Cinematical Screens 'Star Trek' Footage!
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"I've never been a fan of Star Trek. It's true, I never quite got it." -- J.J. Abrams
Last night Cinematical had the chance to screen roughly 20 minutes of footage from the new Star Trek film alongside select journalists, Paramount executives and Trek director J.J. Abrams. Four scenes in total, each was a fairly critical component of the film -- and while hardcore Trekkers may have a few problems with the final product, there's no denying this rebooted version of Star Trek will kick off the summer of '09 in spectacular fashion.
Below, I'll give you a very brief summary of each scene, then spit out a few initial thoughts on it all before providing a few movie facts (based on what we learned last night). Some of this info will come as a welcomed surprise to those faithful out there, and some ... well ... let's begin, shall we:
Note: We'll be discussing plot points, so there will be spoilers ahead.
Scene Summary
1. Kirk's Introduction -- This was our first introduction to the Chris Pine version of Kirk -- a somewhat disheveled, but great looking punk who hangs around the Starfleet bar looking to pick up chicks. His wooing of one such chick -- who goes by the name of Uhura (Zoe Saldana) -- winds up getting Kirk into trouble with some of the boys. A fight ensues, and a man by the name of Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood) steps in to save the day before urging Kirk to follow in his father's footsteps and join the Starfleet.
2. Kirk Sneaks On Board Enterprise -- In this scene, it's been three years since Kirk joined the Starfleet, but he's in no way trustworthy enough to be appointed Captain or 1st Officer -- he's just way too much of a rebel and a nuisance. However, the Enterprise is about to make its maiden voyage and Kirk really wants to see what she's all about. Since there's some sort of rule that says doctors are allowed to travel with their sick patients, Kirk has his friend 'Bones' McCoy (Karl Urban) inject him with a virus so that the good doctor could travel with his sick patient. Once onboard, however, Kirk discovers that the ship's mission has been compromised and they're flying straight into a Romulan trap. He tries to warn the crew, which includes Captain Pike, Spock (Zachary Quinto), Sulu (John Cho) and Chekov (Anton Yelchin), but by the time they fly out of warp speed, it's too late ... and they fly right into the middle of a battle (see below still from the new trailer).
Above: The Enterprise crew comes out of warp speed to find themselves in the middle of a battle
3. Kirk Meets Old Spock -- Throughout the film, Spock and Kirk are constantly butting heads, and so at one point Spock kicks Kirk off the ship and sends him to an ice planet. It's there, however, that Kirk meets an older version of Spock (Leonard Nimoy) who it seems traveled from the future to help his younger self succeed in this mission (though the younger Spock cannot know the older Spock is here). As Kirk tries to piece this puzzle together, old Spock introduces him to a young fireball named Scotty (Simon Pegg), who's trying to figure out this damn warp speed equation; essentially, how to beam someone to a ship traveling in warp speed. Let's just say the older Spock might be able to help these boys out. There's also a great line of dialogue here that I'll let you discover on your own.
4. Kirk and Sulu Battle Romulans -- In this scene, the Enterprise learns that the Romulan ship is drilling a hole into the planet Vulcan, and they need to stop the drill. As Pike travels to the Romulan ship for a discussion with their leader Nero (Eric Bana), Kirk, Sulu and a "Red Shirt" get shot out of a ship and free-fall almost 3,000 feet before opening their parachutes and landing on the base of the drill. There, they're greeted by a couple of Romulan guards and a very cool fight/rescue operation ensues.
Above: Kirk has trouble with a Romulan guard and winds up hanging for his life while the Romulan drill spits a fire beam below his feet.
Initial Thoughts on Scenes Screened
- All the actors seem to be doing a fine job in their respective roles. Stand outs include Bruce Greenwood as Captain Pike, Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov and Simon Pegg as Scotty.
- My main problem with the footage screened had to do with the way Abrams directed the hand-to-hand fighting. Those scenes were cut way too fast; they were shaky and wild, and we never got a good look at the fight in progress.This was especially the case during that Starfleet bar fight. The fight on the base of the Romulan drill could've been better as well, especially seeing as Sulu breaks out a badass sword and goes to town with it.
- Abrams has packed his film with tons of little nods to the original series and films, and so while Trekkers may not dig the fact that the filmmakers are messing with Trek mythology, they'll no doubt crack a smile or three during the course of the movie.
- Special effects look solid, and the creature work was on par with what we've come to expect. Yes, the new Enterprise does look and feel like you're inside an iPod, but I'm willing to let that slide.
Star Trek Movie Facts
- Kirk is convinced to join the Starfleet by Captain Pike, who's the first Captain of the Enterprise for its maiden voyage.
- When Kirk first boards the Enterprise, Sulu, Spock, Chekov, Uhura and McCoy are already working with one another in some capacity, though their roles will change throughout the mission.
- Their main mission during the film is to save the planet Vulcan from a Romulan attack.
- J.J. Abrams described the film as "crazy, sexy, thrilling -- about family, friendships and all that."
- When he signed on, Abrams did not realize they had already made 10 Star Trek films. He said that if he had realized that, he may not have taken on the job.
- In describing the movie as a whole, Abrams said he "wanted to relate to it, wanted it to feel real." Unlike Star Wars, this isn't set in a galaxy far, far, away, it's instead "a version of our future."
Star Trek hits theaters on May 8, 2009.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-18-2008 @ 12:42PM
Tim said...
Every time J.J. Abrams opens his mouth I feel less and less confident about this movie.
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11-18-2008 @ 12:50PM
Fullman said...
The man can make some compelling stories and create a good amount of tension for the viewer. That said, I don't think he was ever good at self-promoting his properties, as we saw with him not even knowing how many Trek films had been made. Come on, that's like the most basic research any filmmaker should do...
11-18-2008 @ 1:49PM
Hung2 said...
Lets see - where do I start? Spock traveling back in time? Kirk sneaking on board the Enterprise? The "Seven Drawfs", as Shatner liked to call them - already working along side one another but roles will change? Abrams didn't realize there were Trek movies - 10 of them previously made? And the Enterprise being constructed NOT in space, but on the GROUND??
WTF!
For those of us who are loyal, albeit "older" ST fans - you CAN'T re-write history. This fim has disaster written all over it. Sure the CGI will look great.....battle scenes will look great. But as with most of the previous films (except ST2/4/6/First Contact - the story line SUCKS. Abrams stick to TV and bad Tom Cruise movies.....don't try to make history - STAY AWAY from it.
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11-18-2008 @ 2:56PM
Gary said...
Can't rewrite History? Are you on crack?
Star Trek was a TV show with people dressed in funny costumes having confrontations with more costumed people dressed as aliens called Klingons and Romulans. Do you really think this is history?
If you want to see someone re-writing history then wait till you see the end of Inglorious Basterds, and I bet there are much less complaints about that then there will be about this Star Trek movie.
Some people take television far too seriously.
11-18-2008 @ 4:32PM
Mike said...
It's not Star Trek history, it's Star Trek canon. History is the past reality, not fiction. Because it is canon, it can be rewritten because it can be reinterpreted, redigested and redone. Mythologies are never perfect and Star Trek's mythology is far from it. But it is obvious that the filmmakers took great care to be respectful to the "canon" while giving us THEIR interpretation of the "canon." I can't wait for this movie to come out, it looks so cool. As Bill Hunt of TheDigitalBits said, this could be the Episode I-III of the Star Trek universe and expose the mythology to a whole new demographic. Let's all hope this film does not flop.
11-18-2008 @ 4:32PM
Kurt said...
I gotta say that the idea of an old Spock coming back in time to help himself out distresses me slightly. Generally, plot bits like that strike me as being too deus-ex-machina to be all that compelling.
That said, it's not like time travel hasn't crept up in the ST-verse before. And we can bitch and moan about ret-conning the story, but it's not like the world of Star Trek is a model of continuity.
So I will remain cautiously optimistic about it. I've always felt that the problem with Star Trek is that it can be very difficult to relate to, so if Abrams has done what he was trying to do, then I think we'll have a remarkably enjoyable film.
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11-19-2008 @ 10:44AM
ML said...
Agreed and agreed. "Deus ex machina" was exactly the phrase that came to mind, and - what - yet another story with a time-travel element? ... and when the first photos hit EW, I couldn't help thinking "Might Guy" instead of "Spock" (maybe I've been watching too much anime) ... but still, I'm willing to remain positive and see what they come up with. It's not like the original series didn't make any mistakes.
11-18-2008 @ 10:07PM
Kathi said...
It will be interesting to see how Chekov fits into this Enterprise when he was only an Ensign in TOS?? Uhura and Sulu, too since they were only Lts???? Kirk moves rapidly up the ranks and everyone else stands still??????
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11-19-2008 @ 4:50AM
Brad said...
I am a Trekkie, an original fan. The Trekkers are the Newbies. In the S. T. Universe they refer to anything as being one Film as being Canon. Also perhaps the Official Technical Manuel's. The books in the "shared universe" I don't consider as being Science Fiction. Chekov didn't join the crew until season 2. So Khan couldn't have recognized him as Space Seed was a 1st season episode. Though there was a humorous story about when he was a midshipman. Khan had a bout of Montezuma's Revenge adapting to the Enterprise Food (pre replicater). Khan is pounding on the door of one of the few bathroom doors. Out comes Chekov and as he is rushing in, Khan says that he will never forget his face.
While amusing, it was never shown on film so it isn't Canon. We can only hope for the Best.
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11-19-2008 @ 12:29PM
Chris said...
At least they got Captain Pike's role right, but he is not the first Captain of the Enterprise, Captain Archer was the first from the last series "Enterprise", however Pike could be considered the first Captain of the Enterprise A, remember Picard was the Captain of the Enterprise D, Abrams should have the characters at least acknowledge this fact, but given that he was never a fan, (Paramount once again shows their stupidity with choosing a director) I have very little optimism!!!!
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11-19-2008 @ 5:19PM
Leeb said...
What? Scott Bakula's Captian Archer was in canon 100 years before Pike. Archer's Enterprise was the NX-01 an experimental ship. The Enterprise from the Sixties and TMP, 1, 2, and 3 was the NCC-1701. 1701-A Came to screen in 4, 5, and 6. So Abrams got it right. That being said.....
I also want to say I hear a lot of whining and a lot of expectation of what Star Trak "Should" be. This is pretty much a prequel so there is no canon to go by they get to make it up so you are going to see things you've never seen before. And if some accepted canon is trampled on who cares. Was Wrath of Khan ruined because Khan never actually "saw" Chekov on the old Enterprise? No way. Thih si s all NEW The only thing That is truly established in our hearts and minds are the characters. The old show was a bunch of cheapo sets and and itchy costumes but we liked it because we liked the characters. Now we get to se how they meet and how they'll have to learn to become the team of characters we like. Every actor has said first and formost They focused on character not impersonating what has been done. This isn't the Kirk we know it's how Kirk BECOMES the Kirk we know and the same for all the other character's.
Just think along the lines of Kirk being the kind of guy who is going to reprogram the Kobiashi Maru test so he can win. That 's how bad he wants a Starship.
11-20-2008 @ 12:13AM
Tim said...
What was beautiful about Star Trek and what has been its enduring legacy can be summed up in three words: the prime directive. The original Enterprise was essentially a scientific, sociologic and anthropologic military vessel crewed by a highly diverse, intelligent and, for the most part, cohesive team of soldier/adventurers. Their main mission was to explore with the peaceful intention of better understanding the universe in order to hopefully preserve it. Since the initial series ended, many have scoffed at the shows' ideals and overzealous portrayals as melodramatic and, woefully out of touch. Which is why most of the movies made since "Wrath of Khan" have substituted appliance for plot. Pyrotechnic battles replaced the battle between emotion and intelligence that was the benchmark of the original show's success. Few subsequent films were able to deliver on the depth of devotion exhibited by a man whose essence revolved around protecting his ship and continuing its mission of discovery and exploration. Such sacrifice and dedication was a requisite to his crew as well. What to the naysayers was a silly nerdish fantasy was, actually a story of common purpose, character, ingenuity and hope for the future of our planet. Let's hope J.J. Abrams had the uncommon insight and wisdom to tap into what was great about Star Trek: hope for us all.
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11-20-2008 @ 7:54AM
ivan said...
i really liked the trailer. it looks quite good. and let's not complain too much, cause we still want paramount to make more and more movies,right?
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11-20-2008 @ 1:14PM
Tyrone said...
This movie may be pretty good or pretty awful, but make no mistake. It was designed to step on as many toes as possible. One of the strengths of Trek was that the creators-and I mean all including TV, Film, books and cartoons tried to stay true to the source material. They even went as far as to make the cartoon canon. Trek has an established history which Paramount is happy to do away with. They've seen how much money the Star Wars films have made and how Star Trek has been "dying" a not so quite death. First came the last movie then the failed TV show. If both of those had been a success, this movie wouldn't have gotten made. The breaking of canon would have upset me years ago, but it's happening so much now days that it's only a matter of time before Luke Skywalker has a twin brother and Lando becomes a Sith. What I'm saying is is that the old Trek has officially died. It's gone and if this movie is a hit, will never be seen again. This movie is volume 2, we don't know volume 2. The characters are familiar, but that's all. Welcome to the Star Trek version of the Ultimates. I've accepted it and look forward to this movie. I just hope I like it as much as I did the original version.
That being said, the plot holes are a plenty. They should have left Nimoy out of this entirely. He's retired, he wouldn't have cared. One of the previous post mentioned the fact that Kirk joins Star fleet dead last, but ends up a captain ahead of everybody else. That doesn't make sense, if that happened in real life most people would freak. They need to do a better job. I sitll reserve judgment and no matter what, I'll be there on opening day.
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