MOVIE REVIEW

STAR TREK

Star Trek's rise to pop culture status has been remarkable. Forty years after first boldly going where no man has gone before, it spawned a plethora of merchandising that would have made its creator Gene Roddenberry awestruck. Back on the big screen, this eleventh outing sees the franchise return to its beginnings. The result should please casual fans and die hard Trekkies who have even created university courses around this massively successful money spinner. James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is the wildcat of the Starfleet Academy. Carousing with the best, his aimless ways detract from the value of his family name. His potential becomes enriched when a threat arrives in the form of evil Romulan Nero (Eric Bana). Hell bent on a personal vendetta against Mr Spock (Zachary Quinto), Nero plots to destroy everything the Vulcan holds dear. Forming a shaky alliance with the crew of the Starship Enterprise, Kirk attempts to save the universe from destruction whilst battling future friends and foes alike. Of the many touches director J.J. Abrams adds to this Star Trek revamp is its long missing sense of wonder. Zipping along a fast paced story with an excellent balance of action, drama and humour, he unapologetically grasps the series' grandiose sweep. Cleverly re-inventing the series, this allows him further scope to stretch the characters. Unlike earlier entries you care about what happens to them which in turn gives the film some heart amongst the great special effects. Star Trek is a sci-fi version of a relationship film where the rebellious crew members have to forge a cohesive unit in order to live up to their ship's name. Abrams has also been smart enough to realize the average cinema goer would immediately think of the older characters whenever the Trek name appears and crafts an engrossing tale giving each a chance to shine. With a fine central cast successfully embodying the spirit of the previous actors, it's easy joining in their adventure although for older fans it's nice seeing the original Spock, Leonard Nimoy, play a pivotal role. Despite its reluctance in concluding proceedings with too many false endings, Star Trek is a pleasure to watch. This is more than can be said of some of its predecessors. About as good as an epic popcorn blockbuster can be - Star Trek places the entertainment quota to its maximum. Amazing given the franchise appeared dead only a few years ago, the film-makers have developed an exciting fantasy movie that should see the series "Star Trekkin' " for many years to come. Movie Review Rating 8 / 10 Movie Review by Patrick Moore Star Trek home page click here. Star Trek Offical Website click here. Star Trek released in Australia on Thursday 7th May 2009. If you have any comments to make about this Movie Review, then please use the comment box, titling your comments with Movie Review Star Trek. Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at current movie releases in Australia.