Star Trek

So, it's Sunday again, the last Hubble Servicing Mission is up and doing the impossible via EVA (more when they're safely down, but you can read about what's going on here), I've started my novel rework and, of course, I have small children and kittens I could talk about.

So, naturally, I'm going to talk about Star Trek.


I am a Trekkie - sort of. I mean, I love the original Star Trek, grew up with it, loved the characters. I loved it, saw every episode multiple times, occasional horrible story, always cheesy effects and all. Loved it. (If you haven't seen it and don't want spoilers, you might want to stop here, because I'm going to say what I think and it could spoil some aspects for you).

I saw the first six movies, though I never thought they quite caught the magic of the show (though the effects were certainly improved). I never fell in love with any of the new TV show incarnations. They had some strengths, of course, but none of them, in my opinion, were able to recapture the original chemistry of the characters and their interactions. I like some of the characters, but I never had an ensemble that worked for me like that first one.

Well, I've found it again. I loved the movie. Now, if you're a geeky, technical details Star Trek fan, if you have timelines of the various pieces and compare, if you won't stand for liberties taken with the sacred episodes in place, you won't like it, you may even hate it. Liberties were taken. That cop-out that was used (to great excess) in the latest Star Trek shows, time travel, is here, too.

The characters were key for me. I loved them, found the backstory compelling to building them and their interaction. Was the story perfect? Nope. But I've seen worse. Were the special effects excellent? Yes. Were the characters key to the story, to the movie, to everything? Yes, and they're back.

And that's all I needed from the movie.