Star Trek is Alive

I admit that I am a Trekker. Although I’m not a virgin who speaks Klingon and lives in my mother’s basement, Star Trek is a significant part of my life. I collect the shows and movies and I do have some die cast metal star ships and a communicator. I did have an original series blue shirt but it wore out over the years.

Having said all of that I was disappointed with the new Star Trek movie, which I attended on opening day. I loved the new movie up until Spock’s mother died and Vulcan was destroyed. I felt like J.J. Abrams was re-writing Trek and all of the original and Next Generation shows and movies were no more because Trek history was destroyed by a rogue time traveling Romulan.

For Christmas I received a DVD of the new Star Trek movie. I watched it. And it rocks. I still have issues with the death of Spock’s mother and the destruction of Vulcan. But considering all the possible scenarios that could have played out in the new movie, there was no way to please all of the Trekkers. I believe Trek has become too much worshiped by some of us Trekkers.

I admit that the pacing and special effects are the best of any Star Trek to date. And the casting was excellent. Chris Pine is great as Kirk. Zachary Quinto shines as Spock. I look forward to more adventures with these crew. I can only accept the new Star Trek as a continuing adventure of the original and Next Generation Star Trek. With Leonard Nimoy portraying the elder Spock I accept this as an adventure where Spock has gone back in time to assist the young crew of the Enterprise.

Basically, the new Trek is for the young and Paramount was wise to make the movie as they did in order for this franchise to thrive again.

Those of us who grew up with the original Star Trek and the generation who followed behind us who grew up with the Next Generation are older. Sad but true. It is those people between the ages of seventeen to twenty-five year that bring the big bucks to the cinema. So I have made peace with the new Star Trek. It is fresh and new. It rocks.

And finally Star Trek is getting the big budget and guidance needed to make some damn good movies. Perhaps if Paramount had tried this years ago some of the Trek movies from the past would not have been so freaking bad.