ArsGeek

It’s a good bet if you read this blog you’ve already seen it, but if this little bit of positive word of mouth benefits this sci-fi masterpiece in the very least, then my duty is done. Star Trek proves you can have a summer blockbuster action flick with plot and substance and not rely solely on explosions, CG and cheap humor. Not to make this a Michael Bay rant, but it only drives home what a master storyteller J.J. Abrams is.

Chris Pine creates a Kirk with cool and charisma while avoiding the pitfalls of being a pretty boy with no substance. This tale of Kirk is woven through an epic hero’s journey rivaling any Star Wars film. Using the dude from Shaun of the Dead, Sylar and Harold from White Castle is inspired casting. Characters use their classic accents without being jokes or cheap stereotypes. Supporting crew members like Chekov and Sulu contribute with their own particular brands of badassery.

Not only is Abrams good at character and story, his visual directing is top shelf. When you see the Enterprise you truly grasp the sense of scale that this version of the vessel has. Having the cameras recoil while “filming” ships going to warp is an ingenious creative decision. There are also action sequences that are some of the most fun you’ll have in theaters this year that aren’t even space battles.

There’s true drama, character development, an obvious love to the material that it is based off of, action, spectacle, light-heartedness and a sense of hope that makes the film stand apart from so many of the apocalyptic dystopian realities we tend to create. As a society we tend to make what we imagine and with this Star Trek it becomes more than just a popcorn movie. It illustrates a culture that we could be and where we could boldly go.