hafital | To Boldly Go, Down the Rabbit Hole (Reply)

Well, for the most part, I really really liked it. Especially Kirk. Actually, I didn't think my love for James Tiberious Kirk could grow, but after this movie, it did. He was my favorite part and I'm sorry I ever doubted Chris Pine, who was EXCELLENT, and perfect, and I'll see the movie a bazillion times just for Kirk. So there.

Spock, on the other hand, I, well... *frown* I couldn't quite divorce myself from the fact that ZQ was Spock. I am not in the least bit attracted to ZQ and that is at odds with the character of Spock, whom I find infinitely attractive in a rather fundamental way. I can appreciate ZQ as an actor, mostly, so I do think he did a very good job, but he will never ever be my Spock. EVER. (Wee!Spock was very cute, though, and rather perfect.)

BUT, I loved the Spock/Uhura story line. At first, when she asked him to change her assignment, I was intrigued, and then with the reveal in the ~~elevator~~ turbolift I was stunned. STUNNED NEARLY OUT OF MY PANTS. I was all sorts of shocked and amused and surprised and awed and flabbergasted and just plain chuffed. I'm very glad he didn't push her away, because that's what he would have done in the series. *There was canonical Spock Kissing and he wasn't forced into it or drugged or under the influence of spores!!!!* Spores?

I know everyone is on about Kirk and McCoy. I did think Karl Urban was faboo. I used to love the odd Kirk/McCoy story back in the day, although I was never that big on the pairing. I did love their relationship in the film, and possibly I am ready to be persuaded. Certainly I adore Kirk and I'm quite willing to read anything with him in it. My heart pretty much belongs to original series K/S, though.

Scotty was fun. However, he lost Porthos. And for that, he may not be forgiven.

I rather wish the Romulans of the various ST TV shows had such fancy tattoos. I suppose these were disreputable Romulans. Rather than the cold, military version of the later series.

Someone tell me what the fuck Winona Ryder was doing in that movie.

As someone who wrote Pike/Chekov, and grew to appreciate Pike as a character and sort of love him a little bit, I was *fascinated* by Pike in this movie. And thought him excellent, and was rather dreading the inevitable radiation accident that never came. huzzah! Loved the one exchange between him and Chekov (who I rather found adorable, if, still, slightly annoying. lol.)

I kept on expecting Gary Mitchell to pop up.

I was also wondering if Kirk's signature flying butt kick would make an appearance. sadly no. boooo.

Frankly, I could have done without Rambaldi red ball of doom. I thought it was cheap trick, personally, and annoying as fuck as a plot device, but I never much liked it in Alias either. I'm persistently fond of JJ Abrams, but I think that's a bit ridiculous. And I didn't care for how this "red matter" was just there, with no explanation, and taken for granted by everyone, which I suppose then I am to gather that it's a common enough substance since no one was like "what is this red matter! someone please explain!" A name other than "red matter" would have done the trick, but that would de-mystify it, and apparently that's a no no when it comes to red matter balls (except this is Star Trek, based, if loosely, on science, not mysticism). But most others seem to think it was fabulous. Whatevs.

I loved the grander and the scope, especially with the Enterprise and the other ships. So hard to accomplish on a TV show, let alone with the restrictions of outdated effects and such. They sometimes achieved this in the later movies.

And lastly, they made Vulcan go boom. That is not on, people.

And now, separately, I talk a little bit about Kirk/Spock, and how this new movie has changed the dynamic and it is now missing something I had truly loved under the original series.

There is something special about the Kirk/Spock relationship from the original series that was not there in this new movie. I'm not really talking about the actors. It has actually more to do with the reboot.

In the original, Kirk is the captain, and Spock is his first officer. They are equal as friends, but always, always, Kirk is Spock's commander. Always. [1] I'm not saying it wasn't interesting and bold for the writers to flip flop the relationship like that in the movie. It was fascinating, and I quite liked it as I was watching. But, it sort of crushed this one aspect of the relationship that shifts the dynamic between them a fair amount. And I don't quite know how I feel about it. I'm pretty sure I prefer the original.

Partly this is a result of the quickness of the movie going from point A to point B. The K/S relationship in the original and through the movies is a journey. I think specifically of episodes like The Corbomite Maneuver, and that wonderful scene when Kirk verbally cuts Spock, more than a little disappointed in him. And Spock quietly accepting Kirk's criticism with his customary grace, all the while you can see how deeply he was affected realizing he let his captain down. For all that they became such great friends, I believe that at the beginning of their relationship (working and private), Spock was very much in awe of Kirk, although he would never have put it that way. And Kirk, for his part, always accepted Spock just the way he was. I don't see the same relationship in this movie. Nor do I see that sort of dynamic existing between them. It is different. And I'm not saying that it's bad, in any way. Just, I really loved that about Kirk and Spock. I think it's what made me such a K/Ser. I feel like this new Kirk and Spock relationship is flatter, more obvious, less varied and intricate and different.

I know people will say it ended that way, with Kirk as captain, and Spock has his faithful XO. And maybe I'm just blathering. Who knows. In the movie, they definitely figure out how well they work together. How do other K/Sers feel? Probably I am alone in feeling this way. *droops head*

{1] ETA to add, now that I've slept some more on it -- this dynamic should be true even if their roles were reversed as they were in the film.