No, I am not a Trekkie.
(Or Trekker, which the New England Sports Fan Friend assures me is the preferred term.)
I watched re-runs of the original “Star Trek” when I was little, and even went to see “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” — the one with the whales — but it’s not like I’m a huge fan of the show, and so I can’t say I was awaiting the new “Star Trek” movie with bated breath, or anything like that. But it got respectable reviews, the previews made it look kind of fun, and the New England Sports Fan Friend’s excitement about the movie piqued my interest. “Are you a ‘Star Trek’ fan?” I asked, while we were watching the Celtics. “A fan?” he said. “Yes, you could say that. I’ve seen every episode of ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ and all of the movies. Yes, you could call me a fan.” “Really?” I said. “Are the movies any good?” “Good?” he said. “No, I wouldn’t say they were good. Good isn’t the word I would use. But I loved them. I’m hoping this new movie leads to a new TV series — ‘Kirk and Spock: The Early Years.’”
“Kirk and Spock: The Early Years” is actually a good alternate title for “Star Trek,” which, like all “origins” movies (“Batman Begins,” “Superman Returns,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”), explains how our heroes became the people we know and love today. So the movie opens with scenes of Kirk’s father, sacrificing his own life to save the 800 members of his crew while his wife gives birth to his son during the hectic evacuation of his ship, and follows young James T. Kirk through his early, fatherless years, when he is a rebellious, womanizing brawler who likes to drive fast and pick fights in bars. Spock’s early years are full of angst as well, the result of a lineage his Vulcan peers consider flawed: a Vulcan father and a human mother. (“I presume you have prepared new insults today,” the young Spock calmly tells the bullies who torment him in the hopes of eliciting an emotional reaction.) Of course, Spock and Kirk both end up on the Starship Enterprise. And they hate each other.
Having only passing familiarity with “Star Trek,” I was surprised by how much I actually knew about the show, and how much I liked the characters, right from the get-go. Spock really is one of the great characters of modern pop culture — a logical, brainy, not-quite-emotionless thinker. And although Zachary Quinto (“Heroes”) makes a fine young Spock, the film’s most moving moment occurs when Leonard Nimoy turns up in an ice cave — thanks to a nifty time-travel plot that makes absolutely no sense if you stop to think about it — as an aged Spock. Even though I knew Nimoy had a role in the film, his appearance still came as a delightful surprise; someone in the audience actually cheered. There are a number of exciting fight scenes and chases, but what makes the movie special is its quieter moments: the brainy asides, the interaction of characters who don’t know each other yet, but will. When the ship’s crew is finally assembled — Scotty, McCoy, etc. — you really do feel happy.
In general, I’m not a huge fan of big summer movies. The political blogger Matthew Yglesias actually summed up my feelings about most big summer movies pretty well when he wrote, in a mini-review of “Star Trek,” “It’d be nice to see the energy and money and talent that was dedicated to re-imagining the Enterprise just put toward doing something original and new.” Given the almost complete creative bankruptcy of Hollywood, this is an attitude I generally agree with. And yet ... “Star Trek” is terrific entertainment. The movie, directed by J.J. Abrams (“Alias,” “Lost”), successfully reboots a popular franchise, and has the potential to create a whole new generation of “Star Trek” fans. Will there be a new TV show called “Kirk and Spock: The Early Years”? Well, only time will tell. But I, for one, would like to see it.
SPEAKING OF COMING OF AGE MOVIES
The other night I watched the 2007 film “Starter for 10,” about a working class boy named Brian Jackson who gets accepted at a posh university and lands a spot on the school’s quiz team. Brian (James McAvoy) has always been a trivia nut, and he soon becomes the team’s most valuable member. He’s also struggling with affairs of the heart — he’s in love with the beautiful blonde member of the team, but keeps running into an alluring student activist. (This film being set in the ‘80s, Apartheid is still a pretty big deal.)
“Starter for 10” is a lot of fun. It feels like vintage John Hughes, filtered through a cheeky British sensibility, and although it doesn’t do anything particularly original or special, it’s funny and light and creates characters you can’t help but root for. And the quiz show scenes are highly entertaining. In fact, I think we need more quiz show, coming-of-age, romantic comedies. Am I the only one who thinks this genre has a lot of potential?
Got a comment? Add your thoughts below or e-mail me at sfoss@dailygazette.net.
