Since When Is The Motion Picture A Good Trek Film?

[MarianLH]

I'm almost done watching it, and I think it's great.

Um...rose-colored glasses and...stuff. Nyah.

That doesn't apply to me. I spent most of my life sharing the majority opinion that TWOK was the best and TMP was mediocre. I also didn't like TOS because of its dated (to me) style. But over the last few years I've come to appreciate TMP and TOS more, and see TWOK and later Trek as more and more flawed.

This new Star Trek film went by so fast, with so little substance, that I'm not even sure I actually saw it.


Marian

 

[chardman]

I'm gonna weigh in with those who loved TMP since the day it premiered in 1979. As with Trek XI, there were elements of TMP that I wasn't completely happy with, but overall, I always thought it was an excellent film.

 

[Red Ranger]

I'm just as perplexed as the O.P. TMP has big ideas? So do many of the other ST films. Just to take TWOK, it's about aging, and friendship, death and life, and the problem that advanced technology, in the form of the Genesis Device, can be perverted into a weapon. TMP tries to be 2001, but fails. It's far more of a rehash of a TOS ep -- The Changeling --than TWOK ever could be. -- RR

 

[MANT!]

TMP, I saw it 1st run and felt although it had a high concept, it failed in execution. The basic storyline was good, but it needed characterization, in other words, there were very few times I saw TOS's characters actually being played as they were in the series, maybe 1 or 2 lines total. The pacing was tedious, the sound effects left me cold. As a MOVIE it failed..

The Directors Cut improved things a bit, and I do own it, but the same basic problems apply, The lines written for our crew could have been anyone's lines, they weren't true to the characters.

The Human Adventure was just a bit too robotic for me.


But as eye candy....it can't be beat.

 

[TheGodBen]

The basic storyline was good, but it needed characterization, in other words, there were very few times I saw TOS's characters actually being played as they were in the series, maybe 1 or 2 lines total.

Oh definitely, this is the major reason why this movie feels so different from those that followed, the characters were muted when they are normally so vibrant. There is just enough of the familiar characters in there for me to enjoy the movie, but most of the scenes which take place on the bridge could have been done with anyone in those roles.

 

[Nerys Myk]

The basic storyline was good, but it needed characterization, in other words, there were very few times I saw TOS's characters actually being played as they were in the series, maybe 1 or 2 lines total.

Oh definitely, this is the major reason why this movie feels so different from those that followed, the characters were muted when they are normally so vibrant. There is just enough of the familiar characters in there for me to enjoy the movie, but most of the scenes which take place on the bridge could have been done with anyone in those roles.

McCoy was the only one who seemed in character for most of the movie.

 

[Myasishchev]

Man, you'd think people were accidentally watching Tarkovsky's Solaris or something. TMP is no racehorse, but if you want slow, try watching a scene of a man being driven around freakin' Moscow in silence for about eight solid minutes.

Solyaris is a real science fiction film. STMP is a wannabe.

p/s: they were driving around in Tokyo and it was because it was the closet thing they had to 'sci fi modern' compared to what they had to work with in the USSR.

What, Epcot Center wasn't available?

Although goodness knows criticizing Solaris (Tarkovsky's only, to be sure) is like turning in your cinema nerd badge, I can't help it. It's not an issue of attention span--the full, 4 hour+ versions of the aforementioned Das Boot as well as Lawrence of Arabia were gripping, despite their extremely deliberate pacing... and even when nobody was talking and nothing was happening, because it was evident something was going to happen. Maybe living in a world where you have to wait an hour for bread accustoms one to a more leisurely cinema where there isn't even a hint that something might happen.

Solaris is a brilliant story. The Soviet attempt to film it really was not my cup of tea; one day I really will have to try it again, but as it stood I simply couldn't bear to watch it.

 

[RyanKCR]

I saw TMP originally in the theaters in 1980 and it was my first real introduction to Star Trek after Star Wars. It is the only movie to really give you scale of how big the Enterprise is and how almost real it was. I could easily imagine walking the corridors of the Enterprise and we were going to investigate something. And it turns out to be of importance to us and connected to us despite being so alien.

 

[Klaitu]

My mind is being boggled by this right now. Since JJTrek came out (I love it btw) a lot of people have understandingly been doing Rankings of all the Trek films. What has shocked me, is how many people are putting TMP not only in the top 3 but sometimes as Number 1.

Now this just boggles my mind. I'm a pretty darn big Trek fan, grew up on The II-IV Trilogy and grew into TNG Era from there, but as a kid I never liked TMP and even as an adult I don't care for it. I think its up there with Final Frontier for worst Trek film ever.

It's not even that its that bad per se. It's just so boring, horribly paced and I didn't care for any of the cast additions. I just don't get why people would have this one ranked highly.

So I just want to hear from those that love TMP, why they love it and point out some good stuff about it. I am pretty sure the people who love it are Trekkers who have been around since TOS was on the air originally, but I guess time will tell on that.

Just to clarify, not trying to attack TMP or people who like it, just trying to see WHY people like it. I just don't get it.

And before anyone asks, II, III, IV and VI are some of my favorite movies ever.

I wouldn't rank TMP at the top. I probably wouldn't rank it in the top half of Star Trek films, but I don't hate it.

I recently rewatched it on the blu-ray release, and I feel it has a lot of things going for it. I think it hit the nail on the head in terms of presenting Star Trek as something epic.. I mean, how many sci-fi movies have an overture at the start?

It wasn't terrible, it just got a little slow and boring in there a bit.

 

[Navigator_NCC2120]

I have enjoyed TMP since I first saw it in December 1979.

Just to clarify, not trying to attack TMP or people who like it, just trying to see WHY people like it. I just don't get it.

Verisimilitude and aesthetics.


Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
/\

 

[Similitude]

Just like I thought, It seems that the vast majority of those who loved/love it Are Old-School Trekkers who saw it in theaters way back when. Makes sense I suppose.

 

[Navigator_NCC2120]

Just like I thought, It seems that the vast majority of those who loved/love it Are Old-School Trekkers who saw it in theaters way back when. Makes sense I suppose.

I think TMP appeals to people that like Science Fiction films, such as "Forbidden Planet", "Planet of the Apes" (the original version), "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Soylent Green", "Alien", "Outland", "Blade Runner", and "The Terminator", not necessarily just "Old-School Trekkers".


Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
/\

 

[smosquito]

I am one of the people who love TMP. It's true star trek. It's perhaps not that interesting for those of you who play video games all day, but to people who aren't retarded it's a thoughtful and interesting film.

BTW the best movie ever made was 2001, a Space Oddysey.

 

[Maurice]

I'm just as perplexed as the O.P. TMP has big ideas? So do many of the other ST films. Just to take TWOK, it's about aging, and friendship, death and life, and the problem that advanced technology, in the form of the Genesis Device, can be perverted into a weapon. TMP tries to be 2001, but fails. It's far more of a rehash of a TOS ep -- The Changeling --than TWOK ever could be. -- RR

Aging, friendship, death and life are stories told in soap operas and nighttime dramas every week. A story about embracing your humanity, about how knowledge and logic alone leave you empty, and that you need mystery and beauty and to FEEL to be able to make any of it have meaning is a much bigger idea than platitudes about friendship and facing death (which Kirk did all the time...I never accepted that part of TWOK)...death happens to everyone, sooner or later. I'm not saying TMP takes this idea far enough (it unplays it, in fact), but it's not absent a big idea: that we have to evolve in order to grow and thrive.

 

[Too Much Fun]

Just like I thought, It seems that the vast majority of those who loved/love it Are Old-School Trekkers who saw it in theaters way back when. Makes sense I suppose.

I think TMP appeals to people that like Science Fiction films, such as "Forbidden Planet", "Planet of the Apes" (the original version), "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Soylent Green", "Alien", "Outland", "Blade Runner", and "The Terminator", not necessarily just "Old-School Trekkers".

Well I've seen all those movies (except "Outland") and I enjoyed all of them (except "Blade Runner"), and I still thought the first Star Trek movie was dull, so I contradict your theory.

 

[Gepard]

It's perhaps not that interesting for those of you who play video games all day, but to people who aren't retarded it's a thoughtful and interesting film.

I can't stand video games and I think TMP is neither thoughtful nor interesting.

 

[3superearthtrek]

I just rewatched all treks and seen the new one.(pretty good)I didnt like TMP much or the final frontier.Just didnt feel right,and im I recalling a yellow tear out of Data's eye and saying shit or something.Thats as bad as Arnold choosing the cooler looking glasses in stupid T3.Are these machines or not?

 

[Too Much Fun]

I recalling a yellow tear out of Data's eye and saying shit or something.Thats as bad as Arnold choosing the cooler looking glasses in stupid T3.Are these machines or not?

Whoa? A yellow tear? When was that? Generations? Sounds weird. I'd think I'd remember something like that, but I don't recall such an image. I know he was crying at the end of Generations, though. Funny comment about T3.

 

[3superearthtrek]

I swear I remember something like that.I remember my buddy saying thats when he lost all hope for Data.

 

[Therin of Andor]

im I recalling a yellow tear out of Data's eye and saying shit or something?

The topic is TMP. Spock sheds a tear (for Vejur) in the extended editions of TNG.