Release date: 8th May 2009



What JJ Abrams understands more than most Hollywood directors is not just telling a good story but letting the audience experience the story for themselves. His impressive catalogue is testament to this with his award winning Lost TV series, and recently Cloverfied, both of which employed story telling techniques that crossed over media from TV to online in a skillful display of narrative designed to keep the audience enthralled in every twist  and turn. What JJ Abrams represents for most people is the new Hollywood - a Hollywood built around transmedia narratives which emmerse the audeince in the film experience taking them as far into the 'world of the story' as they are prepared to go....

So his challenge with Star Trek is to take what is arguably alongside Star Wars one of the most popular film narratives in popular culture, and bring something new to them. He achieves this through the excellent characterisation of the main protaganists James T Kirk , played by Chris Pine and Spock, played by Zachary Pinto. Both characters are already well known in popular culture; what they stand for, how they behave in situations, even what colours they represent,  and JJ Abrams is right not to reinvent these elements which are well known and loved by all. But what gives this film a fresh perspective on a tired well worn franchise is the focus he places on letting his audience experience the stories behind the character of both the visceral anti-hero James T Kirk & the loveable but logical Spock. The is the reason why the film works, and where it gets its energy.

Through a series of stunning inter-planetary set pieces revolving around a simple plot of Nero, played by Eric Bana,  threatening the United Federation Of Planets, and being overthrown by a new crew for the Starship Enterprise, Abrams lets the audience explore the nature and nurture of each character by studying their histories and pyschological development to make them what they are as individuals and as a 'team'.  Think of it as a 'coming of age' movie set in the past, present & future and you're on the right lines of what has so far become both critically and financially successfull 'back to basics' representation of character and narrative that will set JJ Abrams in the story-telling elite of Spielberg & Lucas.

A thoroughly enjoyable and intelligent story that isn't just for trekkies!

James Hart
MindShare