Star Trek Beyond is probably this summer’s most entertaining popcorn film to date.

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Star Trek Into Darkness outdoes its predecessor in most respects, except creative ambition.

RE: Star Trek

My wife and I saw the movie Star Trek . Unmarried people carried on in their underwear. Brief though it was, it contradicts God’s laws concerning sex and modesty. What was equally troubling was the fact that there was a group of about three dozen teenagers from a local church that were present. It is not that they haven’t seen these things before, but that it was unnecessary for this sci-fi film to include a scene which treats unmarried sex and immodesty as expected or normal behaviour having no moral relevance. But even worse was the taking of God’s name in vain. Again, the remarks above apply here with even greater weight, since it is our Lord whose name is being abused. In your review, you simply said “a few coarse references.” Taking God’s name in vain is much more serious than a few coarse references. It would be a great service to those who look to your reviews for some guidance to let your readers know when there are profanities of this type. Had I known of the profanity above, I would not have taken my wife to see this movie.

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Star Trek (2009)

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Star Trek Movie Review

Star Trek is a 2009 science fiction action film directed by J. J. Abrams and starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto . It’s a very disappointing, overly modernized take on this franchise.

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“ If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains,

however improbable, must be the truth “

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James Kirk , a brash young man, and Spock , an alien with human and Vulcan blood, join the crew of the USS Enterprise to combat Nero , a member of the Romulan race who wants to destroy multiple planets. I watched this movie for the first time some nine years ago and I did end up liking it, quite a bit actually. Watching it for the second time, I did not care for it at all.

What changed? Well, the lack and presence of beforehand knowledge to be exact. Yes, my personal example perfectly signifies just how different your experience of watching the Star Trek movie franchise can range depending on whether or not you’ve watched the shows themselves. Before, I did not, so I liked the movie, not knowing anything about the series. Now, after seeing all the major shows, I have to say that this movie is a total waste of time for the Trek fans.

Yes, J. J. Abrams is famous for doing this, but he basically just took the same characters and storylines and did them, but with the added action that is excessive to the point of becoming a true nuisance. Star Trek was never about the action. It was about philosophical discussions and meaningful character moments. This movie has none of that. It just has the tech babble and that’s it basically.

The characters are good, I will give them that. The same goes for the acting as this team of actors was well chosen and quite strong. The acting might be even better than in the previous movies, though that is questionable of course. I liked Pine and Quinto lot. Both fitted their roles like a glove, a great example of typecasting when it’s done right. They are excellent in their dynamic and performances.

But I did not need to see the origin stories of these famous characters. That was totally unimportant and it stalled the first half of this film significantly. Among others, Zoe Saldana and Anton Yelchin are quite good while Simon Pegg is his standard funny British self, which did not quite fit this franchise to be honest, but he was fun. Captain Nero played by Eric Bana is an okay, but forgettable villain.

This Star Trek has excellent special effects given its age. It was also very well shot, very well acted and solidly scored. The problem is that the direction from Abrams is serviceable as usual and the dialogue is far from great. The movie can be fun, but all that extensive action ruined its enjoyment for me.

2009’s Star Trek is simply not the Star Trek that fans know and love. Abrams basically took the same characters and stories and added so much action to the point that it became a frustrating viewing experience. Gone are the philosophical discussions and moving character moments in favor of all the spectacle. The acting is great, especially that of Quinto and Pine, both perfectly cast. The characters are also solid and the movie looks great. But Star Trek it simply is not when all is said and done.

My rating – 3, more stories, the french lieutenant’s woman (1981).

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Reviewed by: Sheri McMurray CONTRIBUTOR

Anger in the Bible

REVENGE— Love replaces hatred —former israeli soldier and an ex-PLO fighter prove peace is possible-but only with Jesus

What does the Bible say about intelligent life on other planets? Answer

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Fornication

Sequel: “ Star Trek Into Darkness ” (2013) “ Star Trek Beyond ” (2016)

I have a friend who is the ultimate Star Trek freak… a tried and true Trekker who dismisses this new movie as not in the true cannon and will never go see it. I say, his loss, for the second time around is sweeter, as Sinatra croons, like a friendly home the second time you call… through your communicator.

STAR TREK is delicious Trek ‘verse eye candy mixed with the thrills only current CGI technology can give us. Add to the mix, director J.J. Abrams who isn’t ‘lost’ on how to get the story we all know and love into the next couple centuries without harming the back story, and writers (Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman) who have spared no detail on each one of our beloved characters. Toss in a perfectly chosen cast (even though some people went “huh?” at some of the choices, at first) who have nailed the gestures and inflections of some of the most beloved and well studied characters of all time, with solid, believable performances. Put it all together and you’ll find STAR TREK XI adds up to a euphoric satisfaction not unlike a long cold bowl of bottomless rich chocolate ice cream.

From the dazzling opening battle that takes place in a cosmic lightning storm, the day James T. Kirk is born as his father George Kirk ( Chris Hemsworth ) sacrifices his life and his ship, The USS Kelvin, to save not only infant James and his mother, but 800 lives, to the closing finale with The USS Enterprise and it’s new young crew blasting off into parts of space unknown, this movie is a thrill a second ride. Not a foot of film is wasted on monotony, although the script borrows well known ideas from the original stories, this Star Trek (say it with me, folks: “Space Opera”) picks them up, polishes them off and sets them out on a new silver platter for us to enjoy. From die hard fans to newbies entering the Star Trek universe for the first time, this eleventh installment has got something for all to experience and relish.

No Star Trek film would be complete without the introduction of a new and sinister villain, and the character of Nero ( Eric Bana ), a demented Romulan leader with a score to settle with The Federation, is a guy you wouldn’t want to come up against in the dark black holes of outer space. He is the epitome of vicious degraded revenge, with a ship sporting technology which carries the ability to destroy not just starships, but whole worlds and all life on them.

After showing his intent and prowess using Vulcan as his example, Nero proves he is not a force to ignore. His lust for revenge not only spans the universe, but is capable of reaching back across time 125 years, zeroing in on a young Commander Spock ( Zachary Quinto ) and the green crew members of the newly commissioned Enterprise NCC 1701, under the command of Captain Christopher Pike ( Bruce Greenwood ).

The most reluctant recruit, is a very punk, very brash, very defiant James T. Kirk ( Chris Pine ), who, although shows great promise, has no use for the word authority and learns most of his life lessons the hard way. Pike sees in him the pluck, determination, and ability to think fast in the face of adversity, that he once saw in his heroic father. He calls Kirk out, informs him he’s meant to do something special and challenges him to do better than wasting his talents on bar fights and a dead end life.

Changing his life, and the universe forever, James Kirk takes Pike up on the challenge and graduates Starfleet, although on rocky grounds because of a little incident now known in Trek lore as the Kobayashi maneuver, setting the stage for his introduction to the friends he will have for the rest of his life.

On the parallel to James Kirk, Spock’s history is shown as organized, intelligent, and controlled, except for the little glitch about his Vulcan father, Serak ( Ben Cross ) who married, of all species in the universe, a human woman, Amanda Grayson ( Winona Ryder ). Spock is shown as having to fight that stigma his entire life, emotionally as well as physically. Upon meeting up with Kirk, their pairing is nothing short of a nuclear war waiting to happen.

Rounding out James T. Kirk’s delightfully fated acquaintances, is the bright and beautiful Nyota Uhura ( Zoe Saldana ) who has a perfect command over sub space communications and inter species languages. A blunt, corrosive, but loveable in an irritating sort of way Doctor by the name of Leonard McCoy ( Karl Urban ). No spoilers here, but we do find out how he got the nick name “bones.” One heck of a starship navigator, as well as a sword wielding marshal arts fighter, in Hikaru Sulu ( John Cho ).

A seventeen year old genius with the thickest Russian accent in Starfleet, Pavel Chekov ( Anton Yelchin ). And, found on a planet best never visited, Delta Vega, a diamond in the rough and a guy who can get any ship to purr under his hand, one Montgomery Scott ( Simon Pegg ).

Not that there is nothing to consider for the Christian movie goer, as the PG-13 rating is appropriate. There is a scene where Kirk is shown in bed with a green skinned Orion girl, and in the same scene Uhura is shown in her underwear, although nothing blatantly sexual is shown, it will make the statement that Kirk is indulging in pre-marital sex , so Christian parents be prepared to answer some questions. There are several occurrences of foul language such as a**, bull-sh*t, G*dDa**, and a statement made in a bar referring to farm boys having sex with farm animals, which any Christian will find offensive.

Speaking of bars, people are shown drunk , drinking and as with any action movie, there is fighting, explosions, torture and blood in small to heavy doses.

Some action sequences are extremely realistic and could prove disturbing to very young viewers, so my advice is for parents to consider this, along with the information as to language and adult situations depicted in STAR TREK XI, before taking any child younger than the rating cautions.

There is much to be said of Gene Roddenberry’s original concept about our social and moral structures in the real world. These days, perhaps even more than in the turbulent 60’s when Star Trek was first a glimmer in Gene’s mind, we need a grounded source as an example for moral and character building representations from show business. So many young people, today, more than any other time in the past, because information and entertainment is so prevalent along with our dependence on technologies such as cell phones, blueberries, iPods and computers, use entertainment and those figures who entertain them, as role models. Keeping that view, STAR TREK XI is a glimmer of hope on the summer blockbuster scene. No other films out to date this summer convey the positive aspects of honor, sacrifice, love , integrity and the concept that revenge is a poison, that ultimate corruption corrupts ultimately, as straightforwardly as STAR TREK XI.

That one unchanged aspect of Star Trek has always been the beacon that keeps it alive in the hearts and minds of its followers. Hope . A hope that in the world of our future, even in the face of adversity, bigotry, and political injustice, there will be a final resting place for integrity, compassion, honesty and true justice . That hope will keep us alive and our universe, no matter how far it may extend, to thrive.

These beautiful concepts are only underscored by the Christian . Put into practice, Jesus’ commands to love thy neighbor, honor mother and father and those in authority, keep oneself pure until marriage , sacrifice for a friend, give to the poor and share with others no matter whom they may be, is the basic reason Christians are drawn to the Trek ‘verse. Although Trek, even as honorable as it’s motives have always been, is not perfect, it is a reassuring knowledge that Jesus was, and although his flesh and blood body is no longer with us, His spirit, The Spirit of God Himself, lives on in us. That He Lives.

As a Trekker myself and writer of science fiction which includes the Star Trek universe, I find this new STAR TREK and it’s concept a brilliant springboard for many new voyages (and good news, Trekkers, they are already working on the script for the sequel). Just the sight of the ship as the younger versions of my beloved TOS characters see her for the first time, brought a lump to my throat and a quickening to my heart. The breathtaking soundtrack will definitely be on my personal Mother’s-Day-present-to-get-list too.

“There are those who’d bet Love comes but once—and yet I’m oh so glad we met The second time around…”

I could almost hear Frank Sinatra as I left the theater in a state of euphoria…

I can’t help but mention in closing a gem of a review I found in The Washington Post by Ann Homeday, titled “A Heavenly Enterprise.” Although I have no doubt she was joking about offering a prayer of thanks to God that Star Trek stayed with the original core concepts, her review posted as a prayer actually was thanking God for all the right reasons. Thanks Ann, you thought you were being clever, but you were actually doing STAR TREK a great service. Thanks also to J.J. Abrams for not caving into the dark, depressing, comic book hero movies, and giving us characters and a story built on what’s truly important, as well as an inspiration to every age. So…

Friends found, stage set, battle ensues and you are there! With Pike held hostage by Nero, Spock as acting Captain and Kirk banished from the ship, the story is full of action, tension and intrigue, while still getting us to believe in faith , sacrifice, honor and love . It takes two hours to tell this story, yet, even at that, when the ending credits flash across the screen you’ll find yourself wanting more!

Me too, so I’m off to the IMAX Experience tonight!

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Mild / Sex/Nudity: Minor

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers .

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The now-tossed Star Trek 4 went through many iterations since the first announcement in July 2016 , including a story by legendary Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino, a surprise 2022 Kelvin cast announcement that apparently Chris Pine and company only learned about through the press, and prequel story set “decades before the 2009 film.”

Following the new Star Trek 5 announcement, star Chris Pine reportedly reacted “with a deep sigh” according to Deadline . “Chris is excited learn about this new film through today’s studio announcement,” said a representative for the actor, “because it went really well the last time this happened, right?”

Also expected for the Trek 5 reunion are co-stars Zachary Quinto (Spock), Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Simon Pegg (Scotty), Karl Urban (“Bones” McCoy), and John Cho (Sulu). Actor Anton Yelchin, who portrayed Chekov in the first three films, passed away in 2016.

While little is known about the planned story of this new film, sources close to Trek 5 development hear that Paramount is pursuing Dune and Wonka star Timothée Chalamet for the role of “Sybok,” half-brother of Spock, originated by actor Laurence Luckinbill in 1989.

Behind The Scenes
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Star Trek 5

The Next Star Trek Movie Is More Important Than Ever After A Huge Announcement

It's been the better part of a decade since the last "Star Trek" film hit the big screen in 2016. Fans dying to see what happens next in the Kelvin timeline have gradually felt their hopes slipping away as rumors of the next installment — including scuttlebutt about an R-rated Quentin Tarantino "Star Trek" film — keep failing to pan out. But according to Variety, Paramount has confirmed plans to move forward with the Kelvin timeline's "final chapter" — and that's just the beginning of the good news for Trekkies. There's reportedly a second feature "Trek" film in the works that's even closer to pre-production. The studio says this film will prove fundamental to the "Star Trek" canon by helping establish the primary timeline's origin story.

The emphasis on the second project's relationship to the primary timeline gives fans even more insight into a storyline hinted at by Deadline in January 2024, when sources teased a tightly guarded plot that would be set decades before the events of the 2009 "Star Trek" movie. Like the Kelvin timeline films, it will be produced by J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions. On track to write it is Seth Grahame-Smith, who penned "Dark Shadows," "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," and "The Lego Batman Movie."

Even more promising is who Paramount brought on to direct the film: Toby Haynes, a director whose resume includes "Andor," "Sherlock," a handful of the very best "Doctor Who" episodes from the Eleventh Doctor's tenure, and the critically lauded "Black Mirror" take on "Star Trek," "U.S.S. Callister." Insiders told Variety the origin film will be in preproduction by the end of 2024.

Even more Trek films could be in the works

The origin film is just one piece of Paramount's big plans to continue growing the "Star Trek" franchise in the coming years, which also include a push for more television movies, starting with the long-awaited "Section 31" story starring Michelle Yeoh. A look at the fandom-divisive darker side of Starfleet that first showed up in the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" episode "Inquisition," the film will have a decidedly spy-fi flavor that Yeoh compared to "”Mission: Impossible' in space" when speaking with Variety.

With filming already wrapped on the "Section 31" movie, executive producer Alex Kurtzman is more than ready to consider making even more streaming "Star Trek" films. Up for consideration is a follow-up to the "Picard" series. And with all of the "Star Trek" stories currently in production beginning with the 32nd-century-set young adult series "Starfleet Academy," which is currently in its planning phase, who knows where the franchise could be headed?

TV review: 'Star Trek: Discovery' ends its disappointing voyage

I have a soft spot for the original "Star Trek" series and believe "The Wrath of Khan" is a genuine classic. "Strange New Worlds," which debuted in 2022, is one of the best adventures in the franchise's history. But I'm no Trekkie. My attempts at a Vulcan salute would probably be interpreted as a gang sign.

So maybe a die-hard fan could explain to me why "Star Trek: Discovery" was such a hit. The series, which starts streaming its fifth and final season Thursday on Paramount+, never tries to wrestle the moral dilemmas with the same gusto that its predecessors did. Capt. Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) takes her cues from James Bond instead of James Kirk, never missing an opportunity to deliver a quip. There's more onboard romance on a "Love Boat" cruise. And the plot in the final episodes seems like a rip-off from "The Avengers," with the rather bland crew racing across the galaxy to locate puzzle pieces.

There are some clever references to past series during these last 10 episodes, but they're reminders that "Discovery" was never in their league. Let's hope the next "Trek" mission is a little more enterprising.

Also this week

'The Incomparable Mr. Buckley'

William F. Buckley Jr. was a prolific writer who churned out novels and columns for his National Review magazine with spitfire speed. But this "American Masters" edition is most interested in examining the late conservative as a creature of TV, one whose facial expressions were as lively as a Broadway musical. Clips of his series, "Firing Line," make you long for the days when political debate could be entertaining without turning into shouting matches. 9 p.m. ET Friday, PBS

'Two for One'

Hollywood hotshots are showing their support for Turner Classic Movies by curating some very special double features every Saturday through the end of June. The series kicks off with Martin Scorsese introducing "Blood on the Moon" and "One Touch of Venus," both from 1948. Future guests include Spike Lee ("A Face in the Crowd," "Ace in the Hole"), Patty Jenkins ("The Fisher King," "Synecdoche") and Steven Spielberg ("Jailhouse Rock," "Forty Guns"). 8 p.m. Saturday, TCM

'Dave Attell: Hot Cross Buns'

Nothing is taboo for the New York comic, whose latest special has him riffing on Jeffrey Dahmer, Cracker Barrel and the Jan. 6 riot. The uproarious insults come at such a fast and furious pace that Attell appears to run out of material, filling the last 10 minutes with some tooting on a recorder. Those elementary school instruments are even more annoying when the San Francisco audience joins in. Netflix

'The Beautiful Game'

Bill Nighy stars as an enthusiastic soccer coach determined to make a good showing at the Homeless World Cup, despite the fact that his best striker never learned that there's no "I" in team. The action scenes aren't as riveting as the ones in "Bend It Like Beckham" or even "Victory," in which we come to believe that Sylvester Stallone could play goalie. But this movie shines when it focuses on the off-the-field interplay among the underdog players. Netflix

Sonequa Martin-Green as Burnham in the fifth season of "Star Trek: Discovery."

IMAGES

Star Trek movie review & film summary (2009)
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Star Trek XI Deleted Scene
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Video Review of the new 2009 Star Trek Movie toy; Young Spock

COMMENTS

Star Trek movie review & film summary (2009)
Screenplay by. Roberto Orci. Alex Kurtzman. "Star Trek" as a concept has voyaged far beyond science fiction and into the safe waters of space opera, but that doesn't amaze me. The Gene Roddenberry years, when stories might play with questions of science, ideals or philosophy, have been replaced by stories reduced to loud and colorful action.
A Franchise Goes Boldly Backward (Published 2009)
Directed by J.J. Abrams. Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi. PG-13. 2h 7m. By Manohla Dargis. May 7, 2009. A bright, shiny blast from a newly imagined past, "Star Trek," the latest spinoff from the ...
Star Trek
Aboard the USS Enterprise, the most-sophisticated starship ever built, a novice crew embarks on its maiden voyage. Their path takes them on a collision course with Nero (Eric Bana), a Romulan ...
'Star Trek' Review: Movie (2009)
April 20, 2009 4:56pm. 'Star Trek' Everett. LONDON — Putting a much-loved but over-the-hill vehicle back in shape takes more than a new battery and a lick of paint. It demands a full-bore refit ...
Star Trek (2009)
In a world of dreary blockbusters and 'dark' reboots, this Trek, though grittier in terms of design than anything before, shines, from opening to closing, as an example of optimistic, exciting, thrilling, humorous, and thoroughly enjoyable adventure cinema, as well as a great addition to Trek's long, long history.
Star Trek (2009)
Star Trek: Directed by J.J. Abrams. With Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana. The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.
All Star Trek Movies Ranked by Tomatometer
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)87%. #4. Critics Consensus: Considered by many fans to be the best of the Star Trek movies, Khan features a strong plot, increased tension, and a sharp supporting performance from Ricardo Montalban. Synopsis: As Adm. James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Capt. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) monitor trainees at ...
Star Trek
The greatest adventure of all time begins with Star Trek, the incredible story of a young crew's maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind. The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of ...
Star Trek Review
3.5 out of 5 Stars, 7/10 Score. 7. J.J. Abrams and Paramount's revival of the big-screen Star Trek franchise feels in many ways like one of the sci-fi plotlines that would've shown up on the old ...
Star Trek (2009) 4K Ultra HD Review
OVERALL - 4.5/5. Overall, Star Trek (2009) is an incredibly fun and innovative way to reboot the long-running franchise. The story is interesting enough but what makes the movie excel is with the ensemble Abrams and company put together from Pine to Quinto to Urban, who often steals the show.
Star Trek (film)
Star Trek is a 2009 American science fiction action film directed by J. J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman.It is the 11th film in the Star Trek franchise, and is also a reboot that features the main characters of the original Star Trek television series portrayed by a new cast, as the first in the rebooted film series. The film follows James T. Kirk and Spock (Zachary ...
Movie Review: Star Trek (2009)
Future San Francisco with its towering towers is a civil engineers wet dream. The fight and chase sequences are jam-packed and well choreographed. The explosions are big and many. The film starts off with a bang and rarely slows down enough for you to catch your breath; J.J. Abrams knew what this franchise needed and delivered it.
Star Trek 4K UHD Blu-ray Review
Star Trek 2009 was shot on 35mm film using anamorphic lenses in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio and finished as a 2K Digital Intermediate. As such this 2K DI is used here for this Ultra HD Blu-ray and upscaled by Paramount to 4K. The film is presented with a 3840 x 2160p resolution and in the correct 2.40:1 aspect ratio, the disc uses 10-bit video depth, a Wider Colour Gamut (WCG) and High Dynamic ...
Star Trek Movie Review
Even with its sci-fi action and occasional flirty. Positive Role Models. Almost every character in the film puts aside some. Violence & Scariness. The sci-fi military-style action violence is plent. Sex, Romance & Nudity. Some suggestive talk and kissing; two female chara. Language. Some language throughout including "arse" (in the.
Star Trek (2009)
Since the 1960s, Star Trek has continued to reshape how we understand the space opera.And with the sharp mind of director J.J. Abrams at the helm of the latest film in Gene Roddenberry's franchise, simply titled Star Trek, the creator's concept once again becomes an immovable force in pop culture iconography.But now it's just a helluva lot more fun.
star trek (2009)
One, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct ...
Movie Review: Star Trek (2009)
The retrospective on the Star Trek film franchise concludes (and just in time for the opening of the new film, Star Trek Into Darkness, no less!) with a look...
The Star Trek Universe Ranked by Tomatometer
It's worth noting that while SNW has a 98% average Tomatometer on 84 reviews across two seasons, the 2009 reboot film Star Trek in the No. 2 position is Certified Fresh on 356 reviews. Some might argue that the film's volume of reviews makes it the top title, but if we want to start nitpicking on the franchise level, the series also represents 57 hours of programming compared to the film ...
Star Trek (2009)
Synopsis. In 2233, the Federation star ship USS Kelvin is investigating a "lightning storm" in space. A Romulan ship, Narada, emerges from the storm and attacks the Kelvin leaving it defenseless. Narada's first officer, Ayel (Clifton Collins, Jr.), demands that Kelvin's Captain Robau (Faran Tahir) come aboard to negotiate a truce.
Star Trek Trilogy
[tab title="Movie Review"] This reviewer is a little slow to update to new technologies. When it came time to replace some of my old equipment, I dove deep into the pros and cons of the next (and many say last) generation of home movies: 4K. ... Star Trek (2009) / 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital - Review. VIDEO: Star Trek was shot in 35mm, and ...
Star Trek (2009)
Star Trek (2009) B+ SDG Original source: National Catholic Register. ... REVIEW Star Trek Beyond (2016) ... My wife and I saw the movie Star Trek. Unmarried people carried on in their underwear. Brief though it was, it contradicts God's laws concerning sex and modesty. What was equally troubling was the fact that there was a group of about ...
Star Trek (2009)
Star Trek Movie Review. Star Trek is a 2009 science fiction action film directed by J. J. Abrams and starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. It's a very disappointing, overly modernized take on this franchise. ... 2009's Star Trek is simply not the Star Trek that fans know and love. Abrams basically took the same characters and stories and ...
Star Trek (2009)
Positive —Man what a great movie. My review is short due to the fact that most have already said what needed to be said. This was so unbelievably good that I have but one thing to say. ... Even in 2018, many movie fans say the 2009 "Star Trek" film is the best reboot in Cinema History, and the best of the 3 Kelvin Timeline Films. This ...
Paramount Pictures "Moving On" from STAR TREK 4, Announces New STAR
The now-tossed Star Trek 4 went through many iterations since the first announcement in July 2016, including a story by legendary Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino, a surprise 2022 Kelvin cast announcement that apparently Chris Pine and company only learned about through the press, and prequel story set "decades before the 2009 film ...
The Next Star Trek Movie Is More Important Than Ever After A Huge
The origin film is just one piece of Paramount's big plans to continue growing the "Star Trek" franchise in the coming years, which also include a push for more television movies, starting with ...
TV review: 'Star Trek: Discovery' ends its disappointing voyage
I have a soft spot for the original "Star Trek" series and believe "The Wrath of Khan" is a genuine classic. "Strange New Worlds," which debuted in 2022, is one of the best adventures in the ...

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