Star Trek

This film was reviewed by Dr. Barry Hummel of 5/9/2009.

Dr. Hummel posted the following additional comments: "One of the marketing tools for this film is 'It's not your father's Star Trek'.  It turns out that it doesn't have to be.  Using a complicated plot to drive a great action fillm, J.J. Abrams has simultaneously rooted his film deeply in the past and changed the future.

Think about it.  This is the ultimate reboot of the entire Star Trek universe.  He has created a parallel time line.  Nothing that has occured in the past (at least as far as 4 out of 5 television series and all 10 previous films are concerned) can or will happen again.  Much like the Vulcan High Council of the eradicated planet has become the caretakers of the Vulcan history and culture, Spock has become the caretaker of the original Star Trek history and culture.

This frees the caretakers of the franchise to boldly go in a new direction without being obligated to tell stories that fit into the complicated (or should I say bloated) universe that existed before.  That might be the biggest stroke of genius of all."