To boldly go

The new Star Trek move is out, and it is glorious!

I'm one of those fanboys who was full of misgivings about the new Star Trek. J.J. Abrams is one of my favorite entertainers: Alias slowly sunk under the weight of its mythos, but Lost has thrived even as the complexity grew. And Mission Impossible III gave me hope: it is the only one of the series that seems even tangentially related to the original ethos of its show.

Fortunately, Abrams has managed to capture the essence of the original Star Trek here. While the exterior of the Enterprise and interior are quite different from the original series, the only thing that really matters--the characters, are alive and well.

This isn't simple mimicry of the original actors, although a few choice maneuvers such as Kirk's "I'm thinking in my chair" command posture and Spock's raised left eyebrow have been brought along for the ride. More, it's an acknowledgment of the the fact that the Star Trek universe is the ultimate argument for multiculturalism. Kirk's bravado, Spock's logic, even Bones' grumpiness and Scotty's enthusiasm are by themselves not up to the task of solving anything. But put them together, and a team capable of saving the universe emerges.

Star Trek has always walked a fine line tackling bold topics. One of the funniest episodes of the original series, "The Trouble with Tribbles" was a thinly disguised allegory for Superpower politics in the developing world. Wrapping humor around serious plot lines is not easy, but is accomplished with skill in this newest film.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars