Star Trek should bring back the exploration theme...

[enyawd72]

Whatever happened to exploring strange new worlds and seeking out new life and new civilizations?
I'm still excited to see the new movie, but it doesn't look very recognizable as Star Trek to me.

Is it just me, or does it seem more and more as if "Trek" is trying to be "Wars".

[Mikey]

I think Paramount is wringing the last bit of water out of the Star Trek beach towel.

[enyawd72]

I think Paramount is wringing the last bit of water out of the Star Trek beach towel.

Sadly I think you're right...I'm all for bringing a fresh take on the original to a new audience, but rewatching the original series lately had me thinking about how many classic episodes would make fantastic feature films with the new crew. With the FX we have now, "Shore Leave" could make a mind-boggling film.

[jds1911a1]

That's cause the old show had to have a script becuase the budget for effects was tighter , now thye just put in a bigger CG explosion

[B-Lister]

Look, I get that it's not for everybody. But to say there's no script and all it is is an effects movie is disingenuous.

I have been a trek fan since the 25th anniversary, and have seen plenty of good, and plenty of bad both on the large and small screens.

There is a lot to like about these new Films, not the least of which is keeping the franchise vital. When Star Trek returns to TV (and it will) it will be because this film series kept it going.

I like the movies, you are free to dislike them, but to exaggerate in order to voice that opinion doesn't strengthen any arguments, in fact, it lessens it.

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

I don't mind the action and combat; but there's so much of that in everything else it all kinda bleeds together after a bit. Like I mentioned elsewhere; the new ad looked a lot like the last James Bond film. "Back in the day" you had the same problem; but low budgets and less rigid aesthetics meant you could make up for similar concepts with wacky designs. Nowadays it looks like everyone went to the same design school.

I guess it's a trade-off. You get bigger budgets, better effects, bigger names.... but you lose some of the flexibility 'cos folks are scared to take a chance. So you get movies that are better, but less memorable.

Say; maybe they'll bring back the Space Hippies.... although I guess the contemporary version would be Space Hipsters. "I'm taking over your ship, but I'm doing it IRONICALLY."

Don C.

[Nostalgiabuff]

part of the problem that the prior Trek series had, is they became stagnant and boring. i am talking about the later series. Paramount just kept pushing product out there with no tought to oversaturation. the new Trek is different, but that does not mean it is not still good, fun, Trek.

[Brazoo]

Whatever happened to exploring strange new worlds and seeking out new life and new civilizations?
I'm still excited to see the new movie, but it doesn't look very recognizable as Star Trek to me.

Is it just me, or does it seem more and more as if "Trek" is trying to be "Wars".

I enjoyed the last movie (mind you, I didn't go in with big expectations).

I agree with you, and think you've really hit on something. Having watched the first series all the way through recently made me really appreciate the feeling of adventure through discovery that they were trying to create.

Though, I'm not sure the OLD movies captured that well either. The movies where they DID try for a stronger sci-fi concept are the ones I happened not to like as much. (While re-watching the show part 4 almost seemed the most faithful - strangely.)

I forgot how cool the adventure and discovery part of the show was, but you're totally right, it would be great if they could rein that in a little.

[Mikey]

I liked the last movie but I didn't love it --- it was better than I expected so that's why I liked it.

Given a choice I miss the days of Star Trek 4

[Hector]

You guys have to realize the "old" Trek flicks were not blockbuster hits, the only one that went over $100 million at the bix office was Trek IV Voyage Home, also, Trek has not been big overseas either, it appealed to a hardcore fanbase who just didn't have enough numbers to make the movies huge hits.

The new Trek reboot appeals to a much broader audience, as proven with its domestic $250 million box office showing.

I'm sorry, but like it or not, the new Trek is here to stay.

The only way I can picture the "old" Trek back to its roots, will be with another TV series, where true Trekkies can enjoy the scientific/exploration over pure action adventure storylines.

[Mikey]

But, the first movie appealed to older Trekkers too

If they smack them all in face Trek is shot

Fickle video game kids and teen girls will not keep Trek alive for long

[knight errant00]

Yeah, Hec, but that's more because the marketing mode's changed -- in everything from movies to publishing, things today have to be #1 and $100M hits in order for the industry to pay any attention at all. There's no room any more for modestly successful in movies or midlist in publishing because all that the top people want to see are "rock stars" that can carry everything rather than a competent stable of product.

I also think, if you account for inflation and ticket prices and most improtantly, the millions the studios spend in marketing to make movies today into blockbusters, the old Trek and James Bond and a lot of other movies suddenly start to look a lot more successful. I also don't think the new audiences are going to the new Treks out of any love for the characters or the setting. It's all response to the hype ("you have to see this -- it's the movie event of the year!") that the studios spend tens of millions to create, and I'll bet we won't get more than another one, maybe two movies out of this version of Trek unless this one is knock-everyone's-socks-off great.

I'm not hating on the new ST . . . it's just kinda disappointing that the "creators" today redress something unique with a lot of elements from a lot of other things to make it more like everything else, just using its name superfically to have a starting point.

If these new Abrams Treks were just new Abrams SF adventures (change all the names of the characters and the designs of the ships), would anyone make a big deal out of them, do you think?

You guys have to realize the "old" Trek flicks were not blockbuster hits, the only one that went over $100 million at the box office was Trek IV Voyage Home, also, Trek has not been big overseas either, it appealed to a hardcore fanbase who just didn't have enough numbers to make the movies huge hits.

The new Trek reboot appeals to a much broader audience, as proven with its domestic $250 million box office showing.

I'm sorry, but like it or not, the new Trek is here to stay.

The only way I can picture the "old" Trek back to its roots, will be with another TV series, where true Trekkies can enjoy the scientific/exploration over pure action adventure storylines.

[Brazoo]

You guys have to realize the "old" Trek flicks were not blockbuster hits, the only one that went over $100 million at the bix office was Trek IV Voyage Home, also, Trek has not been big overseas either, it appealed to a hardcore fanbase who just didn't have enough numbers to make the movies huge hits.

The new Trek reboot appeals to a much broader audience, as proven with its domestic $250 million box office showing.

I'm sorry, but like it or not, the new Trek is here to stay.

The only way I can picture the "old" Trek back to its roots, will be with another TV series, where true Trekkies can enjoy the scientific/exploration over pure action adventure storylines.

I don't think it's too naive to suggest there might be a way to combine the wonder of science and discovery IN with the plot of a standard good guy vs. bad buy action movie, but I think it is probably tougher to pull off.

As proof of what you're saying I think the weaker Star Trek movies tried but failed just that. I think that part 1, 3 and 5 were more sci-fi based, and didn't work as well.

Though I do disagree that the original Trek movies weren't big hits. There may have been bad business behind how much money they made in terms of net, but each of the early movies were hits, and if they weren't they wouldn't have kept making them.

Here's a sampling of the first 4 movies in relation to how well they did in their respective years:

Star Trek 1 was #2 in 1979
Star Trek 2 was #6 in 1982
Star Trek 3 was #9 in 1984
Star Trek 4 was #5 in 1986

I think the argument you make about the influence of the world market NOW compared with THEN is accurate. The world market didn't matter much when these movies were originally released. Domestic revenue was the basis for what movies got made before. The growing influence of the world market on American movies means less character, less dialog and simpler plots for big budget movies. There's absolutely NO question about that.

Though, I still think it would be great if they could add a bit more science and discovery in to these movies. How many great scientists are there in the world who said that Star Trek was a big influence on their interest in science? How sad would it be if we loose that in popular entertainment? What does that say about the world?

[enyawd72]

I strongly disagree with you Hector. If history teaches us anything, it's that the journey of discovery itself is the greatest adventure of all.

[huedell]

But, the first movie appealed to older Trekkers too

If they smack them all in face Trek is shot

Fickle video game kids and teen girls will not keep Trek alive for long

My personal theory is that with the successful new cast, now Trek is enough of an institution where your "type" is in the minority.... the fickle ones will keep the
franchise moving more than it EVER has, AND the "Older Trekkers" you're referring to: well, there's enough of a splinter group from them (Older Trekkers) that will
just support ANYthing with a Federation insignia slapped on it, that all Paramount has to do is keep the fickle fans decently invested. If more discerning "core" fans
of Trek decide to boycott, it won't compromise their business model.