May. 25th, 2009
Startrek 2009
May. 25th, 2009 01:14 pmOverall impressions
It reminded me a lot of movies adapting comic books. It was extremely enjoyable, funny, awesome and exciting. The characters and some of the scenes were extremely memorable. However, as a whole it was not really memorable. The classic Startrek films, even the bad ones, you know what they were about, but here despite [spoiler], it felt very vapoury, and I never cared what was going to happen, so it might as well have been a clip show of cool moments.
Now when I watch individual episodes of Startrek I don't find them very interesting, but on the other hand, the premises and characters I find almost infinitely memorable. There seems to be an incredibly strong framework, built up out of many throw-away comments in many episodes, that makes even the minor characters tower like legends. It may not make sense, but I really care that Sulu became a captain.
A film showing younger versions of the characters, and being made 40 years later, is inevitably a reimagining of them, however I thought they did this just about perfectly (again, like a comic book movie, where they take the basic premise and adapt it, rather than writing a strict adaption or sequel to the comics). They abstract all the most cool features of the characters, and give them more depth, bringing them to life even more so, in a way that wouldn't work if they hadn't been so legendary to start with.
They weren't afraid to change things (eg. what we know about these characters at the academy, history of vulcans and romulans) some of which was justified in-story and some wasn't. However, it all felt true to the spirit of the show, so I accepted it, whether or not a pedant (or someone with common sense) would think it was wrong.
( Spoilers )
It reminded me a lot of movies adapting comic books. It was extremely enjoyable, funny, awesome and exciting. The characters and some of the scenes were extremely memorable. However, as a whole it was not really memorable. The classic Startrek films, even the bad ones, you know what they were about, but here despite [spoiler], it felt very vapoury, and I never cared what was going to happen, so it might as well have been a clip show of cool moments.
Now when I watch individual episodes of Startrek I don't find them very interesting, but on the other hand, the premises and characters I find almost infinitely memorable. There seems to be an incredibly strong framework, built up out of many throw-away comments in many episodes, that makes even the minor characters tower like legends. It may not make sense, but I really care that Sulu became a captain.
A film showing younger versions of the characters, and being made 40 years later, is inevitably a reimagining of them, however I thought they did this just about perfectly (again, like a comic book movie, where they take the basic premise and adapt it, rather than writing a strict adaption or sequel to the comics). They abstract all the most cool features of the characters, and give them more depth, bringing them to life even more so, in a way that wouldn't work if they hadn't been so legendary to start with.
They weren't afraid to change things (eg. what we know about these characters at the academy, history of vulcans and romulans) some of which was justified in-story and some wasn't. However, it all felt true to the spirit of the show, so I accepted it, whether or not a pedant (or someone with common sense) would think it was wrong.
( Spoilers )
May Week Party Sat 20th June, from 8pm
May. 25th, 2009 07:40 pmThere will be a may week party at Cartesian Heights from 8pm, to commemorate moving jobs, the end of another university year, world juggling day, and livredor's leaving Sweden. (If livredor is in Cambridge, she will be there, but we don't know if that's possible yet.)
Please bring friends and food. RSVP not necessary (though if you're likely to come, a reply would be helpful).
Cartesian Heights is 66 Sherbourne Close, http://maps.google.co.uk/?q=cb41rt. If you're coming from town, the citi 2 stops on greenend road just outside. Email me if you would like more specific directions.
Please bring friends and food. RSVP not necessary (though if you're likely to come, a reply would be helpful).
Cartesian Heights is 66 Sherbourne Close, http://maps.google.co.uk/?q=cb41rt. If you're coming from town, the citi 2 stops on greenend road just outside. Email me if you would like more specific directions.