Terry sent this to me this morning.....
Imagine being given the opportunity to reboot an old and beloved TV series with an uneven history of spotty films which pretty much had run its course.
J.J.Abrams did what only a one in a million director could do: he knocked the ball out of the park!
This film is outrageous fun!
It has more laughs than any mainstream comedy. But--it has action aplenty.
It has plot, pace, nostalgia, cleverness and still manages to jerk some tears.
It is a minor show biz miracle.
Old fans will be bouncing up and down like children in their seats and younger filmgoers will eat it up like chocolate covered sex.
It is a home run for several reasons.
First off, the main fuel is audience knowledge of the canon of the TV series and the character relationships. The more you know; the more you are ready for what comes next.
Much of the fun of this film is waiting for things to connect. More than that, the plot has an interesting device which enables the audience to eat its cake and have it too by twisting time into a knot.
The past and the future can visit. This provides delicious juxtapositions for audience-pleasing Wow moments.
The casting doesn't have to give us warmed over Elvis-impersonator acting moments. No! It gives us an alternate universe with THESE people who MIGHT become the characters we know and love.
We, the audience, can enjoy this story, these actors and this film without gnashing our teeth and grumbling aloud "That's not right!"
It is right and it is bull'seye spot on.
All you have to do to have one helluva good time is go into the theatre without a chip on the shoulder "Show me" attitude and you'll have a large reward.
I was quite surprised that Michael Giacchino delivered a film score that not only worked exceedingly well with the film--but, it went a step further and gave us an actual THEME; a new theme without recycling Goldsmith's iconic melody or sneaking in snippets of Alexander Courage's tv melody.
The new theme is a kind of MURDERER'S ROW (Schifrin) five note+five note+ six note heroic melody which cycles in and out in many, many guises including a Duel of the Fates chorale version!
The audience I saw this film with this evening was hugely entertained, laughing very loud and cheering each and every moment along the way.
To sum it up: this movie does not take itself morbidly serious and yet preserves the balance of the canon.
It's not business for these guys; it's personal.
I like the very surprising evolution of Uhuru and Spock!! It works like dynamite. What a wonderful idea.
In fact, the film has so many clever ideas and reinventions it completely avoids the typical Hollywood bromides.
I can't give higher praise than telling you I was delighted!
Terry Walstrom