# Star Trek -- the "I saw it" thread \*\*SPOILERS\*\* **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 7, 2009, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640 "2009-05-07T08:13:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/61 "2009-05-09T03:41:33Z")
> [@Leiko](#): > > I am so not catching what I assume from the quotation marks is a reference to something. Please to elaborate? Pike: This is Captain Christopher Pike of the USS Enterprise. Nero: Hi Christopher. I’m Nero. Was funny on the big screen, with delivery. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/62 "2009-05-09T03:43:06Z")
Oh! I am so lame. I liked that part when I saw it yesterday, and today I couldn’t even remember it. Luckily I’m likely to be seeing the movie again tomorrow, so it will be more fully remembered. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/63 "2009-05-09T04:06:45Z")
I liked it a lot; Abrams is playing to the general public, not the hardcore fan base, and it’s absolutely the right thing to do. And isn’t it ironic that they made **Trek** better by making it look more like **Battlestar Galactica**? That said, there were some problems: –The Kirk-Spock-McCoy dynamic is supposed to be Ego/Superego/Id. Instead, we got Ego/No Charisma/Bad Rich Little Act. Spock needs to be someone you’d root for and McCoy needs to be “a sensualist,” someone you’d troll for green-skinned shorties with. Fix it for the sequel. –Chekhov? This early? This smart? And without a Beatles haircut? He looked like Marc on **Ugly Betty**. I wish they’d had Reilly in the chair instead, but whatever. –Didn’t recognize Winona Ryder. To be fair, the last movie I saw her in was animated. –Scotty’s little rock troll buddy? Sick of him already. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/64 "2009-05-09T04:10:16Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > My dislike is based on my storytelling tastes. I want the plot to make sense; I want it to be a vehicle for exploring character, and character to be a mechanism by which the plot is advanced. I want characters I can, if not always like, empathize with, identify, with, enjoy saying; want to root for. I want not to be spoon-fed crap. Those are extremely reasonable, mature expectations. So why in the world would you expect to get any of that from a modern sci-fi or comic-book movie? When ever anyone says about a movie that “the special effects were great,” I know that the movie is crap, because it obviously has no character depth or development. (The _Spider-Man_ films were a surprising departure from this general rule, although only in the case of Peter Parker. The rest of the characters were cardboard.) That said, I enjoyed _Star Trek_ as basic, mindless entertainment with some inside gags that I, as an old-time TOS fan, got and enjoyed. (I was 11 when it came out.) I didn’t expect character development or logic, so I wasn’t disappointed. I just had a good time at the movies. Expecting depth from _Star Trek_ is… illogical. But WTF is the deal with the water on the floor of the Romulan ship?!? Also, although I can grant that maybe Nero could hold on to a grudge against Spock for 25 years, but don’t you think that somewhere around year 17 or 18, at least one or two members of the crew would have said, “Hey, Nero. How about we go see if maybe a few Romulan babes somehow survived the destruction of our home planet?” ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/65 "2009-05-09T04:11:51Z")
Little troll buddy reminded me of one of the carbonite crew in _Empire Strikes Back_. In a good way. Snow dinosaur, not so much good way. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/66 "2009-05-09T04:14:49Z")
I think it’s kind of silly to nitpick technical details and plot holes when many things about the canon are ridiculous to begin with. If you’re going to accept warp drives and transporter beams, and a universe where every planet has earth-like atmosphere and gravity, everybody speaks English, and every species on every planet can interbreed with every other species, then you really surrender any right to be indignant about Starfleet protocol (the idea of a starfleet in itself is absurd) or black hole physics or implausible plot contrivances. I went in knowing I was watching nonsense and had quite a good time. I liked the characterizations of all the Baby Star Trek characters. I would have liked to see a Baby Khan. Maybe in the next movie. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/67 "2009-05-09T04:21:47Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Pike: This is Captain Christopher Pike of the USS Enterprise. > > Nero: Hi Christopher. I’m Nero. > > Was funny on the big screen, with delivery. Yeah, but, “I’ve got your gun.” was funnier. I wish they hadn’t restarted it, but I’ll not whine like the Bond fans. I didn’t like using Scotty as comic relief. He was at his best as I’ve only mentioned 1,000 times in _Friday’s Child._ And we must disagree, Skald. Spock and Uhura fellated. Sulu and Uhura would make some sense. “I’ll save you, fair maiden!” “Sorry, I am neither.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/68 "2009-05-09T04:27:40Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > universe where every planet has earth-like atmosphere and gravity, everybody speaks English, > > I would have liked to see a Baby Khan. Maybe in the next movie. First two don’t happen. Your forget the Universal Translator. Baby Khan? In a test tube. As a toddler, beating up the kindergartners. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/69 "2009-05-09T04:38:22Z")
> [@TheBoltEater](#): > > I saw it a few weeks ago and have been eagerly awaiting the reviews from hard-core Trek fans. My guess was that most people would really like it, especially the casual fans, but that some of the Trekkies and Trekkers would despise it. Seems like that’s turning out to be the case. Luckily, hard-core Trek fans comprise 0.0002% of the population. The rest of us, who merely _like_ Star Trek a whole bunch, will _love_ this film. I thought it was a blast. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/70 "2009-05-09T04:49:27Z")
As I predicted, Mrs. Plant hated it. Her daughter and I were trying to walk faster than she from the theater, until someone snidely told her, “That’s why they call it science FICTION”, and I thought I may have to delay this asshole with my entire 125 lbs while she escaped. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/71 "2009-05-09T05:21:36Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Also, although I can grant that maybe Nero could hold on to a grudge against Spock for 25 years, but don’t you think that somewhere around year 17 or 18, at least one or two members of the crew would have said, “Hey, Nero. How about we go see if maybe a few Romulan babes somehow survived the destruction of our home planet?” Actually, it’s worse than that. You’ve forgotten that they were over 100 years in the past by then - Romulus still exists. Surely by year 5 at the latest his crew members would’ve assassinated him and just gone home. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/72 "2009-05-09T05:38:00Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > Luckily, hard-core Trek fans comprise 0.0002% of the population. The rest of us, who merely _like_ Star Trek a whole bunch, will _love_ this film. > > I thought it was a blast. I don’t know. I have to agree with **Skald** , there were just too many coincidences all happening in such short order, to bring everything to where it’s supposed to be, and solving everyone’s problems that it just seemed lazy. Everything just seemed like it was an excuse…an excuse to have a ninja sword, an excuse to bring in Leonard Nimoy, an excuse to make Kirk captain, an excuse to have a giant dinosaur chase, an excuse to have a Khan replacement out for personal vengeance, etc. It just seemed like a stream of unconnected scenes put together for no particular reason beyond that they seemed cool. And there was no obvious reason to do it that way. Why not have a plausible story about Kirk and Spock in Starfleet academy, or simply just make them already be in place on the Enterprise? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/73 "2009-05-09T05:41:44Z")
Aww, it was great fun. The thing is, all Star Trek has ever been was B-Movie level science fiction with some money thrown at it. It got lucky by having great characters with good chemistry and a few good ideas every now and then. This movie nailed the tone and aesthetic of the original, but with a 21st century upgrade. I even loved the anamorphic lens flares. This was the shot in the arm the franchise needed, and I’m thrilled the movies are going back to the original crew of the Enterprise. Next Generation, or any of the others just don’t have the gravity like the original does for a feature blockbuster. True, the story, in and of itself, could have been better, but everything else worked so well, it didn’t matter as much. This is the Star Trek I always knew it could be. It had power, energy and motion. Highly entertaing, and not disappointed in the slightest. It’s been a long time since I felt that “movie magic” I did when I was a kid. Next time, I _do_ expect sharper writing… right Damon? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/74 "2009-05-09T05:47:00Z")
Appropos of nothing, but that actress playing Uhura was hotter than fire. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/75 "2009-05-09T05:48:59Z")
Look, wiping the table clear and being able to start fresh with a time travel bit is cheating … but at least they made fun of themselves for doing it - when Kirk asks Spock the Elder (paraphrasing) “Isn’t going back in time to change things cheating?” (Which actually Spock had _not_ done.) And Spock said “yes but I learned to do that from an old friend” And yeah, cheating is in the character of Kirk and of Star Trek. A fun movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I enjoyed it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/76 "2009-05-09T05:49:25Z")
Black holes…I thought you had to get the Red Stuff into the core to make a black hole. But what drill bit is long enough and strong enough to get to the core of a planet? Don’t dis Mr. Scott. He’ll beam you from the shower to the subway. Regarding canon and continuity, what about the Eugenics wars? What about the Romulan War, fought with out video? No one knows what these guys look like. I wonder if they will change the bios at [Trek.com](http://Trek.com) to fit this new movie; for example, the dates the crew members attended the academy. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/77 "2009-05-09T05:49:33Z")
That’s the same chick that’ll be James Cameron’s Na’vi alien in Avatar, BTW. And I agree. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/78 "2009-05-09T05:50:14Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > So far, I seem to be the only person in the world who didn’t like it, and I’m genuinely bewildered at the acclaim it’s getting. I don’t know, maybe it’s just a case of contrarianism on my part, but I just don’t see what’s supposed to be so good about it, and instead I see quite a bit of bad: Granted, the story isn’t the strongest, and the plot has a few problems, but holy shit this was a breathtaking thrill ride! Maybe you had to see it in IMAX. This movie was hella fun, super exciting, and visually astonishing, from the action to the effects to the sets to the aliens. All the other stuff was either good, or not bad enough to distract from the excellent aspects. The only part that I didn’t feel was done well was the Orion slutty roomate - she just didn’t look quite right to me. Can’t wait to see it again! ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/79 "2009-05-09T05:53:13Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Black holes…I thought you had to get the Red Stuff into the core to make a black hole. But what drill bit is long enough and strong enough to get to the core of a planet?.. You did see the movie, right? The “drill” was a giant energy beam that blasted/vaporized a hole into the earth. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640/80 "2009-05-09T05:55:56Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Granted, the story isn’t the strongest, and the plot has a few problems, but holy shit this was a breathtaking thrill ride! Maybe you had to see it in IMAX. This movie was hella fun, super exciting, and visually astonishing, from the action to the effects to the sets to the aliens. All the other stuff was either good, or not bad enough to distract from the excellent aspects. The only part that I didn’t feel was done well was the Orion slutty roomate - she just didn’t look quite right to me. > > Can’t wait to see it again! I totally agree with this. Even down to the Orion green chick. She looked she was dunked in some Paas Easter Egg coloring. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-i-saw-it-thread-spoilers/495640.md?page=5)