I highly approve. I'm an old Star Trek nerd (I was raised on TOS, and fell in love with TNG), and this movie delivered absolutely everything I wanted from a Star Trek film. It's not a deep and original plot, nor is the acting Oscar-worthy, but it's campy and goddamn enjoyable.
I definitely approve. I just wish they didn't pull the normal, the fleet went ahead of us and now we see rumble crap they always pull. I wanna see the space battle ^_^
Total approval here. I grew up watching TNG and the TOS movies (and TOS itself, whenever Sci-Fi aired it), so I loved every minute of it. I especially liked the tech design; Spock's craft and the Romulan vessel were very, very cool.
If I were to start watching Star Trek with absolutely no past experience with it, which series would you guys recommend I start with?
I have never finished watching Star Trek Enterprise so I cannot give an informed opinion on this series. Though my impression from the first few episodes was the series was going to be a heavily action based with a mediocre story line.
I would not recommend watching the original series as it is so campy as to be unbearable. Though perhaps looking up some of the higher rated episodes may give you a sense of where everything began.
Voyager is also not recommended. In my opinion it had very few notable episodes. Anything it appeared to do well TNG did better. The overall story arch is nothing special and the series dealt with few meaningful issues. Though Annika Hansen (Seven of Nine) is a looker so if youÂ’re really into the eye candy the series does have that redeeming quality.
TNG is good but also campy, though more of a funny campy then an unbearable campy. It is very episodic and has many episodes that deal with philosophical issues. As skope mentioned, generally the best episodes focus on Picard, Data, Worf, or Q. Watch those episodes and if you have the time pick off the other ones in the series afterwords.
DS9 is what I would recommend watching if you liked TNG. It deals with a few unique issues that TNG never focused on and has a decent plot though a questionable ending.
I'm getting very tempted to start with the original series, since it's on Netflix.
If you're in the US, TOS is all free on YouTube.
Is there an easy resource to watch episodes of TNG, DS9, or Voyager? I've read about some specific episodes that I'd like to see, but I really don't want to dig through a whole season to find them.
For instance, there's supposedly an episode of TNG in which Picard "lives" through a whole life as an alien in a kind of a dream sequence. I'd like to see that. I'd like to see just about any Borg-related episodes of any series, and I'd like to see some of the Dominion Wars episodes. But, as I said earlier, I wouldn't want to need to buy, rent, or download a whole season just to watch these episodes.
For instance, there's supposedly an episode ofTNGin which Picard "lives" through a whole life as an alien in a kind of a dream sequence. I'd like to see that.
Knock and the door shall be opened unto you.
I'd like to see just about any Borg-related episodes of any series
This is The Best of Both Worlds Part 1, the TNG season 3 finale. The second part of the story is the season 4 premier. It's the best Borg episode, not counting the First Contact movie. If you want to watch the movie, hit up Andrew or I on AIM and we'll watch with you.
Allow me to throw in yet another "thumbs-up" for the new movie. I just got back from the early evening show. Two generations of Sci-Fi fans, with a third budding generation in tow attended (My father, me & my brother, and my brother's boy, age 10). We were all well-pleased with it and it was definitely worth the full price of admission (which had apparently gone up yet again since I last went to the theater). No spoilers here, but rest assured by the end of the movie the whole thing will make sense, in spite of the exposition of what's going on for the audience's sake. ;D
Saw the movie Friday night. It was my first Star Trek movie ever. I had some knowledge about Star Treks, but in no way I'm a fanboy. Still the movie was quite enjoyable. it was a lot better than I expected. Only thing that bothered me during the movie was that I felt that I missed things because my knowledge about Star Trek was lacking.
It was worth of the 9€ that I paid for the tickets.
Saw the movie Friday night. It was my first Star Trek movie ever. I had some knowledge about Star Treks, but in no way I'm a fanboy. Still the movie was quite enjoyable. it was a lot better than I expected. Only thing that bothered me during the movie was that I felt that I missed things because my knowledge about Star Trek was lacking.
Yea, the more I think about this movie the more I think this is the first time I've seen a movie that reboots a franchise while at the same time paying homage to what has come before it in a way that does not turn off new viewers....(and making that old stuff irrelevant)
I saw it earlier tonight. I had a lot of fun. I'm not a star trek fan at all, but I've gained enough trek knowledge through osmosis to pick up on a lot of the fan service elements. For example, I burst out laughing when I saw a guy in a red costume. But I could have done without Scotty doing his thing at the end. It sort of came from nowhere (like the character) and served no purpose (why did they even stick around at the end?).
Actually, the first half of the film was far, far more enjoyable than the second. I was in tears in the pre-credit sequence with Kirk Sn, and had that same level of emotional investment for maybe an hour.
Well folks, I have a lot of hate for Star Trek, because the original series was the best, but every other series beyond that, the concept of the Federation turns all human into dumb drones. Feel free to disagree with me, that's fine. I think tv without a Star Trek tv series is great, and forces those in tv to be more creative.
However, I put such hate on hold in a box, went to see the JJ version and ENJOYED IT A LOT. Very good film, especially for the casual viewer. It just shows that once you break from those tv chains (just enough), you can still have something be fun and entertaining for all. I'd buy it on dvd too. Think the last Star Trek film I enjoyed before this one, was V The Voyage Home.
I think if the Federation wasn't so preachy like Team America, more people would like it. Oh well.
I didn't think it was all that cheesy or campy, either.
I wonder what you would consider camp. The film took its tone far more from Lil' Kirk speeding through the desert (ultra campy) and far less from the tragedies that act as a simple frame to hang the character's bravado and in jokes on. Also, may I simply say "Scotty and McCoy". I am not saying that the camp was poorly done. It worked and was great fun, but a moving tragic epoch with deep resonating characters - it was not.
I don't think that any element of the film was artlessly mannered or stylized, nor were they artificial or extravagant. Scotty and McCoy, like the rest of the characters, seemed very full of life, but completely natural to me and not artificial. That's something that differentiated the movie from TOS for me. Things in TOS often felt very stilted or forced (particularly Shatner's dialogue), while things in this movie pretty much flowed right into each other. Comic relief doesn't = camp in my opinion if it is done artfully, and I must say that the way Abrams seamlessly wove in classic quotes and behavior with the new story was artful.
Yes, there was a little bit of camp, but we rarely have movies that don't have a little bit of deliberate theatrics. I don't think it was any more campy than any other Sci-Fi movie I've seen recently.
I must say that the way Abrams seamlessly wove in classic quotes and behavior with the new story was artful.
As I said, I got quite a few references, but the character quotes and behaviors passed me by. Actually, they didn't because those were the lines that felt stilted and slightly unnatural to me. However, the trek fans obviously loved it, because whole sections of the audience laughed at those very lines, and I just didn't get the jokes.
Camp is all about being over the top and delivering lines with a bit of a wink. The film was incredibly over the top (action, dialogue, and acting). Also, the film was one giant wink. It was fun, it was well done and it avoided the "cheese" label, but I think it wears its "camp" label and should wear it with pride. Just because the genre is riddled with camp (though there certainly are Sci-Fi films that have a much more serious tone) doesn't mean that any one film can no longer fit the camp label. Again, I say "camp" with love. After Kirk's birth all seriousness is left at the door and it is a romp of a film. Even the following tragic events are lost amongst the fun, bashing egos, explosions and a ship that rivals Uhura as the sexiest lady on screen. It is excellent and campy. Maybe I am alone on this (there were several points in the film when I laughed aloud and no one else did).
I was just saying that in my opinion, it wasn't over the top. It was close, but not over. Never said that everybody else was required to feel the same. I felt there was a lot more to it than just a giant wink.
I was just saying that in my opinion, it wasn't over the top. It was close, but not over. Never said that everybody else was required to feel the same. I felt there was a lot more to it than just a giant wink.
That's cool. Like I said, I could be way off base. It didn't resonate with me beyond the fun, adrenaline releasing, humorous and occasionally alluring level - but that could just be me.
I think it's easy to criticize the original series from a position of hindsight. The reality, though, is that they tackled some very tough issues that couldn't be tackled in a non sci-fi setting. Sure, there was some cheese on that cracker, but at the core, the show was deeper than most people give it credit for.
And I say this having never really cared for the original show - or any other subsequent TV series.
I saw the movie on Saturday and really enjoyed it. Five or ten percent was "over the top" Holywood crap, but as a whole, the movie entertained me thoroughly for two hours.
A couple things that were WAAAAY too Hollywood for me: SPOILERS: 1) James Kirk's mother giving birth just as his father's ship was about to be destroyed. 2) Scotty traveling through the water pipes like a Willy Wonka victim. And do all water systems have clear tubes with man-eating fans at the terminus? 3) People falling onto hard steel from several feet and getting up as if nothing happened. 4) The coincidence that Kirk would be dropped off on the same planet that elder Spock was abandoned on and that, on the whole planet, he would just happen to run into Spock's cave. And just where did the wood come from for that campfire? 5) Monsters that catch up to a human and almost ensnare them, just to have the human be instantly 20 feet ahead when the scene cuts to a different camera.
I think it's easy to criticize the original series from a position of hindsight. The reality, though, is that they tackled some very tough issues that couldn't be tackled in a non sci-fi setting. Sure, there was some cheese on that cracker, but at the core, the show was deeper than most people give it credit for.
And I say this having never really cared for the original show - or any other subsequent TV series.
I saw the movie on Saturday and really enjoyed it. Five or ten percent was "over the top" Hollywood crap, but as a whole, the movie entertained me thoroughly for two hours.
A couple things that were WAAAAY too Hollywood for me: SPOILERS:
I removed the spoilers because they showed up in the quote.
1. Agreed it was overly dramatic but it didn't bother me. 2. Yeah that whole bit was just to silly. 3. Are you talking about the Romulans? Because they are a much heartier species than humans if I'm not mistaken. 4. Agreed it was all bit to convenient. Another thing that I found a bit off... Spoilers Why didn't Spock just throw Kirk in the brig? I mean yeah he was being insubordinate. It all seemed somewhat extreme to maroon the guy on a hostile ice planet. 5. I thought giant ice wolf was pretty cool. That giant reptile vagina monster was laughable though.
Comments
I highly approve. I'm an old Star Trek nerd (I was raised on TOS, and fell in love with TNG), and this movie delivered absolutely everything I wanted from a Star Trek film. It's not a deep and original plot, nor is the acting Oscar-worthy, but it's campy and goddamn enjoyable.
I would not recommend watching the original series as it is so campy as to be unbearable. Though perhaps looking up some of the higher rated episodes may give you a sense of where everything began.
Voyager is also not recommended. In my opinion it had very few notable episodes. Anything it appeared to do well TNG did better. The overall story arch is nothing special and the series dealt with few meaningful issues. Though Annika Hansen (Seven of Nine) is a looker so if youÂ’re really into the eye candy the series does have that redeeming quality.
TNG is good but also campy, though more of a funny campy then an unbearable campy. It is very episodic and has many episodes that deal with philosophical issues. As skope mentioned, generally the best episodes focus on Picard, Data, Worf, or Q. Watch those episodes and if you have the time pick off the other ones in the series afterwords.
DS9 is what I would recommend watching if you liked TNG. It deals with a few unique issues that TNG never focused on and has a decent plot though a questionable ending.
For instance, there's supposedly an episode of TNG in which Picard "lives" through a whole life as an alien in a kind of a dream sequence. I'd like to see that. I'd like to see just about any Borg-related episodes of any series, and I'd like to see some of the Dominion Wars episodes. But, as I said earlier, I wouldn't want to need to buy, rent, or download a whole season just to watch these episodes.
This is The Best of Both Worlds Part 1, the TNG season 3 finale. The second part of the story is the season 4 premier. It's the best Borg episode, not counting the First Contact movie. If you want to watch the movie, hit up Andrew or I on AIM and we'll watch with you.
And a further bonus, one of my favorites: Sins of the Father.
Also, here is a lawyerly one: The Drumhead.
It was worth of the 9€ that I paid for the tickets.
The flashy new Star Trek was worth exactly $32.75
Actually, the first half of the film was far, far more enjoyable than the second. I was in tears in the pre-credit sequence with Kirk Sn, and had that same level of emotional investment for maybe an hour.
However, I put such hate on hold in a box, went to see the JJ version and ENJOYED IT A LOT. Very good film, especially for the casual viewer. It just shows that once you break from those tv chains (just enough), you can still have something be fun and entertaining for all. I'd buy it on dvd too. Think the last Star Trek film I enjoyed before this one, was V The Voyage Home.
I think if the Federation wasn't so preachy like Team America, more people would like it. Oh well.
Yes, there was a little bit of camp, but we rarely have movies that don't have a little bit of deliberate theatrics. I don't think it was any more campy than any other Sci-Fi movie I've seen recently.
Just because the genre is riddled with camp (though there certainly are Sci-Fi films that have a much more serious tone) doesn't mean that any one film can no longer fit the camp label.
Again, I say "camp" with love. After Kirk's birth all seriousness is left at the door and it is a romp of a film. Even the following tragic events are lost amongst the fun, bashing egos, explosions and a ship that rivals Uhura as the sexiest lady on screen. It is excellent and campy.
Maybe I am alone on this (there were several points in the film when I laughed aloud and no one else did).
And I say this having never really cared for the original show - or any other subsequent TV series.
I saw the movie on Saturday and really enjoyed it. Five or ten percent was "over the top" Holywood crap, but as a whole, the movie entertained me thoroughly for two hours.
A couple things that were WAAAAY too Hollywood for me:
SPOILERS:
1) James Kirk's mother giving birth just as his father's ship was about to be destroyed.
2) Scotty traveling through the water pipes like a Willy Wonka victim. And do all water systems have clear tubes with man-eating fans at the terminus?
3) People falling onto hard steel from several feet and getting up as if nothing happened.
4) The coincidence that Kirk would be dropped off on the same planet that elder Spock was abandoned on and that, on the whole planet, he would just happen to run into Spock's cave. And just where did the wood come from for that campfire?
5) Monsters that catch up to a human and almost ensnare them, just to have the human be instantly 20 feet ahead when the scene cuts to a different camera.
1. Agreed it was overly dramatic but it didn't bother me.
2. Yeah that whole bit was just to silly.
3. Are you talking about the Romulans? Because they are a much heartier species than humans if I'm not mistaken.
4. Agreed it was all bit to convenient. Another thing that I found a bit off... Spoilers Why didn't Spock just throw Kirk in the brig? I mean yeah he was being insubordinate. It all seemed somewhat extreme to maroon the guy on a hostile ice planet.
5. I thought giant ice wolf was pretty cool. That giant reptile vagina monster was laughable though.