Star Trek : Sneak Peek
By
Sean Lynch
View Trailer : Star Trek
I've just arrived back at the Web Wombat
offices from the exclusive 45 minute sneak preview of four all-new
scenes from JJ Abrams' upcoming Star
Trek movie.
And the verdict?
Call me crazy, but the days of this particular franchise being a "Nerd
Only" zone are well and truly over - the new Star Trek is
shaping up to be a box office smash.
Despite showing up and looking like a total fool in front of the
Paramount bigwigs (in my early morning rush I threw on a Transformers tee,
with the type of executives attending that were actually responsible
for producing said shirt), the buzz surrounding the film was intense.
After a quick word from the head of Para
mount distribution - the lights
went down... and it was time to see what all the fuss is about.
Following a screening of the much-talked about official trailer which
is currently doing the rounds on the net in various forms (you can
watch both of them of our Star Trek Preview
Page) JJ Abrams appears on screen, direct from Hollywood
where they're finishing the sound mix for the film.
The guy really holds all the cards in the Hollywood Action Movie
department at the moment (with the likes of Alias, Cloverfield and M:I3 under his
belt) and even the way he holds himself gives you a sense he is the
Spielberg of the new generation.
Abrams mentions that while Star
Trek was never an "obvious choice" for him, "the script...
was just so amazing, exciting and funny" that he just had to make the
film. And as the first of the four scenes kick off - as a movie fan -
you feel like there is really no better man than the Abrams to take on
the job.
So here is a quick round up of the four scenes which were shown at this
exclusive event; a taste of what we can expect from one of the most
anticipated films of 2009. [SPOILER ALERT]
Star
Trek Sneak Peek - Scene One:
"Kirk Bar Fight"
We are introduced to a young 20-something
James T. Kirk (or "Jim Kirk" as he is most oftenly referred to here)
played by relative newcomer Chris Pine.
There has been a lot of talk already about Pine's "troubled young
rough-nut" take on the classic Kirk character made famous by William
Shatner - but he really shines here.
The kid is sexy, the kid is cool and the kid is a smart ass trouble
maker.
Several drinks into the night, we join Kirk in a futuristic bar - music
pumping, people dancing, aliens drinking - as he makes a pass at a sexy
young lass known only as Uhura.
Yep - we all know Kirk has always had the skills with the ladies, so is
it really a surprise that at some stage the language analyst who is
"skilled with her tongue" (as Kirk so eloquently remarks) would've
given Kirk the time of day?
His remarks don't go down too well though, and a fight soon breaks out
between the leather jacket-clad Kirk and a bunch of Starfleet soldiers.
He gets a few good punches in, but by and large, the poor fella gets
the space-juice smacked out of him.
It's a surprisingly bloody bar fight, and a fine example of the steps
Abrams has taken to keep the out-of-this-world tale well and truly
grounded.
The fight is brought to a halt by Captain Pike, who
we discover knew Kirk's now-deceased father. Pike
goes onto pose the question as to why Kirk (with his high test score)
doesn't join the fleet.
Captain Pike questions: "Your father was a USS Ship Captain for 12
minutes and saved 800 lives. Can you do better?"
Star
Trek Sneak Peek - Scene Two:
"Kirk Sneaks Onto The
Enterprise"
Abrams
returns briefly on screen to explain that Kirk goes onto join
Starfleet, but then gets into trouble - eventually being kicked off the
ship all together.
However, with the help of Kirk's new found friend (Leonard 'Bones'
McCoy) he is smuggled back on board thanks to a
curious injection that masks his presence. However, things
don't turn out well when it's discovered that the injection has certain
side effects (his swollen hands and a numb tongue make for a very
amusing scene that shows Abrams has a lighter side).
To make matters worse, Kirk unveils a plot by the Romulans to attack
the Enterprise - only problem is... no one can understand what he is
saying thanks to the "numb tongue".
The scene also introduces us to the likes of Pavel Chekov (played by Alpha Dog's Anton
Yelchin) who Trek
fans will be happy to know is still having trouble getting his tongue
around the word "Wessels"... I mean "Vessels"!
The scene also marks the first look at the "New" Spock played by
Zachary Quinto (Heroes). John
Cho, best known from Harold
& Kumar, also pops up for the first time here as
Hikaru Sulu.
Star
Trek Sneak Peek - Scene Three:
"Kirk Meets Scotty
& Spock"
The
scene all Star Trek
nerds have been waiting for... the return of the real Spock, Leonard
Nimoy.
From what Abrams tells us, Kirk gets into trouble yet again, and is
again kicked off the ship and left on an snowy planet. He soon bumps
into old Spock (yep, there is going to be some fairly convoluted time
travel stuff in this puppy) who introuduces Kirk to the tech head known
as "Scotty" who is played to perfection by Simon Pegg.
Here we discover the origins of the transporter beam and hear those
infamous words uttered "Live Long and Prosper".
Star
Trek Sneak Peek - Scene Four:
"Return Of The Red Shirts"
Abrams
glowingly introduces the first look at one of the major action
sequences of the film, and gives a knowing grin as he mentions the fact
that the first mission for Kirk and Sulu off the ship involves bringing
along a crew member.
A "Red Shirt" (who, as all Star Trek die-hards
will be well aware of) won't survive the trip...
And I gotta say, the action is a truly stunning spectacle.
Much
like Abram's previous work in the action genre, this sequence (which
involves Kirk, Sulu and the 'Red Shirt' making a dangerous sky-dive
from a shuttle through the atmosphere of the Planet Vulcan onto an
enormous floating Romulan drill) is gripping, edge of your seat
entertainment.
Narrowly making it onto the drill, Kirk and Sulu battle some Romulan
guards who end up well and truly roasted. The Entertprise lads set
their guns to "blow stuff up" and destroy the drill. However, it seems
it's all little too late.
Romulan leader Nero (Aussie legend, Eric Bana) orders for "the plan to
continue" - a plan which will ultimately leave the planet Vulcan little
more than a black hole.
Spock (who is temporarily named Captain of the Enterprise while Pike
and Kirk are out on the mission) leaves his chair and races to exit the
ship in the hopes that he can save his parents from their ultimate
demise.
Oh, did I forget to mention that Chekov insists that Spock has only
mere moments in which to do so??
THE FINAL VERDICT
It's a
near impossible task to please the type of fan-base that comes with
something like Star Trek.
They've had a tough time of it of late - let's face it, those die hards
have endured eleven of the most underwhelming genre films of all time.
Well, fear not Trekkies, the movie you have yearned for has
finally arrived!
JJ Abrams has well and truly delivered, not only the ultimate Star Trek movie -
but quite possibly the ultimate action movie experience.
The casting is fantastic, with enough detail to soothe the worries of
fans - and enough humour, fun, sex and spice to appease the wants and
needs of a mainstream movie audience.
Simon Pegg is a stand out (are his references to "being hungry" a tip
of the hat to the portly incarnation of Scotty Trek fans know and
love?), while Pine brings a gritty edge to Kirk (one that the girls
will just love).
The jury is still out on Spock, and from what I saw he seemed to be the
only one ill-at-ease with his role. That said, there is a large chunk
of the story dedicated to his character - so it won't be until the
entire movie hits our screens in mid 2009 that will we be able to give
a true evaluation.
This isn't only an ode to the franchise, but it embraces it, taking the
series back to it's TV series origin. It doesn't just meet
expectations, but exceeds them.
Star
Trek will do for the Sci-Fi genre what The
Dark Knight did for comic books adaptaptations.
Believe the hype.
STAR TREK is scheduled for release MAY 7, 2009
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