Star Trek (4k Ultra HD + Blu-Ray + Digital HD)

Every time I watch this movie I am reminded how much I enjoy it. Let me say from the start that I grew up on the original series (TOS), and I am a die-hard "Star Trek" fan. However, since TOS is truly unique and unrepeatable, I don't judge the movie by those standards, as I think to do so is a losing proposition. Why not let this movie stand or fall on its own merits? Why not appreciate it for what it is rather than what some people imagine it should have been? For people familiar with TOS, there are definitely moments that are genuinely Star Trek, such as the interactions between Kirk/Spock and Kirk/McCoy. It was funny, for instance, to hear what they suggested as the origins of McCoy's nickname, Bones. McCoy also has some classic moments when, like his TOS counterpart, his emotions get the better of him. And then there is the scene where Chekov attempts to speak his password to the computer, only to be initially rejected because of his thick Russian accent ("Wictor, Wictor" instead of "Victor, Victor"). These are the kinds of moments that made TOS truly memorable, and it was wonderful to see them in the movie. I think Zachary Quinto does exceedingly well as the young Spock. I found young Kirk's character to be a little more reckless than I think is necessary, but Chris Pine did a fine job portraying him. We learned the first names of several major characters. There is plenty of action, excellent special effects, and a good story line. And, just like TOS, there are some very funny one-liners. I actually would give the movie four and a half stars if I could. Despite the high entertainment value of this movie, there were a few things that proved to be just plain silliness for me. Overall they did not ruin the movie, but they were certainly momentary distractions and warranted a minor deduction in my rating: 1. The whole Spock/Uhura romance is utterly foreign to TOS, so I don't know why it was introduced in this movie. It just seemed pointless to me. 2. The idea of the "red matter" was also problematic. TOS was consistent in making the science of its day very believable. Even though the show was science fiction, many of the concepts contained therein were based on real science. How is it, then, that while one drop of the red matter can create a small black hole, it can be touched with a syringe and stored in a container? 3. Arguably the most absurd aspect of the technology in the movie was the decision to use a brewery for the engineering shots. My goodness, it's the 23rd century. Take a look at the Enterprise's bridge. It's brimming with ultra hi-tech equipment, yet the engineering section of the ship consists of lots of pipes, valves, barrels, and very 20th-century looking panels and boxes. Bad, bad choice. Despite these minor distractions, I would definitely recommend this movie. It is highly entertaining, fast-paced, action-filled, and engaging.

The minor disappointments I had with some little items are buried by the amount of great things that is the Star Trek Blu. The packaging is the single hinged chassis with cardboard slip cover, but the info sheet (typical rear cover art) is a hot-glued paper that cannot fit anywhere once it comes off. The resulting Blu art front is a head shot of Pine and the back is Quinto. The picture is as good as would be expected, with plenty of great space effects, the heavy lens glare that Abrams likes does not bleed too bad but ILM does not disappoint. They went with TrueHD which gives an adequate immersion, some of the best tests were with Spocks ship and that unique sound (but 7.1 DTS would have been nice). Plenty of reference points throughout, but even with that clarity I still couldn't get a read on some of the little things (tried freezing the fence signs in the Corvette scene, freezing some of the panel displays to read what the actors were looking at, etc.). But what takes the time and is worth every moment for the supplement geeks like me is the entire disc 2. Disc 1: Menus are unfortunately only minimal still animation (no live action or HD pics). Commentary by the makers. Disc 2: Blue screen animated left sided selections. Most items pop up with an "extended" option that has an icon appear when watching each documentary to facilitate viewing little snippets of additional material, or each one can be watched individually - no play all on anything with this disc. * 16:41 To Boldly Go. Several extensions including the Kirk dilemma (1:58), more Green Girl stuff (3:25). The main piece covers aspects of creation, whys and what fors. All of these supplements are HD interviews of the filmmakers spliced with low def footage (past and present Treks). * 28:53 Casting. Once again all HD present footage mixed with grainy low def shots of behind the scenes - gives some good material on why we saw who we did. * 24:33 Starships. Concepts, art design and some of my favorite stuff on the making of regarding construction. Seven extensions are selectable here including Warp Drive and Paint stuff. * 16:30 Aliens. Shows the meetings and thought process behind some of the critters and humanoids. Five extensions here. * 16:10 Planets. Some nice history for Trek regarding the Vasquez Rocks, which showed an obvious deleted sequence - made me look forward to those even more. * 9:22 Props and Costumes. One extension here about Klingons - which led to another whole deleted sequence I was now REALLY wanting to watch them. * 9:45 Sounds. I enjoyed this one the most as the sounds intrigued me when I first saw this in theaters. Nice homage/respect paid to the old series connections. * 8:47 Gene Roddenberry vision. A nice history with at least half of it being Nimoy narrating/being interviewed (there was a blatant absence of someone here but you will notice that through this entire set). * 13:30 Deleted Scenes - FINALLY. Play all option with commentary on/off of Abrams, Kurtzman. - Spock's birth. Throughout all of these you notice Winona's entire screen time was removed. Nice little plug on how he gets his name. - Klingon battle with the Narada, effects unfinished - which leads into an entire storyline removal - did not agree with the reasons for the removal but oh well. - Dysfunctional home life of the early Kirk sequence. Explains who that kid was on the road and who the voice was on the car phone. - Spock's parents arguing about which side Spock should embrace. - Klingon Prison Planet sequence - wow. I want this in the director's cut. Would have explained a great deal of how Nero and the Narada disappeared. - Vulcan sequence prior to destruction (Vasquez Rocks). - Kirk and Green Girl - can never have too much of that. Once you see this you can find out what Uhura and Kirk were really talking about in the theatrical cut (Klingon Prison - not battle). - Scene involving more Green Girl and Kirk defeating the Maru test - good scene. - Kirk apologizing to Green Girl - had to go once the others were cut. * Simulator: Mix of animated and slight HD footage of interactive material on the Enterprise and the Narada. The vast majority of material centers on the Narada (weapons, propulsion etc.). * 6:22 Gag Reel. A brief retro title sequence followed by a hilarious slew of swearing by even the best (priceless watching Nimoy cuss his lines). Fast paced and fun. * 3 trailers. Everything subtitled in French, Spanish, & Port. Disc 3. Digital copy and game demo. Did not use either. Overall, I had a great time going through all of this and I honestly think even the discerning Trekkie will be happy with this product. Yes, I feel the deleted scenes should have been left in as they explained some obvious gaps in the film, but at least we got to see them. The HD screenings have been very popular and I don't tire of watching this through and through. Enjoy.

The producers of the new Star Trek movie are asking a lot of us. We have taken the characters of Kirk, Spock, and Bones to our hearts. To see them played by different actors from those we are used to is a very unsettling experience. Wisely, the film stands alone, so younger viewers who haven't seen repeats, video's or the later movies featuring the original actors, will not be worried that they don't speak Klingon and don't know what the Genesis Project is. Director J.J.Abrams has cast a fine group of actors, mostly unknown, except for Simon Pegg in the role of Scotty and an actor from the original series in a cameo (I won't spoil it by telling you who it is!). The actor playing Kirk bears more resemblance to Brad Pitt than to William Shatner, and there is a danger that his arrogance doesn't come with the charm that Shatner always had. The character of Kirk in the original series had one flaw, which was that he was in some ways 'too perfect', and with this in mind, the writers have chosen to emphasise the one part of Kirk's character that can be seen as a weakness, his inability to accept a losing scenario. They have added to this, making Kirk more of a rebel, like a James Dean in space, indeed the first sight we have of this new Kirk is in a bar room brawl just like Paris from Star Trek Voyager. The other actors are given good lines to speak, including a few catchphrases, but as there are seven main crew characters, the minor four are sidelined in favour of Kirk, McCoy, and Spock. Lieutenant Uhura gets more to do in this, and unfortunately she does seem to be more of a token representative of her race and sex than she did back in 1966, as the remainder of the cast seems mainly caucasian and male. Still, Zoe Saldaña makes a good job of the material she's given and is nearly as captivating as the original. Cleverly, the film-makers have set this story in an alternate reality which avoids having to stick slavishly to the original series/movies' continuity, which is probably a good idea if you want to make a good movie rather than a fan novel. It would be a remarkable co-icidence if Abrans were not influenced by the recent re-launch of Doctor Who, as he uses 'Who' actor Simon Pegg, a sword fight on the edge of a space ship, and the destruction of a major character's home planet just like the 2005 Doctor Whos. The action moves quickly, it's jam-packed with action and special effects, and yet there are still a few quiet moments when we can reflect on the most important aspect of Star Trek; its characters. The re-casts of Chekov and Sulu are good actors and enjoyable in their small roles, and all have reportedly been signed up for a further two movies. If Paramount continues to employ Abrams as writer and Director, they should be well worth watching.

It's not an understatement to say that the news of a new Star Trek movie was met in equal measure by suspicion and pretty low expectations. Step forward J.J. Abrams to direct it, and many wondered while the guy behind TV series Lost and Mission Impossible III would want to dabble on hallowed sci-fi turf? Things were further eyebrow raising when Abrams openly admitted to not having been a fan of the original show so cherished by a legion of Trekkies. Then news came of the film being a prequel, based around the Starfleet Academy and the coming together of what we know as the U.S.S. Enterprise crew. "Ooh that will be a tough one to carry off" said many, "Kirk & Spock as young spunkers-surely not" they said. Well not only did Abrams pull it off as it were, he simultaneously appeased most Trekkies whilst garnering a whole new generation of sci-fi observers. Budgeted at $140,000,000, Abrams Star Trek went on to gross Worldwide $384,953,778. Figures that, even allowing for the huge fan-base that the franchise has, show that many first timers not only went to see it; but also that they enjoyed it so much they went back for second helpings. I know I did. The success of the film isn't hard to fathom, because although Abrams upped the action quota {with a number of breath taking, and eye appealing, sequences} he also dispensed with much of the sci-fi psycho babble that has blighted some of the previous filmic instalments in this most up and down of franchise's. Sure there's stuff in there for the discerning fan, with a time travelling revenge plot at its axis, how could there not be? But Abrams and his writers (Roberto Orci /Alex Kurtzman) keep it simple, savvy and sexy. They smartly link to Trek lore with a crucial plot and character development featuring the Kobayashi Maru, while pain, emotional conflict and personal crisis all feature heavily. This is, one can "logically" say, a spiky post 9/11 Trek movie. There's even room for a romantic strand, a strand that is tender and fits the whole make-up of the piece perfectly. All of which only works because the cast are, in the main, producing great work. Getting Leonard Nimoy to appear in a small, but crucial role, is nothing short of being a master-stroke. His presence keeps the all important essence of Star Trek within what is ultimately a reboot. It's like a father figure watching over proceedings, making not only the cast feel safe, but also us the viewers. The youngsters in the cast are impressive, Chris Pine {Kirk}, Zachary Quinto {Spock} and Zoe Saldaña {Uhura} lead from the fresh faced front. While Karl Urban {Bones McCoy} and Simon Pegg {Scotty} impact with comic relief that aids instead of hinders the plot developments. Villain duties falls to Eric Bana as Romulan Captain Nero, he's a touch miffed is Nero, and Bana brings the character's vengeful pain vividly to life. While Bruce Greenwood as Captain Christopher Pike adds a touch of class that he almost always seems to do. This U.S.S. Enterprise has launched itself in another direction, and yes, it's boldly going where no-one has boldly gone before. It is, all told, a bona fide blockbuster with brains and balls. The like of which has sadly been missing from many a modern era summer release. Yes it's not all perfect, the odd scene could quite easily have been jettisoned, and some accents need a bit of fine tuning, but they are very minor complaints. A triumph from Abrams and his team; note the Stardate in the ships log, for this is a noteworthy moment in modern sci-fi cinema. Now comes perhaps a bigger challenge, the notoriously difficult second film....... 10/10

Zuallererst: Diese Bluray ist exzellent gemacht und gibt die bei SF-Filmen so wichtigen Spezialeffekte wunderbar wieder. Erstklassige Bild- und Tonqualität! Zum Film: Für Trekkies absolute Kaufempfehlung, für alle anderen: eine Überlegung zum Einstieg wert! Im Detail: Star Trek war eigentlich (wieder mal) tot. Nach den letzten eher drögen Filmen um die "Next Generation" war kein Nachfolger in Sicht. Aber inzwischen sind ja Zeitsprünge, alternative Universen und Prequels bestens beim Publikum eingeführt - warum nicht alle drei nutzen und die einzig wahre Enterprise-Crew wiederbeleben? Und so bekommt Star Trek einen neuen Anfang, ein neues Universum für ein neues Jahrtausend, aber rund um die Kernfiguren, die diese Serie von Anfang an prägten. Picard und Janeway mögen es verzeihen, aber Star Trek ist nun mal Kirk und Spock! Befreit vom Alter der Originalschauspieler, befreit sich "Star Trek" gleich noch vom Kanon, indem es einfach eine neue Zeitlinie eröffnet. Anders als bei Star Wars müssen die Ereignisse also nicht in die bekannten Fernseh- und Filmepisoden münden, was die Bahn frei macht für - wenn's sein muß - Jahrzehnte neuen Kinospaß mit Kirk und Co, - das kann ich nur begeistert begrüßen! Designmäßig scheint Star Trek sich einiges von Star Wars abgeguckt zu haben - Schiffe und Interieurs haben runde, fließende Formen, die als Vorgänger des eher geradlinigen Designs der 80er-Jahre-Filme durchgehen. Der Film quillt über von Zitaten, hier nur einige Beispiele, vor Spoilern sei gewarnt: - Das grüne liebestolle Mädchen Gaila ("The Cage") - Der Kobayashi Maru-Test (inklusive apfelessenden Kirk) und die fiesen Ceti-Schnecken kommen direkt aus "Der Zorn des Khan" - Scotty erhält die Transwarp-Gleichung genau so aus der Zukunft, wie er später die Gleichung für transparentes Aluminium ins Jahr 1986 liefern wird ("Zurück in die Gegenwart") - Kirk klettert die Wände des Eislochs empor wie den Berg El Capitan in "Am Rande des Universums" - Wie einst in "Das unentdeckte Land" zitiert Spock Sherlock Holmes ("Wenn alle anderen Möglichkeiten ausscheiden, muss das, was übrig bleibt, und sei es auch noch so unwahrscheinlich, die Wahrheit sein") ohne aber die korrekte Quelle zu nennen. - Starfleet scheint eine miserabel gemanagte Truppe zu sein: Wie in einigen Filmen, darunter I, II, V und VII, kann auch diesmal eine wichtige Mission nur von einer halbfertigen oder nur mit Kadetten besetzen Enterprise angenommen werden, weil sich sonst gerade kein Schiff in Reichweite befindet. Man sollte bei Starfleet mal über die Stationierungen nachdenken! "Star Trek"-fremde Zitate: - Wir sehen, wie Kirk (Luke) auf dem Eisplaneten (Hoth) landet, um dort von einem verdächtig nach Wampa aussehenden Eiswesen angegriffen zu werden ("Das Imperium schlägt zurück"). Der "Wampa" wird allerdings kurz vor dem Zubeissen von einem noch größeren Monster gefressen (ganz wie in "Die Dunkle Bedrohung"). Am Ende der Szene landet Luke, äh Kirk, in einer Höhle bei - nicht Yoda, sondern dem alten Spock. - Ebenfalls aus Star Wars stammt die Szene "Raumschiff verlässt Hyperraum und gerät unversehens in einen Trümmerhagel", und natürlich die Idee der planetenzerstörenden Superwaffe, und der besonderen Folter, jemanden mitansehen zu lassen, wie sein Heimatplanet zerstört wird. - An Star Wars erinnert natürlich auch die weite Einöde von Iowa/Tatooine, auf der sich Kirk/Luke mit schnellen Fahrzeugen die Langeweile vertreibt. Bis er am Ende sein Fahrzeug weggibt, um ins Weltall zu starten, ohne die Absicht je zurückzukehren. Beide haben außerdem einen legendären Vater, der Pilot war und als verstorben gilt. - Ein Dank an "Zurück in die Zukunft" für die Idee der alternativen Zeitlinie ist Spocks Warnung, das Universum könnte durch ein Paradoxon zerstört werden, wenn jemand auf sein späteres Ich trifft - ganz wie Doc Brown. Und genau wie bei Doc Brown erweist sich diese Warnung als gegenstandslos. Pluspunkte: - Die Effekte. Allen voran die Enterprise, die zwar nicht der aus der Fernsehserie gleicht, aber neue, aufregende Formen erhält, dabei aber unmissverständlich die Enterprise bleibt. Toll gelöst! - Der Kunstgriff, Lichtreflexe und sogar Staub auf der Linse auch in rein computergenerierte Aufnahmen einzubauen, so dass selbst die Weltraumszenen ausssehen, als seien sie von einer alten Kamera gedreht. - Immerhin gibt es zwei Szenen, in denen der Regisseur ansatzweise zugibt, dass es im Weltall keinen Schall gibt! - Uhura. In der alten Serie viel zu wenig zum Tragen gekommen, hat Uhura - gespielt von der atemberaubenden Zoe Saldana - hier endlich einmal eine führende Nebenrolle. Bitte bitte mehr davon! - Herzerfrischende Action. Schon Roddenberry verkaufte Star Trek erst im zweiten Anlauf, als er schöne altmodische Faustkämpfe in sein Zukuftsspektakel einbaute. Die Saloonschlägerei macht halt in fast jedem Filmgenre Spaß! - Dass Leonard Nimoy als Spock im Alter von 150 Jahren auftaucht. Minuspunkte: - Die Musik. Düster, einfallslos und sich ständig wiederholend. Besonders das Thema des Bösewichts könnte einfacher kaum gestrickt sein. Kein Vergleich zu der musikalischen Inszenierung etwa von Khan! Auch das Thema der Enterprise lässt den Optimismus vergessen, den Jerry Goldsmith und James Horner in früheren Filmen musikalisch ausdrückten. Schade! Immerhin können wir am Ende das Originalthema der Fernsehserie von Alexander Courage hören. - Der Bösewicht Nero. Sein Schiff, die Nerada, ist riesig und optisch undefiniert - der gleiche Fehler wie bei "Star Trek - Der Film". Aus der Ferne sieht es dann aus wie ein zerfranster Reisigbesen. Nero selbst wird dargestellt als stupider Rachesuchender, der die Möglichkeit, das zu rächende Schicksal zu ändern, nicht zur Kenntnis nehmen will. - Einige Plotholes. Dass ein schwarzes Loch in der Mitte eines Planeten diesen verschluckt, ist korrekt. Dass man mit einem Schiff durch ein schwarzes Loch fliegen kann, ist Unsinn. Außerdem ist der Bohrer überflüssig: Ein auf der Planetenoberfläche erzeugtes schwarzes Loch würde sofort in den Kern stürzen, wie eine Bleikugel durch eine Wolke. Und: Dass man Kirk erlaubt, den aufwendigen Kobayashi-Maru-Test zu wiederholen, ist unwahrscheinlich; ebenso, dass sich dessen wahre Natur nicht längst unter den Studenten herumgesprochen hat. Fazit: Star Trek ist wieder da. Die Blu-ray ist ein Genuss. Kaufen, immer wieder anschauen und sich auf den nächsten Film freuen!

ottimo film pagato pochissimo

Just loved it! I remember watching Star Trek when I was very young and the last line "To boldly go where no man, no one has ever gone before" has always caught my imagination. Even my FB has a line for aliens to invade!! rofl! Noticed they changed it now to be "To boldly go where no one has ever gone before" -- Can't touch the Americans with this type of genre according to me. Chris Pine is good as Captain Kirk and Spock and Kirk are fun ... loved it ... awesum! My fav character I would say is Captain Kirk. Buy it guys -- u can keep watching and watching and always find it fun!