This is Not Your Father's Star Trek?!

As with all Movie Reviews that I may write, there is a major possibility of spoilers. Don't read if you don't want it spoiled.

I saw Star Trek this weekend. I've been very excited for this movie. My Father introduced me to Star Trek in the early eighties (I think). I watched it every chance I got. I don't remember the first time I ever watched it, but I have been a fan since that time. I have seen every Star Trek Movie in theaters since IV (Except First Contact—I was on my mission). Back when they started Star Trek: The Next Generation I was excited for that to come out, then I watched the show and I hated it—then I started watching it again in the third season or so and only after I came to enjoy those later seasons, did the shows from the first two seasons become enjoyable to me. When I found out that they were relaunching the franchise I was excited. This is exactly what Star Trek Needed.

I'm a fan of Lost, I think it's one of the most intelligent shows on T.V. right now—I think that that, combined with scheduling issues is one of the reasons it's been struggling a little in the ratings department. But I'm not here to talk about Lost. I bring it up only because the creator of Lost, Mr. J.J. Abrams was a brilliant choice for director and served to get me excited.

And Simon Peg as Scotty was a brilliant move as well, that was another element that excited me.

Also, the marketing of this movie was brilliantly handled. There was the teaser that revealed the exterior of the Enterprise; I think I saw 3 different trailers and they were comprised of mostly the same footage, I didn't feel like I had seen the whole movie before it came out. They didn't try to sell this movie—they let it sell itself.

But it was the writing that made this movie so great—they showed utmost respect for the source material, while at the same time upgrading it for todays audiences.

There was a trailer of this movie that stated,"This is not your Father's Star Trek."

And though I think that was necessary for marketing to bring in the non-trekkie, it's a half truth.

On one hand, the way that they avoided canon was brilliantly executed—looking at it that way, this is an alternate time line and all the Trek that came before is not entirely nullified while at the same time allowing them to do whatever they want with the stories.

On the other hand all the Exploring Strange New Worlds, Seeking Out New Life and New Civilizations, and Boldly Going Where No Man Has Gone Before—is all there. All the Action, All the Wonder, All the Excitement that made this Series great originally. It's all there.

All the Star Trek Tropes are Securely in place. Kirk is Smart, Good in a Fight, and Likes the Ladies. Bones is Cantankerous and "a Doctor Not a ..." Spock clings to his Vulcan heritage, while not rejecting his human side (and has Green Blood). Scotty is Jovial and Scottish, funny and Brilliant and "Cannot Give 'er Any More."

There was a running joke throughout the beginning of the movie where Uhura would not reveal her first name to Kirk—as this was happening, I realized that I had watched Star Trek my entire life and did not know Uhura's first name, this made the joke even better. I looked it up later and was relieved that her first name was not canon until this new film.

Chekov pronounces "v" as "w" Sulu is a fencer—and a Red Shirt Ate it Early on.

So this is definitely your Father's Star Trek. It makes you feel like you did when your Father introduced you to the show when you were a kid. It's just that entertaining.