7 Things Done Right In JJ Abrams' Star Trek

Star Trek had dropped off the public radar almost entirely when director JJ Abrams decided to revive the old classic with Star Trek (2009). Even closer to home was the summer hit Star Trek Into Darkness. Let’s see what’s good in these two films (besides the CGI).

1. The Enterprise

Every Trekkie’s favorite ship is back, better than ever. The Enterprise gets to keep its shape and its oh-so-familiar bridge, but is revamped with modern graphics and a sleek, professional look. Nice.

2. Kirk

Originally, James T. Kirk was played by William Shatner, whose embellishments on the character made the role iconic. Now, Kirk is back in the form of smirk-happy Chris Pine, who is perfect as a growing, developing, still slightly immature, horny Captain of the Enterprise. Also, his eyes are gorgeous.

3. Spock

You can’t have Kirk without Spock right by his side. Just as Shatner was Kirk, Leonard Nimoy was famous for his role as the stoic, ever so logical Mr. Spock. However, like Pine, Zachary Quinto does not disappoint. He even has better Vulcan ears.

4. Kirk's Biography

Something I thought the original series lacked was any kind of information on where Kirk came from. Abrams delivers, with his first Star Trek movie opening with a frenzied emergency in space, Kirk’s father (played by Chris Hemsworth) directing the show, and Kirk himself just a wee little lad (in fact, just born). Then you get a little sequence during Kirk’s childhood/preteen years, which illustrate the rebellious nature of our favorite captain.

5. Khan

Alright, let’s talk about the villain (one of the villains, anyway, since I think a solid argument could be made for Admiral Marcus) of Star Trek Into Darkness...KHAAAAAAAN! (I had to.) Okay, yes, there’s a slight continuity issue here (that being that Khan’s full name is Khan Noonien Singh and in the original series he’s supposed to be a Sikh and Benedict Cumberbatch is as pale as newly fallen snow) but I have to say, Cumberbatch KILLS it as Khan. He’s awesome. And his voice gives you the shudders (nice shudders) every time he speaks.

6. Throwbacks

You gotta love the nods to the Original Series and Wrath of Khan. Bones HAS to say, “I’m a doctor, not a ____” at least once in every Star Trek movie, in my opinion. And, as I mentioned before, “KHAAAAAAN!” (though this time Spock screams it, not Kirk). The part in Into Darkness where the roles are reversed from Wrath of Khan and it’s Kirk dying from radiation instead of Spock. Also in Into Darkness, Spock says, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few,” which is a direct quote from Wrath of Khan. The tribble, though I have some things to say about the role it played in Into Darkness. There are too many.

7. Chekov's Accent

When I say this is “right,” I mean it’s in alignment with the Original Series. Chekov has a very distinct accent (which may or may not be faulty with respect to Russian) and Russian-American actor Anton Yelchin does a marvelous job imitating Walter Koenig. I especially loved the part in Star Trek (2009) when Chekov is trying to input a voice-prompted code of some sort and is supposed to say “Viktor” but has trouble with the V. Priceless.