Noni -> Movies -> Star Trek

Star Trek (2008)

"I'm no Marlon Brando, but I'm, like, Spock's mom."
Winona Ryder

Chris Pine	James Tiberius Kirk
Zachary Quinto / Leonard Nimoy	Spock
Eric Bana	Nero
Simon Pegg	Montgomery Scott
Winona Ryder	Amanda Grayson
Zoe Zaldana	Nyota Uhura
Karl Urban	Leonard „Bones“ McCoy
John Cho	Hikaru Sulu
Bruce Greenwood	Christopher Pike
Ben Cross	Sarek
Anton Yelchin	Pavel A. Chekov

„I was shocked to see Winona Ryder so effective as Spock’s mother — I didn’t think it would work, I couldn’t envision her in the role. This really works — that wonderful scene between her and Zachary when he semi-apologizes for negating his human side and asks that she not take it as an insult, is so wonderful. They are both wonderful. I can’t see any reason to worry anymore about the people who are going to say this isn’t right. I am not worried about it.“
Leonard Nimoy – for full interview see link in Articles section

Story

The story begins when a huge alien ship attacks the USS Kelvin – in the end Jim Kirk's father takes command of the ship after the captain has been killed. Fending off the enemie's weapons he ensures the shuttlecraft with the surviving crew can escape. As last resort he steers the USS Kelvin into the alien vessel, ramming it, and the last thing he hears is the birth of his son onboard one of the shuttles.

Three years later: Starts a row of scenes from Kirk's and Spock's childhood and youth. Kirk an intelligent but rebel in Iowa, while Spock is torn between the love for his mother Amanda, superbly played by Winona Ryder, and his father Sarek for whom he wants to be a good vulcan. After a bar fight Captain Pike gets Kirk into Starfleet Academy. Spock, after beeing accepted into the Vulcan Science Academy but the headmaster calls his half-earth origin a handicap, declines his acceptance and joins Starfleet.

Three years later: a distress-call from Vulcan, a huge alien vessel attacks vulcan, drilling a hole into the crust. a fleet of Starfleet vessels starts from Earth, including many cadets and is destoryed by the alien vessel. The brand-new USS Enterprise is late, so avoids destruction. After communication with the alien vessel the commander of that ship identifies himself as Nero – a romulan rogue holding a deep hate against the Vulcans, and especially against one special Vulcan: Spock. Kirk and Sulu attack the drill plattform but are too late, the Narrada – Nero's vessel – destroys Vulcan. Meanwhile Spock beams down, desperate to save his parents and suffers a terrible loss.

Back on the ship Kirk and Spock have a serious argument, Spock finally dumping Kirk on Delta Vega with an escape-pod. Kirk there meets Spock – from the future – who reveals the whole truth about Nero. Spock and Kirk get on their way to Delta Vega's Dilithium Cracking Station and there finally meeting Scotty on their way back to the USS Enterprise. Reunited onboard Spock, Kirk, McCoy and crew set out to take Nero, who is on his way to earth, down.

My Opinion

A great movie with something for everything: Great acting. Great references to the classic series and movies: „The Naked Time“, „Jounrey To Babel“, „Charlie X“, „Yesteryear“, „Star Trek IV: the Voyage Home“ - to name a few. Much action and fun – Chekov accent confusing the Enterprise computer is a great reference to chekov asking a police-officer for the „nuclear vessels“ in Star Trek IV. And also some wonderful character moments.

On the weak side some scenes from Kirks youth, including a very obsolete product placement.

A nice twist is the creation of a new alternate timeline – this way they avoid having to honor all the existing Trek history – which still can evolve in books unharmed.

To quote Ezri Dax: "It's just like old times, except....different."

And as leonard nimoy said: "Have a open mind." This isn't sixties sci-fi anymore – but in my opinion neverhteless very cool – I certainly hope for more to come!

Promotion Pictures here

Fans Opinion

Most fan reviews were positive except for some nitpickers. See full fan reviews on trekmovie.com

Most were positively surprised by Winona's performance:

„Ben Cross was an admirable Sarek. Indeed, Sarek’s admission of his love for Amanda and Winona Ryder’s (too) brief appearance in that role add a whole new dimension to two wonderful characters. This is why it’s so great to recast roles: new actors can’t fail to bring something different to the characters.“

„There also were the obvious removed Klingon sequences and Winona Ryder scenes which positively scream for an extended edition.“

„And, my word! Amanda Grayson dying along with Vulcan! We’d known Vulcan was likely to buy the farm, but I didn’t anticipate Amanda Grayson’s death. It gave the scale of Vulcan’s destruction an added depth. On top of that, Spock and Kirk have both lost a parent to Nero, increasing their brotherly bond.“

„The casting was superlative, and Winona Ryder brought a tear to my eye.“

„Winona Ryder fine as Amanda. Would have liked to see more.“

„My only real issue with the movie is the lack of screentime given to Winona Ryder (Amanda, Spock’s mother)“

„Things I’d like to see in an extended DVD cut and explained if possible – more of Winona Ryder’s surprisingly good performance as Spock’s mother.“

„The scene with Amanda is wonderfully played by Winona Ryder, and is conveys great warmth. Death of Spock’s mom was a shocker. Nice wraparound when Sarek admits marrying her out of love. The Sarek-Spock relationship lacked the conflict of the TOS version, which I always thought was more melodramatic than realistic. Uhura’s “tell me how I can help you” sequence in the turbolift was very emotional for me, and really portrays the depth and maturity of her character and the steadfastness of her love for Spock.“

„Winona Ryder and Tyler Perry were cool.“

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