[Editor's Note: Exactly 5 months from today J.J. Abrams' Star Trek hits theaters. To keep an eye (in this case two very large eyes) on everything Star Trek we've turned to Trek enthusiast, lizard, and iconic Kirk adversary Gorn for regular updates, insight, and analysis on this highly anticipated sci-fi reboot. ]
Grrrrrrrrhissssssss!
First of all, I think that Star Trek is going to be huge. Think 300 + Iron Man + Pirates of the Caribbean huge. This movie will drive you out of your Vulcan mind -- in a good way. I say that after watching some long clips that director J.J. Abrams introduced at the press event at Paramount Studios in Hollywood recently. There were a total of four -- each better than the last.
You can see a shot-by-shot breakdown of the Star Trek trailer which will be a big help if you want to visualize what we saw at Paramount.
Trek Scene #1 -- Kirk Becomes Kirk
Cocky young James T. Kirk (an excellent Chris Pine) enters a futuristic s**t kicker bar in Riverside, Iowa and puts the moves on the young, lovely Cadet Uhura (Zoe Saldana). There is a moody reptilian/alien barfly (unrelated) sitting between them nursing a drink while Kirk sweet talks her...priceless! Some a**holes from Starfleet come in and beat the hell out of Kirk for bothering Uhura. The brawl is broken up by the no-nonsense Captain Christopher Pike (remember his character from the Star Trek pilot "The Menagerie"?) Bruce Greenwood really commands the screen in this father-figure role for all the young cadets on the USS Enterprise.) He tries to inspire Kirk to join Starfleet by reminding him of the legacy of his absent dad: "Your father was a Captain for only 12 minutes, but he saved the lives of everyone aboard that Starship, including the lives of you and your mother." Later, Kirk goes to the Riverside Shipyards to observe the USS Enterprise being built and he makes a career decision. At the gangplank of the Enterprise, Captain Pike tells Kirk he can achieve the rank of Lieutenant in 4 years. Kirk shoots back, "I'll do it in three!"
More Star Trek Road Show scene breakdowns to come. Stay tuned. Really glad to be here. And watch "Arena".