The Star Trek TV series livened up Sunday afternoons on Doordarshan. It turned some into hardcore trekkies, while the rest of us unquestioningly enjoyed the space adventures and their subtexts on society, multiculturalism and morality. So does the latest film take that template forward? Not quite. And for a trekkie there’s much that’s loosely structured (specially the unwieldy time travel).
Abrams strays from the Gene Roddenberry fundamentals and deliberately lends a campy, soap opera touch to the action. Take the scene right at the start where James T. Kirk is born in space even as his father, Kirk Sr, faces imminent death. The heart-rending inter-cuts would make any trekkie recoil but it’s such liberties that turn the film into a hugely enjoyable and unashamedly fun ride.
It’s about the early days of Kirk and Spock, the start of their inter-galactic voyages together on USS Enterprise. So you have a rebellious, reckless rake Kirk (all American, blue-eyed, strong-jawed Pine) speeding on the Iowa highways even as the half human-half Vulcan Spock (a fantastic turn by Quinto) wonders if he should purge himself of all emotions. Kirk picks up fights at bars, cheats his way at the space academy and faces suspension. Spock rebels in his own way by opting to work on earth rather than his own planet. Spock deservedly gets the maximum play in the film while other characters get the short shrift and the villain (Bana) is just not wicked enough.
Of course, there are glitzy spaceships, spectacular special effects—but it’s the emotions and drama that keep things on a constant spin. Star Trek is about some rather basic issues—revenge and retribution, love and friendship. Notice how Spock’s father begins by stating that it was ‘logical’ for him to marry Spock’s human mother but towards the end admits he did it out of love. There’s Spock’s unconditional love for his mother and the tender, budding romance with Uhura. There is slapstick thrown in good measure with a delusional Kirk surreptitiously gaining entry into the spaceship. All in all, a good masala mix. At the end, as the famous Space, the Final Frontier voiceover began playing, I was nostalgic and wanted to watch the TV series yet again.
High Fives
Bollywood
1. 99
2. Angels & Demons (dubbed)
3. Team: The Force
4. Detective Naani
5. Raftar ka Junoon (dubbed)
Hollywood
1. The Hangover
2. Up
3. Land of the Lost
4. Night at the Museum
5. Star Trek
Latino Albums
1. La Revolucion (Wisin & Yandel)
2. Yo No Canto, Pero... (Espinoza Paz)
3. Idon (Don Omar)
4. Ciclos (Luis Enrique)
5. El Patron (Tito "El Bambino")
Courtesy: Film Information
