norwich36: (Default)
norwich36 ([personal profile] norwich36) wrote2009-05-09 05:27 pm

Star Trek

THERE IS NOT ENOUGH CAPSLOCK IN THE WORLD TO CONVEY THE DEPTH OF MY SQUEE FOR THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!

And I have to profoundly thank everyone on my flist (and friendsfriends, so basically all of fandom on LJ) for being so careful about spoilers. My sum total of knowledge walking into the film was who was playing 2 of the characters, and I have never been so happy to be unspoiled in my whole life.



First, it has to be said: OH MY GOD, YOU KILLED VULCAN! YOU BASTARDS!

I literally sat there with my jaw hanging open for 10 minutes. I couldn't believe they actually went there. And then I convinced myself that they were going to time travel somehow to fix it. I'm still amazed they didn't actually reverse it. *Mourns for my favorite planet in the Federation*

You know this had to be a good movie if they killed off my favorite planet and I still adored it!

Which is not to say that I thought the plot was original or brilliantly written--it was original to the Trekverse, sure, but in some ways it was one enormous cliche after another: I mean, a woman giving birth as the ship is being destroyed? And it turns out she's giving birth to James T. Kirk? Who's going to grow up fatherless and the biggest rebel that ever rebelled? In some ways that's all just one enormous cliche, and yet even though 90% of the time I could predict every twist of the plot, I still loved them and found them deeply emotionally satisfying. Because dammit, James T. Kirk should be born in the middle of an epic battle where his father heroically gives his life to save 800 people, including his newborn son. The film hit all the right emotional notes for me, so I ceased to care if some of the major plot points were heroic cliches, or others involved outright theft from other films (Spock is now apparently either Anakin Skywalker or Leia Organa, I can't make up my mind--if he loses a hand in the next movie I guess that will be decisive).

I can see, what with the playing around with Kirk's backstory, and hooking up Uhura and Spock canonically (more on that later), and BLOWING UP THE BEST PLANET IN THE FEDERATION and all they felt like this movie was not being aimed at hardcore Trekkers--but I was a hardcore Trekker for a long long time (as were the two people sitting behind me in the audience, clearer) and I felt there was a *ton* of fanservice going on. We cheered every time someone said one of their signature lines, or when every core canon character was introduced, or when they played with some previously-established bit of characterization (my absolute favorite was Sulu's line about his expertise in hand-to-hand combat being fencing! hee! but then it turned out that his fencing skills helped save the day!), and I felt like the movie was completely jam-packed with moments like this.

And as a longtime fan of the original series, I had been a little worried about whether I would like the new versions of these characters or not--and I totally did. Hell, I think Chris Pike and James T. Kirk were better cast than in the original (with apologies to Shatner lovers--he always drove me crazy with his particular acting style), and I totally loved Uhura and Spock and Bones and Sulu and Chekov and Scotty.

And damn, Uhura and Spock? PLEASE tell me there is fic for this already, please? Not to mention Uhura/Spock/Kirk threesome fic, and I also would not turn up my nose at Spock/Spock Prime.

And how much did I love it that they got Leonard Nimoy for this movie, AND that he got to stick around and help rebuild Vulcan? OH MY HEART. I have been in love with this man since I was seven years old. I spent most of my adolescence developing elaborate Marysue fantasies about me and Spock, and now there are 2 of them? I want a sequel NOW, please.

I'm going to go see this movie again, for sure, at which time I may attempt some analysis that is more than just squee, but for right now I just think this is the most perfect Star Trek movie in the history of ever!!

[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2009-05-10 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
It was like the best 80's fanfiction ever!! And it had my number two childhood OTP--Uhura and Spock! And the original Mr. Spock--I gasped out loud so yay for being unspoiled!

The whole thing brought up memories of the stories I wrote in my 13 year old head, with lots of crying and angst, and Spock being picked on for being different but handling it way cooler than a certain little biracial pudgeball. *koff* I loved the way they rewrote history, I loved the effects--I *loved* that little monster baby James T. Kirk and now, I'm going to really have to dig out my mimeographed fanfiction magazines!

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-05-10 07:48 am (UTC)(link)
Yes--never has being unspoiled been better!

I agree with you about this being like 80s fanfiction, too--in fact, it reminds me a little of one of the 80s pro novels (which were so fanfic like before TNG came out and they clamped down on everything) where a Kirk and Spock in another universe die in each other's arms while mindmelding. The Spock!Prime/young Kirk mindmeld felt a little like that for me, since clearly Spock!Prime was so happy to see his dead husband there.

Hee! As someone below suggests, Spock!Prime can hook up with youngJim, and that clears the path for young!Spock and Uhura, which I agree with you is a fantastic pairing.

Monsterbaby JamesT was awesome. I totally want to see his stepfather's response to him crashing his car into that canyon. (One of the many Iowa canyons, of course).
ext_1774: butterfly against blue background (Kirk -- New Trek)

[identity profile] butterfly.livejournal.com 2009-05-10 05:40 am (UTC)(link)
I'm kinda itching for Kirk/Spock Prime. The mindmeld scene. Kirk's reaction to the mindmeld. Especially since Spock is all kissing Uhura in public and whatnot.

(And yeah... I like Shatner a lot, but this Kirk was... wow. Chris Pine is a revelation. Why haven't I seen him in anything else? Wow)

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-05-10 07:50 am (UTC)(link)
I know--Chris Pine was AWESOME. (He still won't make me love Kirk more than Spock, but he does come damn close).

You know, if you go to svmadelyn's review of the movie, svilleficrecs has some commentfic relating to that mindmeld, and how the memories come to Jim's consciousness over time. Though it's not realay Kirk/Spock Prime. Someone should totally write that.

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-05-10 09:08 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, and I was surfing newtrek comms and found a Kirk/Spock Prime story: http://calicokat.livejournal.com/239016.html#cutid1

[identity profile] beck-liz.livejournal.com 2009-05-10 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Chris Pine is a revelation. Why haven't I seen him in anything else? Wow

The only other thing I've seen him in is Princess Diaries 2, which yes, I know, but he had great chemistry with Anne Hathaway. I've had a minor crush on him since. That minor crush has turned into a major one.

[identity profile] clari-clyde.livejournal.com 2009-05-10 06:31 am (UTC)(link)
Why did no one warn me that I should have worn waterproof mascara to this movie!? Dude, not once but twice! And I loved it.

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-05-10 07:51 am (UTC)(link)
I KNOW!!! (Though I am happy not to have been warned...it's just that I couldn't believe they actually went there!)

[identity profile] annaalamode.livejournal.com 2009-05-10 01:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Chris Pine was so so amazing as Kirk. He made me love Kirk for the first time ever.

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-05-11 05:43 am (UTC)(link)
YES! He was the Kirk I always wanted to see without even realizing it.

[identity profile] latxcvi.livejournal.com 2009-05-10 09:28 pm (UTC)(link)
First, it has to be said: OH MY GOD, YOU KILLED VULCAN! YOU BASTARDS!

Yeah, I'm probably ... not going to let that go for a while.

I can see, what with the playing around with Kirk's backstory, and hooking up Uhura and Spock canonically (more on that later), and BLOWING UP THE BEST PLANET IN THE FEDERATION and all they felt like this movie was not being aimed at hardcore Trekkers--but I was a hardcore Trekker for a long long time (as were the two people sitting behind me in the audience, clearer) and I felt there was a *ton* of fanservice going on. We cheered every time someone said one of their signature lines, or when every core canon character was introduced, or when they played with some previously-established bit of characterization (my absolute favorite was Sulu's line about his expertise in hand-to-hand combat being fencing! hee! but then it turned out that his fencing skills helped save the day!), and I felt like the movie was completely jam-packed with moments like this.

Oh, absolutely, 100% agree. I feel like JJ Abrams succeeded in doing something a lot of people thought wasn't really possible after the zenith that was The Wrath of Khan -- make a Trek movie that even non-Trek fans could seriously love.

And damn, Uhura and Spock? PLEASE tell me there is fic for this already, please? Not to mention Uhura/Spock/Kirk threesome fic, and I also would not turn up my nose at Spock/Spock Prime.

Again, 100% agreed. Actually this is one fandom where I'd not only totally buy the Alien Sex Pollen Turned the Ship Into a Big Ol' Orgy trope, but I want it very, very badly.

I can't wait to see it again!

And to answer your question, the image in my icon is from one of the four promotional poster made for the movie -- Kirk, Spock, Uhura and Nero were on them. When combined, the four form the symbol of the Federation.



[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-05-11 05:46 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, if there was ever a cast in need of a huge dose of alien sex pollen, this is definitely it!

I probably can't see it again until Friday, and that seems like forever away. Damn RL responsibilities! Why can't I be a full-time fangirl?

[identity profile] beck-liz.livejournal.com 2009-05-10 11:35 pm (UTC)(link)
I think Chris Pike and James T. Kirk were better cast than in the original

This. I mean, I LOVE James T. Kirk. However, I've always loved him better in the novels than on-screen. :-) There was just always something about Shatner's Kirk that, while it didn't stop me from liking him, filled me with relief when it was missing in Pine's.

Not to mention Uhura/Spock/Kirk threesome fic

Try here (http://transtempts.livejournal.com/630916.html#cutid1) and here (http://transtempts.livejournal.com/639933.html#cutid1). Note that the first one was written before the movie came out and so therefore is somewhat a-canonical, but I can't bring myself to care.

ETA: Oh, yeah - [livejournal.com profile] spock_uhura. Just in case you hadn't found it yet. :-)
Edited 2009-05-10 23:41 (UTC)

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-05-11 05:47 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, thank you so much for the links!

And yeah, I did always like the Kirk of fic and (the early) pro novelizations more than William Shatner.

[identity profile] yesthattom.livejournal.com 2009-05-12 12:01 am (UTC)(link)
I'm glad you enjoyed it too. I also was able to see it with zero spoilers (except that it was some kind of "reboot" and that there was a red monster).

Totally totally totally loved it.

Uhura/Spock/Kirk -- yummmmm

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-05-12 12:25 am (UTC)(link)
I'm a little jealous of the fact that you've already seen it twice. I won't have time to go again until Friday at the earliest.

Shall I drop you links to Uhura/Spock/Kirk stories as they emerge? I'm expecting to see some posted pretty soon.

[identity profile] bop-radar.livejournal.com 2009-05-13 11:11 pm (UTC)(link)
I hearted Sulu's fencing too! That bit was really cute. :D
ciaan: (writing)

[personal profile] ciaan 2009-05-16 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, it was like fic in the good way! Where it worked because there was already established canon, so they could just run around gleefully throwing cliches and tropes and expectations up into the air like glitter confetti to cover everything, while still doing crazy new things and being all meta and fanservice and AU.