My Thoughts on Star Trek

Posted by Bob Greenberger on May 10, 2009

A few years back I sat on a panel and we were asked to discuss what we’d do if we could revitalize Star Trek. My answer was to do what Gene Roddenberry did. Go to the leading futurists and figure out where we were headed technologically and then extrapolate from there and build a new 23rd century. Keep Roddenberry’s optimism about mankind and life among the stars and tell stories ripped from today’s headlines along with rollicking good action.

Director J.J. Abrams and his team might have been taking notes in the audience since their vision of the 23rd century looks like it has a straight line from today, not 1966. The reinvention of Star Trek comes at a time when aging franchises from James Bond to Sherlock Holmes have been dusted off, reconsidered, recast and released to great acclaim. Because this has never been done before, Star Trek devotees were concerned how this would spoil the memories they grew up making, of seeing those first episodes and the then the movies. Captain Kirk and Spock were indelibly William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Well, there are some who never got over Sean Connery so yeah, it’s an adjustment but if done right, you get past it pretty quickly.

The well cast, well directed Star Trek movie moves at warp speed and you sign right on, enjoying the shiny future that might await us. I found myself smiling all the way through, loving the film going experience. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »