Plot
The plot and pacing of this film started out a little slow but ended in a whirlwind of photon torpedoes, phaser fire and Beastie Boys!!! The opening third of the film progresses at a leisurely pace but uses this relative down-time to plant seeds and establish small details that pay off later in the film. The writing and direction of the film stay in a “safe” zone. The film doesn’t take too many risks and the overall plot suffers mildly. The Main motivation of the villain is shrouded in mystery for the majority of the film. The payoff for this works well as the motivations of the villain are tied to a very interesting plot twist. However, the viewer is left wondering…” Why does this villain hate the federation so much?” The action scenes in this film totally deliver! Deep-space ship to ship combat looks amazing and the close-quarters hand to hand fight scenes are choreographed very well. The film kept my fellow Neeerdom members and I interested throughout with minimal downtime or filler material. We wished that the film would have taken a few more risks though.
Visuals/Special Effects
The Special effects and sound blew me away in this film. The CG quality was top notch. The inclusion of different alien races adds to the depth of the film as well. The effects team did a great job making the crew of the Enterprise diverse and infusing the universe with “organic” and “realistic” crew members from alien worlds. Star Trek fans are accustomed to seeing the series staples such as Romulans, Vulcans, and Klingons. This film does a great job of introducing a varied assortment of different aliens we have not seen before! The visuals do suffer in dark scenes. We did notice that dark scenes where way too dark. The Starship Enterprise looked awesome while traveling at warp speeds, and the explosions and special effects worked amazingly well for this movie.
Cast/Characters
The entire cast did a great job in this one. The film does feature a heavy dose of Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg) this time around, as well as his overuse of the phrase "Lassie". While I’m glad that other crew members are allowed to shine, I can’t help but feel that he had way too much camera time. Zachary Quinto’s Spock is amazing! His portrayal of the character is spot on! The standout to me was Sofia Boutella’s character Jaylah. She was the newcomer in this film and her portrayal of the stranded alien turned ally was quite refreshing and gave the film that injection of “new blood” that it needed. We all agreed that more information on her character's backstory was needed, but maybe she will return in future films. The banter between Karl Urban’s Doctor “Bones” McCoy and EVERYONE else was hilarious! The overall chemistry of the cast is there and we hope it continues with the subsequent films in the franchise. On a sad note we would like to send a R.I.P. to Anton Yelchin (Chekov). We know his part will be recast but he will always be remembered.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for this film was surprisingly good. I did not like Rihanna’s track “Sledgehammer” on my first listen. However, this track does fit the film well and I have warmed up to it. The rest of the score is awesome. The battle scenes are highlighted with great music that pushes the action. The inclusion of the Public Enemy track and The Beastie Boys hits the audience as comic relief, but also works well within the film. This franchise is known for iconic themes and killer scores/soundtracks, and this film did not drop the ball.
Lasting Appeal
We are all trekkies and love everything Star Trek. This film satisfied us as fans. We will definitely watch this film again and eagerly anticipate the next film in the franchise!!!!!
Scores: 1-10 (1=Poor---10=Amazing)
Leonard:
Plot-8
Visuals/Special Effects-10
Cast/Characters-7
Soundtrack-10
Lasting Appeal-8
Josh:
Plot-8
Visuals/Special Effects-10
Cast/Characters-9
Soundtrack-9
Lasting Appeal-8
Dustin:
Plot-6
Visuals/Special Effects-7
Cast/Characters-8
Soundtrack-6
Lasting Appeal-7
Plot= 7.3
Visuals/Special Effects= 9.0
Cast/Characters= 8.0
Soundtrack= 8.3
Lasting Appeal= 7.6
Overall Score
8.0/10
Pros:
“Some of the best Sci-Fi Special Effects and CG”
“The cast really shines, the interaction between the different crew members is handled well.”
“The action scenes in this film totally deliver!!!!!!”
“We all agreed that we would definitely watch a sequel to this film.
Cons:
“We wished that the film would have taken a few more risks.
“The film does feature a heavy dose of Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg) this time around..”