El Guapo Talks About The Star Trek Footage By George 'El Guapo' Roush on November 20, 2008 Well, the reaction to the Star Trek footage has certainly been mixed amongst journalists who saw the clips yesterday. Some have liked it, some have hated it. I'm kind of in the middle. Kind of. This was certainly the prettiest Star Trek I've ever seen. The twenty minutes shown to us by J.J. proves that with today's technology and budget, you too can make yourself a nice looking Star Trek movie. But there were quite a few things about what I saw that just bugged the hell out of me. I'm not going to bother going into specific scene details, because everyone and their grandmother has already given you description, including our own El Mayimbe. I think I'll just list out some things I liked and disliked. Please note that I'm actually a Star Trek fan. I grew up watching the original series with my father, I've seen all the films in the theater and short of Deep Space Nine (crappy show) and Enterprise, I've enjoyed the subsequent spin-offs. Alright, here we go: 1. We all know Kirk is the bad boy of space. But why does he have to be another smarmy, smart ass rebel kid with Daddy issues that discovers his destiny from Captain Pike? That scene in the bar reminded me of scenes from 1986's Iron Eagle between Doug and Chappy. Only Kirk isn't wearing headphones. Chris Pine seems like he can carry the role, but he's just another pretty boy. I miss the days when when guys who piloted giant starships actually looked like men. Is that gay? 2. I spoke about this in length with Devin from CHUD. Why are they building a fucking starship on the ground, exposed to the environment, in Iowa? How the hell do they get that thing into outer space? I'm sure the structural integrity is kept intact once it gets into zero gravity, but dude. That ship is way too big to just lift up with a crane. Maybe they built an enormous spring below it and we'll hear a loud "BOING!" sound right as it launches the ship. 3. Zachary Quinto did not impress me as Spock. His line delivery was bad and I just wasn't buying it. And to show Leonard Nimoy in the same set of clips was a mistake. You're supposed to be selling us on your new crew, J.J. We all know Nimoy is in the movie, save that scene for the release date. 4. The Halo jump scene was cool, but didn't make much sense. In fact, not a lot of this made much sense. While traveling with Pike over to the Romulan ship (a ship the size of 17 Borg ships put together) Kirk, Sulu, and the red shirt guy jump from the shuttle down into the atmosphere below. Their mission was to disable a giant drill boring itself into the heart of Vulcan. Here's what I didn't really get...they weren't close enough for gravity to take over yet, so how is it they didn't just float into outer space once the drop doors opened? From where they had jumped, I don't recall them being so close to the atmosphere that they would drop like rocks. Outer space for Earth is considered about 62 miles above the planet's surface so they might have been closer than I thought. Despite what may or may not be an oversight, the scene was extremely exciting to watch. Although when Kirk and Sulu are transported back to the ship just before hitting the ground, wouldn't they still splatter? Be cause I don't think the, "Bugs Bunny steps out of the falling phone booth right before it hits the ground" free falling physics apply here. 5. The movie is very, very pretty. I actually like the look of the new Enterprise. The interior scenes are rather headache inducing though. The bridge is enormous with countless stations, but there is just too much white in the background with weird looking round tables on top of brown hardwood flooring. It should be called the U.S.S. Ikea. 6. Apparently Sulu is now a super ninja. 7. Are there giant cliff sides in Iowa besides the ones by the river? Just wondering. 8. There was too much "humor" for humor's sake in the movie. Not sure why the giant hands and tongue scene were necessary. Karl Urban does a good job as Bones though. 9. Watching the scenes with Bruce Greenwood as Captain Pike made we wish the whole movie featured him instead of Kirk. I guess I'd just like to see some grown up science fiction when it comes to this stuff. A bunch of kids who magically get promoted because of deaths or other situations reminded me too much of the, "You're it until you're dead or I find someone better." mentality that was Starship Troopers. Why couldn't the crew have just been assigned to their respective stations in the first place? 10. Chekov is having trouble with the computer recognizing his Russian accent. So let me get this straight, you're telling me a computer that can probably recognize thousands of alien languages, (there are other species besides humans in the Federation, right?) can't recognize a bad Russian accent? Then why not just say the orders in Russian? Stupid shit like this just for the sake of a laugh is what drives me crazy. The writers are the same guys who wrote that enormous piece of shit Transformers movie, so I'm not surprised at this failed attempt to make me laugh. "Oh, look Margie, that durn computer can't recognize that thur foreign guy's accent! A HUR DEE HUR HEE HEE! Boy, that's just some silly stuff right thur!" I understand this is a new Trek for a new generation, but please at least give me some sort of science in my science fiction. I'm hoping the entire movie isn't going to be The Real World in outer space. From what I saw, every scene was just too busy. Nobody was taking their time in regards to direction, line delivery and pacing. Everything had to be rush rush and that's probably because of the short attention span plaguing today's audience. Still, I'm more than hoping this will be a fantastic relaunch of the Trek series. I'm not going to crap all over it until I've seen the final product. And who knows? Maybe I'll be the first one in line to see it a second time. You never know, maybe J.J. Abrams and crew will boldy go where no one has gone before. Well, except for Ikea...it's kind of obvious they went there. Phasers on stun when you follow me at Twitter! Source: Latinoreview Tags: Star Trek, News Comments on 2008-11-20 17:37:59 Woah - you think DS9 was crappy, but seemingly, by omission, liked Voyager? Out the window with the credibility, my man. Commented By: Al on 2008-11-20 18:04:27 Well. Its suppost to kinda, maby sorta be a reboot so who knows. Its just, i dont picture the enterprise being built completly on earth, let alone in Iowa. Im not a big trekkie (or trekker what ever u wana call it) but, to me it makes sense, building pieces of a star ship on earth, AT A NAVY YARD like in SAN FRANCISCO...and putting them together it space. Thats the one thing thats bothering me right now, but we'll see if this works or not. Also its a bit too convenent that kirk comes from Iowa and now the enterprise is built in Iowa? I mean common...they grow potatoes there, NOT BUILD FUCKING STARSHIPS. Other then minor details like that, im willing to give the film a shot. I credit them for making such a bold move with recasting the old crew (you kind of have to now, esp since bones and scotty died) but you cant just completly forget the old school stuff too. Also why does the enterprise look more advance BEFORE the 5 year mission? I mean, what happend, did a super virus wipe out all of starfleets technology and they had to start from scrach with analogue knobs, switches and dials? Why is it in this trek, they got touch screen lcd computer screens and ipod accessories all over the place, yet a few years in the future they got crap that makes a comador 64 look advanced? I get its a movie, but, you could atleast try to figure out how to explane it in a reasonable way. But the fact that they just say, "Na figuring out that minor detail shit is to hard...no one is going to notice" is a slap to the face of the fans, and sloppy writing. Well Commented By: El Guapo on 2008-11-20 18:26:48 I never said Voyager was a masterpiece either. I just thought DS9 and Enterprise were the worst of the bunch. Commented By: Foox on 2008-11-20 19:13:04 wasnt the Enterprise built at Utopia Planitia Shipyards on Mars? I can deal with some changes for movies' sake, but Guapo makes some excellent points. What? Commented By: F. Jackie Abraham on 2008-11-20 19:15:16 Does Sulu make frequent stops at White Castle? Commented By: Foox on 2008-11-20 19:15:51 actually The NCC 1701 was built at the San Francisco shipyards.. maybe the scene we see isnt in Iowa? just asking.... I Agree Completely... Commented By: Fontez on 2008-11-20 21:14:13 Although I loved it... The Dark Knight was WAYY too fast paced. It was soo chaotic I thought I was gonna have a heart attack. I hate when directors don't give the viewers enough time to breath and take everything in. Get the facts right... Commented By: etsjedi on 2008-11-20 21:56:30 Well, once again the what-are you-expecting -crowd goes insane again. Kirk was a trouble maker based on Roddenberry background for him-but some of the best leaders in history were troublemakers when they were young. The Enterprise NCC-1701 was built on Earth. The Enterprise-D was built in orbit on Mars. You are not ever going to make all people happy. This is a reboot but not a remake. They are not going to follow all cannons because there is no previous history other than novels on the original characters history or when they first meet. I am just glad Abs going for a coloful touch for this Star Trek. All the incarnations of Star Trek on tv kept gettig darker tones with sets and costumes and stories. TNG started things up but Berman took over and sent things down a path TOS would never have gone. I have been a ST fan since the 70's and I think that we will enjoy this new take on the classic series. I don't need anymore "Dark" heroes. I want hopeful stories with exciting visuals and characters that thrill me. Also, that is not Uhura Kirk is with in bed-that is an Orion girl. on 2008-11-21 03:31:53 New spock sounded like Jim Carrey's impression of old spock in The Cable Guy. . . . Commented By: kinobick on 2008-11-21 03:32:23 New spock sounded like Jim Carrey's impression of old spock in The Cable Guy. . . . not a lot of hope for this film Commented By: Josh on 2008-11-21 11:25:50 I'll admit I'm not the biggest Trek fan out their, actually more of a causual observer, but when I saw Simon Peg and John Cho were in the cast I felt like they were going to throw a lot of comedy stuff in there for no reason. It seems like that has almost been confirmed. I hope for all you trekie fans out there that it is good and I may catch it if it gets good reviews, but it's not looking to good right now. New Fresh Star Trek Commented By: darkknight01 on 2008-11-24 00:40:16 I think this film will be a much needed fresh take that will give a star trek franchise a kick in the rear. An origin style film has been long overdue. DS9 Commented By: Brett on 2008-12-24 00:58:39 DS9 wasn't the same setup as the original show or TNG, but it was damn good television. It transcended the franchise, as far as I'm concerned, and was certainly better than the last two shows in terms of story, characters, direction and tone. I have to wonder if you're defining crappy as simply not delivering the same formula as the rest.