MISSION: TREK 2009 offers our first exclusive reviews of J.J. Abrams' STAR TREK direct from two fans who attended the Sydney, Australia premiere on Monday. Some mild plot spoilers will follow, but nothing more revealing than information which has already been given in other premiere reviews this week.
Our first insight into the Sydney Opera House World Premiere experience is from Necromancer:
Our tickets to the premiere entitled us to walk the red carpet, but we thought it would be better to wait along the barriers so we could take some photos and get autographs. We waited from 5:30 until 7pm for our photos and autographs, then after that was done, we raced up the stairs and went inside for a few drinks in the foyer. We then settled down in the Concert Hall for the film. I went with my husband and a friend and our seats were in the front row of the back circle, smack bang in the middle of the row. Basically, the middle of the screen was at eye level. Bloody good seats they were too, and they were about 10 or so rows behind where the cast and crew ended up sitting.
J.J. Abrams came on stage and said hello to everyone and chatted for a bit about the film and the people who helped make it happen. He was very funny and entertaining. Abrams then introduced John Cho and Karl Urban, who was very popular — there was quite a cheer when he came out on stage.
Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine were then introduced and last but not least was Eric Bana, who came out to thunderous applause, being the token Aussie. He grabbed the mic and said, "This is an honour being here in the Sydney Opera House, and if you would indulge me..." then took a step forward, posed and proceeded to sing in a baritone a few bars of the Australian National Anthem. It cracked everybody up.
J.J. said a few more things, then about a minute later, they all walked off stage and the lights went down and the film started, and what a movie. It was noisy, colourful, fast paced and funny...very funny. We laughed our arses off and cheered when the classic lines were said, such as "Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a physicist", "Are you out of your Vulcan mind?" and "Fascinating." It was a trip hearing them again.
Chekov's scene with the ship's computer was hilarious. Because he's Russian with his accent his v's sounded like w's, the computer couldn't understand what the hell he was saying. He played it straight and it was a very funny scene. Karl Urban was fabulous as McCoy (he seriously nailed the character) and kudos to Simon Pegg, who may have only appeared two thirds of the way into the film, but he stole every scene he was in. The rest of the cast were good as well. I was quite impressed how they all seemed such a natural fit.
Of course, the special FX were awesome. Lens flares were used a bit, which gave some of the space scenes an interesting look. The movie opened to a battle scene between Nero and the USS Kelvin, and there were some touching moments. Then the movie title faded in...Star Trek...no other credits. I'm sure I wasn't alone getting goose bumps seeing that. I won't go into any more detail about the film, as I don't want to spoil it too much for anyone. When the credits rolled at the end of the film, there was a standing ovation. People were hollering and whistling for several minutes. It was such a fabulous reaction. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
Next fellow TREK fan Redline Randy gives us this excellent review from the Sydney Premiere:
As the lights dimmed into a darkness, I sat with huge excitement that I was one of the few with the golden ticket to see the World Premier of the new STAR TREK movie brought alive by the one and only J.J. Abrams.
Straight away we are thrown into the action with Nero's ship thrusting into the past evidently creating an alternate timeline by his actions. This starting scene just goes to show how amazing the special effects can be on this scale. Nothing looks overdone and every detail is visible. As we all should know by now, the USS Kelvin is destroyed by Nero's Borg-modified ship, resulting in the death of James Kirk's father George Kirk. This part of the movie shows a very emotional side to the story and is very touching. I never thought i would be so emotional so early on in the movie, maybe it was just the atmosphere in the custom made cinema.
Judging by the first few scenes you can tell this movie is going to be one hell of a ride, and boy it was. I wont go into huge detail on the plot just my main impression of the overall movie.
Starting with the plot (no spoilers), its a well thought out story going all different kinds of places and sending out different kinds of messages. Returning to the original series era was a very wise choice. I remember the first announcement way back that J.J. Abrams was going back to the Original Series era, I felt a little uncertain, mainly because it's been done and you can't replace the famous actors that portrayed the famous characters. I also felt unsure about how J.J. Abrams was going to bring a retro 60's television show into a 2009 world and still making it feel like retro Trek. Well I can tell you J.J. Abrams did a dam fine job bringing it back, a lot of it felt very retro whilst still staying in the future we all dream about.
So the plot thrusts you into the alternate time, seeing the developments of Kirk, his crew and how they came together. Nero as a villain is well done, and though he wasn't the greatest TREK villain, his motivation of revenge is believable. Without reading the Countdown comics, he comes across as underdeveloped and not enough is known about his backstory, only a few words are said about his past. Luckily I did read the prequel comics and was well prepared.
The way the characters Jim Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Sulu and team come together is great and heart warming to watch. The overall plot is great to see unfold and feels like a typical Trek adventure which is what we want.
The entire cast did extremely well with a huge, unexpected standout was Scotty played by Simon Pegg: he stole the show in his scenes, was extremely funny and just fit the role perfectly. When he said the line "I'm givin' her all I got, Captain," everyone in the cinema clapped and yelled with joy. Zachary Quinto's portrayal of young Spock was another stand out. It didn't feel like he was impersonating the legend, but instead he added is own little special look and feel which didn't detract from the old character we grew up with. Quinto looks great as Spock too.
Chris Pine did a fine job as well. His portrayal of young Kirk was inviting and felt like a young mischievous Kirk you believe he would be. Pine didn't steal the main show but he really did add to the movie on a great level with his humor, intelligence and cunning wit.
Sulu was great but he didn't get enough screen time. I felt like they forgot about him, but that might be due to the fact that most of the movie doesn't take place on the bridge of the Enterprise. There was one very funny scene with him in which Sulu forgot to turn off a certain function, resulting in the Enterprise being unable to go to warp. Meanwhile all the other starships were warping off into space, leaving the Enterprise behind. While humorous, this moment plays a pivotal role in the plot. To sum up, all actors added there own interpretations very well without detracting from the original cast, and in turn the movie came together in a way that felt like family.
The special effects done by ILM were eye candy: every effects shot was enriched with detail and vision. One of my favorite scenes was when the Enterprise came out of warp into an orange haze near a planet to avoid detection: as it rose up out of the mist into the empty darkness of space it looked great, giving me shivers as the orange mist rolled off and around the Enterprise. I feel even more in love with the design of the ship now and likely you will too.
The new warp effect is very cool, giving a blue colour highway at warp speed. Also one thing I noticed is that J.J. Abrams used the zooming and shaking style that Battlestar Galactica uses in space to highlight particular objects, an interesting addition. On that note, as we know all previous Star Trek films pushed the limits of what's capable with special effects at the time, and this movie raises the bar not only for future Trek films but all science fiction films.
Design is one of the movie's visual milestones. Everything in this movie felt just like old times: from the retro bridge with dials and levers, to the industrialised engineering decks and hanger bays, it felt very much apart of what makes TOS so classic. Some people might feel like the industrialised areas are too retro and outdated, but I think it fits nicely.
Sure I don't think there still should be big yellow valves on a futuristic starship, though we have them on our current Navy ships, but it all adds to the realism that makes you feel like it's actually a vital part of the ship. Engine rooms aren't supposed to be clean, white and uncrowded. Take the example of my car: on the inside it's packed with leather, lovely silver finish and cup holders, but then you pop the bonnet and it's a horrible mess of cables, pipes and metal. I think J.J. Abrams vision is representing what we have today in terms of machinery and technology. The movie's design keeps that retro feel and it makes you feel like a 10 year-old kid sitting in a Lamborghini.
We have really come along way with sound design, and the audio of STAR TREK is crystal clear and just amazing to hear, from the deep bass range to the high treble. I'm not sure I'll ever experience the new TREK movie again like I did at this premiere. J.J. Abrams said the sound setup in the custom-made cinema environment at the Opera House was set up by the people who mixed the sound for the movie, so everything was just perfect. As a result, my ears were ringing just a little bit but it was so powerful that it made it that much more enjoyable. The new warp sound is a great example of the great sounds in the film: it makes a big bass boom when the ships warp into space, leaving a thump in your chest as the Enterprise zooms off.
Michael Giacchino's score for the movie is well mixed into the film as well. I loved the new theme, which is the same one playing on the STAR TREK website, just heightened in some epic scenes like the reveal of the Enterprise in space for the first time. If you're hoping for the original Star Trek theme to appear, you're in luck. It plays at a very special time when you most expect it, when the time is just right, and then you know J.J. Abrams has done a fine job with this film.
Overall, I believe this is the big popcorn movie of 2009. It was so very fun to watch and a delight to tag along for the adventure. From the amazing cast, the rich special effects (which are damn special, that's for sure) to the fulfilling plot and touching message that this TREK is trying to send. Just like in the original series, TREK shows that all races and cultures can come together and unite with one another to work together and make a better life for everyone. This movie is a lot of fun too! I recommend you take the whole family to see this film, as it has something for everyone: humor, action, love and heart, all contained in one movie. J.J. Abrams and crew earn a big high five for their efforts. STAR TREK is what the franchise needs if it wants to survive, and judging by the ending of the movie, it will live long and prosper for many years to come.
MISSION: TREK 2009 salutes two great fans, Necromancer and Redline Randy, for sharing their first-person experiences of the Sydney STAR TREK premiere and their movie reviews. Of course our site's coverage of TREK will continue all month long until the Paramount's new galactic adventure opens in theaters everywhere, and our own MT09 review will be coming soon! |
