The “announcement trailer” for JJ Abrams’ next Star Trek movie has been released:
I’ve come to terms with the fact we won’t see a “Trekkian” Trek film again, that all we’ll get in the future will be action films in the vein of Dark Knight & Avengers. That said, when they’re well done they’re enjoyable, and the new cast is good. I really like Chris Pine’s take on Captain Kirk.
But I’m also of the opinion that there was very little of the TV show’s magic in any of the movies featuring the original or Next Generation characters, despite how good The Wrath of Khan and First Contact were… because there’s something very different in seeing your “family” every week vs. seeing them every 3 to 4 years. There’s a consistency and a connection that’s lost in taking a TV show and turning it into a movie franchise.
And as much as I enjoyed 2009’s Star Trek, I had some big problems with the story, the prime of which was cadet Kirk being promoted to captain at the end, when the movie could have made a much better point by having him promoted to Lieutenant and sending him off to serve on some other ship to learn some still-needed lessons… but I understand the point was to put all the iconic cast into their familiar places on the bridge of the Enterprise.
Also, Kirk and Spock spitefully letting the entire alien crew die at the end was the most appalling un-Trek thing in the movie. The “prime” Kirk and Spock would have still found a way to save the alien crew, even if Nero still had to die himself.
I also wish they’d been able to just go ahead and reboot the franchise without having to find some way to connect to the “prime” (i.e., original canon) universe. Just reboot the thing and start fresh. Bond films never waste time explaining new Bonds, they just move forward. Christopher Nolan didn’t feel the need to explain what Adam West or Michael Keaton’s Batmans had to do with Christian Bale’s. But again, I understand why JJ and crew felt it was necessary. We Trek fans aren’t always known for being reasonable. (Just kidding, Trekkies.)
But no matter – Trek ‘09 was entertaining and, as I said, the new cast acquitted themselves nicely. Certainly I’ll be in line to see this one as well, and I care not whether the baddie here is Khan or Gary Mitchell or someone else.
And hey, there be Klingons here. Apparently.
ArcherVox 
I'm the only one I know that really feels raped by the 2009 film.
I'm the only one I know… who feels JJ Abrams had a lovely dinner of asparagus, corn and ExLax … and then peed and pooped all over the franchise I've revered since I was 8.
I'm the only one I know… who liked the casting for the most part, liked the new uniforms and some of the new technology… but felt really raped by the plot.
I guess, for some people, the problems with Star Trek 11 were somehow more forgivable than, say, the problems with Star Trek: The Motion(less) Picture.
Your post here made me feel a bit better Rob. In fact, you very intelligently summarize most of the problems I had with Star Trek 11.
I don't just gloss over things like “they let the crew die too”. And I do not understand self-respecting, self-identifying Trekkies that DO gloss over that stuff.
I believe there are Trekkies and everyone else. Trekkies do not get bored with the orchestral reveal of the refitted Enterprise in Star Trek 1. True Trekkies are not only not bored, they get goosebumps at that scene.
True Trekkies don't gloss over stuff like “they let the crew die too.”