I finally saw Star Trek yesterday, and I guess I'm weird...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

because I liked Zoe Saldana's portrayal of Uhura. I didn't feel that her script was poorly written or that her character was under developed (no pun intended) either.

Was it her figure that people were riled about? If that's the case, then why not complain about Chris Pine? He's not nearly as meaty as William Shatner was.

Anyway, I thought the whole movie was fantastic; and it inspired my 10 year old to watch the other Star Trek movies. Mwahahahaha...Another Trekkie is born!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear GoddessofGuinness!

I haven't heard any specific criticisms of Uhura...but then, I may not have been paying atttention!

I cannot wait to see it! We wait for the DVD these days...

Glad your son is now a Trekkie!

:hug:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

3. You'll love it!

:hi:

[SoxFan]

25. My dear CalPeggy

Don't wait for DVD; see this one on the big screen. It's visually breathtaking, and many of the scenes will have a greater impact viewed in a theater.

[Patiod]

34. Splurge and go see it on the big screen, my dear CP!

Find a local theater matinee if you want to save money, but see it BIG SCREEN.

Some amazing shots that aren't going to work on the teevee (even if you have a pretty big teevee)

We almost never go to the movies anymore, but we're glad we saw this one in a theater.

[driver8]

56. Don't wait for the DVD -- this is a movie you should see in the theatre!!

I'm not a Trekkie, but I thought this movie was great!

[pokerfan]

2. Some said that she served little purpose other than "sex object"

I don't know about that. I was too busy staring at her boobs.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

5. Her role as Communications Officer was integral to the story...

True, she wasn't doing any judo throws, and it was a little odd seeing Spock lose his cool around her; but hey, they were both young. Plus, Spock wasn't one to be drawn by mere physical beauty. She must have been effing brilliant for him to even take notice...

[pokerfan]

7. I agree

I'm just telling you what they said.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

12. Ah, I see...

:D :toast:

[Orsino]

22. Really? I didn't see her as integral.

I saw an apparently intelligent and capable officer doing no leading, and functioning mainly as a girlfriend.

The actress struck me as doing a good job of it, though. I'll look forward to seeing her knock some heads, and maybe command, in future flicks.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

31. If she hadn't intercepted the transmission

the Enterprise wouldn't have known that Vulcan was under attack.

And while Kirk's legendary lecherousness might seem to detract from his character; if he hadn't been hiding under Uhura's roomate's bed, he never would have heard her talk about it, and would never have put two and two together. It would have made for a very short movie.

Also, the script made a point of expounding on Uhura's accomplishments as a xenolinguist, offering this viewer, at least, some insight into just how brilliant she really is in her field. As a cadet she relieves the presumably seasoned communications officer on the bridge of the Enterprise. While her intelligence and talent could certainly make her eligible for command of a starship, it may just not be her cup of tea. But I'll bet she kicks some butt in the next movie, if there is one. :hi:

[Orsino]

44. Wasn't that interception something of an accident?

I don't remember clearly. But it is Kirk, of course, who makes use of the info.

Yes, we're told Uhura's brilliant, and she displays some impressive linguistic chops. She doesn't, however, get to lead. That's true of all the cadets but Kirk, of course.

Oh, well, there'll be another chance, surely.

[WildEyedLiberal]

4. I liked her, too

I thought she was clearly smart and spunky. I've seen plenty of bad one-dimensional sex kitten female characters, and Uhura was far from being close to that archetype. I really don't see where all the whiners are coming from.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

6. So many of the "special guest stars" in the old TV series

were bad one-dimensional sex kittens female characters. They were the ones who always fell for Kirk's sleazy lines. :rofl:

[vixengrl]

8. I liked her portrayal, and I actually thought they did a good job

with her character--by portraying her as a very determined, on-point, intelligent person. In the past, her role in Communications was seen as "secretarial"--but the movie makes a point of indicating that zenolinguistics is a difficult and specialized study that requires diligence and aptitude. You can appreciate her drive.

I did see some critical issues with her relationship to Spock. But, I'm what fanfolks would call a 'shipper (relationshipper--I like to character/character, even if it isn't really just for ....slash. See: Buffy/Spike in BTVS or Cassandra/Methos in HL:TS--now I'm completely geeking in code. )They made it plausible and put it onscreen; it's canon to me, now. Also, I dug it, actually. She's very sensitive to "subspace" level signals and wants to translate Spock's stoicism into the language she knows is there--more power to her.

I loved the casting choices of the movie. McCoy, Scotty, and Sulu were all kind of great casting picks. But Zach Quinto as Spock--just loved him. Really think about playing hooky and sneaking back into the theater for another view of the movie. Definitely feel good if the movie makes for a new generation of Trekkers.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

10. Since the space/time continuum was screwed with...

I found the Spock/Uhura thing ok...just odd, because I knew him for 15 years as Mr Logic, except for a few odd instances where superficial elements messed with his brain.

I'd like to take my kid again after he's watched movies 2, 3, and 4. I think he'll find it illuminating. :hi:

[Kerrytravelers]

9. This was my first Star Trek film. Now, Mr. kt has rented and we've watched ALL the films.

The series is next.

I am totally hooked.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. I'm glad to hear it!

I grew up with the TV show; and would do much of my homework in front of repeats. I went to one Trek Convention for kicks; but it wasn't really my thing.

I just thought that, for its day, Star Trek was really innovative. And I loved the way they tackled the social issues of the times head-on.

[Orrex]

13. If you wait a little while, someone will show up to post about what an obscene travesty the film is

Complete with solemn invocations of the Kirk/Spock/McCoy trinity.


A few tortured ruminations on the sorry state of science fiction--the Literature of Ideas--will follow after that.



Anyway, I enjoyed the film immensely, and I'm glad to hear that you and your 10-year-old liked it, too!

[SoxFan]

27. You forgot something

The inevitable declaration that the Russian version of "Solaris" and the stunningly dull "Silent Running" are the apex of cinematic science fiction.

[Orrex]

30. Well, I just figured that everyone knew about those two gems already

:evilgrin:

[blueraven95]

14. Hi GoddessOfGuinness,

there are spoilers ahead for anyone who wants to avoid them,

I think that my one real complaint with the film centered around Uhura - but I don't want to imply that I didn't like the film or the characterization or the relationship between Spock and Uhura. My problem was that we see all of the other major characters doing their job, so we can see why they have their jobs, but with Uhura, we are only told about her brilliance. The first rule of story-telling is "show, don't tell" because what an audience sees is more believable than what an audience is told. (It is the active versus passive thing.) Uhura is actually pivotal to the plot - but we don't see her discovering the cry for help that helps put everything in motion, so her role in discovering the information is not as immediate. We never actually see her really doing her job - as a linguist - after that. We only see her unable to pull up a signal at the planet Vulcan. (Trust me, I checked. I've seen the movie twice, and it bothered me after the first viewing.) Because of this, the audience is unable to verify for themselves if she really is as good as we've been told she is. And because the filmmakers leave room for this doubt, she is then reduced to the role of nurturer for Spock - where she could have been fully equal to him, and the relationship would have made more sense, if we'd had 30 seconds of her discovering the Klingon transmission.

Anyway, that's my take on things. Otherwise, I totally loved the film.

[Orrex]

16. I have a problem with Uhura's continuity, independent of the "alternate universe" thing

By the time of Star Trek, we're told that she's already fluent in "all three" Romulan dialects, which we can take to be an indication that she has a great aptitude for languages and an apparent drive to learn them. However, when we get to the events of the grossly overpraised Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, we see a "funny" scene in which Uhura chunks her way through Klingon, sounding like an idiot who'd never considered the possibility that other people might use different languages.

I applaud the effort to tell us (even if they didn't show us) that she's a skilled, intelligent bridge officer, and it also serves to highlight how feebly her character was written back in the good ol' days of the dubiously sacred original cast.

Incidentally, I can present a list of terrible things about Star Trek VI if anyone's interested.

[blueraven95]

17. Oh, I didn't mean to imply

that I didn't think Uhura was vastly improved, because I think she is. I just felt that it could have been very easy to make her as fully formed as the rest of the characters, and the filmmakers fell down on the job, in that one instance. Otherwise, I thought the film was very well put together, I truly enjoyed it, and I can't wait for the next one.

It's actually a bit of a departure for me, because I was never really a Trek fan before this. Most of my Trek knowledge came from friends, and the odd episode that I would see here and there. Now I'm going back and watching the original episodes and I am impressed with how well J.J. Abrams and crew managed to capture the spirit of the first few episodes.

[dorkulon]

26. She's definitely given short shrift in terms of storyline/character development

and it probably would have been a better movie had she had a more prominent role. I would have been a way to update the story that makes sense given the change in attitudes, even in a predominantly male audience. Battlestar Galactica even managed to draw a female audience with some great female characters.

[dorkulon]

24. Let's face it; the most enjoyable thing about any ST episode/film is picking apart all of the flaws.

I could write a series of books about what's wrong with the Enterprise series. But of course I watched the whole thing.

[Orrex]

49. FWIW, I don't consider flaws in the imaginary science to be real flaws

In fact, I don't even particularly care if they make minor errors in the real science, either. As long as the story and characters are interesting--or at least entertaining--the science can take a back seat, as long as its errors aren't wholly disruptive to the story.

[dorkulon]

50. I agree, for the most part.

What bothers me more is when the characters do things they really wouldn't do. Which is why the Battlestar Galactica finale was so bothersome.

[Cannikin]

57. Dont mean to go off topic, but what bothered you about the BSG finale?

Just curious

[GoddessOfGuinness]

33. I understand what you mean...

It would be interesting to see what scenes were deleted; because I have a feeling that much of the info that is left to viewer conjecture was cut to keep the action flowing.

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. Let me fulfill Orrex's prophecy - May God have mercy on your soul for liking it.

I do agree with you, though, about Uhura - I thought she did a great job, and it was great to see Uhura's role finally be more than answering phone calls and looking worried/scared.

[Cannikin]

18. I'm a life long Trekker and I loved it.

My beloved Trek was dead in the water before this movie came out. I dont understand all the crying about change.

[Deja Q]

38. The final scene seemed to slam Roddenberry

It had some good moments, the movie, but playing with the alternate universe idea just means that characters can now do what they want. It's inventive, but give me "Sliders" a thousand times instead instead of this toddler scribble...

[dorkulon]

42. "The characters can now do what they want"

I believe that was the idea. Would be kind of boring to redo the same stories again.

But if you liked "Sliders" we're definitely not on the same wavelength.

Unless you mean these:

[Cannikin]

54. Yeah, they tried to do Enterprise locked into the Trek canon...

and it blew.

[mainegreen]

19. Honestly, I found very little wrong with the movie.

Other than the whole going through black holes and surviving bit. That, and a galaxy threatening supernova, that somehow just took out Romulus. But other than that, I actually loved it. And frankly the premise wasn't all the central to the movie. Odd, but true.

[Orrex]

20. Yeah, the galaxy-ending supernova really puzzled me, too

Even if there were such a supernova, wouldn't it take hundreds of thousands of years to make its way across the galaxy?

Also, if you're planning to use a black hole to destroy a planet, why bother drilling into the core? Why not set it off in low orbit, or drop it into the sun?

[dorkulon]

23. err... umm....alternate universe, alternate physics.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Deja Q]

39. The altnerate universe thing was based on peoples' actions. Not alternate physics, per se.

[dorkulon]

41. Yeah.

I was really just kidding.

[Cannikin]

58. The only..um...logical conclusion I can come up with...

Is Spock's comment was of a political nature and not physical....I hope.

[dorkulon]

21. My only criticism of the movie:

Do we really need another action/fight scene in a giant, bottomless pit full of catwalks with no railings? I mean, hell, in the future, is there no such thing as common sense safety regulations?

It wouldn't bother me as much if the same damn scene wasn't in every sci-fi action flick I've ever seen.

[SoxFan]

28. OSHA was abolished by President Glen Beck in 2018

[dorkulon]

29. In space, no one can hear you sustain a work-related injury

:crazy:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

35. LOL

Romulans, having succumbed to their passions, determined that safety regulations were too logical.

[Deja Q]

37. But that sells!

[Captain Hilts]

32. Her part was limited. It should have been bigger. That she was the one that helped

Kirk game the test was cut from the final version.

Spock's love interest?!?! WTF?

[Lars39]

36. I thought they were showing that she and Spock had a thing going.

Her character was always the opposite of Spock's anyways...warm, giving, open...and I think they portrayed that pretty well in the movie, too.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

60. Even in the original series, it's hinted every now and then she has a soft spot for Spock.

(Now try saying that really fast!)

OK, There was Nurse Chapel. But Uhura too, in a smaller degree. Whereas Yeoman Rand had the hots for Kirk. Spock wins 2-1. :)

[Lars39]

63. Yep....we've been watching the original series...it's been a hoot!

We're up to No 21...and twice now Uhura got to take over other duties on the bridge. Whoever's yeoman seems to be the fluff.

[Xipe Totec]

40. I saw it yesterday too and loved it

Maybe what some Trekkies are complaining about is the altered future time-line. In the original Star Trek universe, Uhura had a thing for Kirk, not Spock.

The one thing that bothers me is the Romulan's motivation to destroy Vulcan. They have traveled back in time, so why waste time to destroy Vulcan instead of spending it to save Romulus?

That was not logical.

[pokerfan]

43. I don't remember Uhura having a thing for Kirk in TOS

I remember Yeoman Rand having a thing for Kirk and Nurse Chapel having a thing for Spock.

Yeah, well Romulans are definitely not logical. Supposedly they share a common ancestry with Vulcans but they are essentially Bizarro-Vulcans, antagonistic and always spoiling for a fight. Vulcan logic is a discipline, not an inherited trait, something their culture invented after they almost destroyed themselves with war.

[Xipe Totec]

46. Plato's Stepchildren

You're right, I was left with the wrong impression by this episode.


The conversation is interrupted when the Platonians have Lt. Uhura and Nurse Christine Chapel beam down. Kirk and Spock try to lift some plates of food, but the powers have not kicked in yet. Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and Chapel are led to a stage. Parmen would like to welcome McCoy, but he has to convince McCoy to change his mind first. He makes Spock sing what he calls "a serenade from the laughing spaceman" to Uhura and Chapel.

Then, the quartet split into two pairs: Uhura and Kirk, and Chapel and Spock. Chapel and Spock are forced to kiss despite their protests; Chapel confesses that she has wanted to be close to Spock for so long but now she wants to crawl away. Uhura likewise confesses to Kirk that she was so often calmed by Kirk when she was frightened on the bridge. The two couples struggle in vain to avoid kissing.

[dorkulon]

47. 1st interracial kiss on TV

Was kind of a big deal at the time

[pokerfan]

48. Oh, yeah

I was also thinking of Space Seed. When KHAN!^TM tells everyone in the briefing room that the captain is dead, Uhura buries her face in her hands and sobs, but I think she would have behave the same way had it been anyone.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

61. See #60. Exhibit A is "Charlie X." -nt

[DarkTirade]

45. I still haven't gotten around to seeing it yet... need to.

[NewJeffCT]

51. I liked most of it, but (spoilers)

didn't like the time travel bit where Vulcan was destroyed and there are only a few thousand Vulcans left... haven't there been a bunch of episodes spanning TOS, TNG, etc that took place on Vulcan?

Couldn't they go back to right before Romulus or Vulcan was destroyed and save the day?

and, was "red matter" ever explained in any of the movies or shows? I don't recall.

[Cannikin]

55. Ron Moore on BSG didnt like to rely too much on technobabble like Trek tends to do

I think they went the same direction with Trek. Like red matter, you dont have to know HOW an FTL drive works, you only need to know what it does.

[tigereye]

52. it's whom she was smoochin that got to me -

special effects were pretty good, but it was a bit too slick, I thought.

And they messed with the Canon - they are doomed! :rofl:



But, if it inspired your guy to see the early ones, that's a good thing.

[TK421]

53. I had mixed feelings about the movie....I'm no trekkie, but I used to watch

the original series with my brother growing up.....we would just sit there eating Tastykake pies, kind of a tradition in my house. They seemed to change some things, and yet there were things that I liked.

Too much to say at the moment....a good movie, not my favorite, I did have problems with it

[Cannikin]

59. Really, what has Uhura EVER had to do?

She says 'hailing frequencies open' and she looks shocked and awed a lot. Aside from a few brief scenes she was almost absent from Search for Spock. She was comic relief in IV, V and VI. Hell, she could barely speak Klingon in VI. In the new film she knew three Romulan dialects!

[NewJeffCT]

62. True, in the original series

Uhura's part was probably less than even Sulu & Chekov, who were below Kirk, Spock, McCoy & Scotty. Though, she was above Yeoman Rand & Nurse Chapel and had one of the more memorable lines in tOS in response to somebody saying to her something like, "I'll protect you fair maiden" and her response was, "Sorry, neither."

[Lars39]

64. No, at least twice she took over for someone else on the bridge...

don't know the position, but it was the seat right in front of Kirk's. She was definitely showing expertise beyond a "telephone operator". :)

[hedgehog]

65. TOS was off the air by what, 1972? which predates the revolution in

women's rights. Imagine if TOS had been filmed in say, 1940. We'd all be complaining that the Sulu character does nothing but do the laundry and serve dinner. There was one episode of TOS premised on the notion that women were tempermentally incapable of commanding a star ship. With all the major roles in TOS filled by males, it's tough to bring the female characters up to today's standards.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

66. Last ep aired in 1968. -nt

[sarge43]

67. That was "Turnabout Intruder", last episode of the series.

Even by the standards of the time, it was pretty bad. However, Roddenberry had bailed at the end of the second season and unlikely he would have approved of it.

Roddenberry did try. Remember in the pilot he had a woman as XO, second in command. Considering that with the exception of nurses in 1965/66 women could not serve aboard ships or aircraft nor could they command other than women's units. A woman commanding a missile cruiser - radical idea which probably why the front office suits shot it down.

In the mid 60's just to have a woman on the bridge in a key position was a hellva leap.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

68. Re: "The Cage" -- Roddenberry himself says WOMEN in test audiences frowned at Ms. "Number One."

Sad.

[sarge43]

69. Wish I had a dime for every time I've heard "I'm no feminist, blah, blah, blah."

Yes, very sad.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

70. GoG -- next step is buying TOS in its entirety on DVD

but of course you know that already.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

71. Mr GoG was saying that the other day...

It's funny, because when we first met, he hadn't watched TOS much. He's much more of a sci-fi fanatic than I am. But I'd spent my teen years doing schoolwork in front of TOS repeats on the boob tube, so I knew every episode without looking at the screen...just from the first minute or so of dialogue/music. Mr GoG got such a kick out of it that he watched all the repeats in their umpteenth incarnation, then started taping them in BETA format, then taping them without commercials, then taping them in VHS...you get the idea. Now he's more Trekkified than me...