I’ve
never been a Trekkie.
Sure, I am a science fiction fan and I live on this planet, therefore I have met
several times the Star Trek franchise throughout my life. I watched a
few episodes of all series and some films as well.
The only
series I watched from the first to the last episode (though not exactly in that order) was Star Trek Voyager. It happened for a series of random
circumstances. It was broadcasted on Canal Jimmy (in Italy), if I’m not wrong,
every day in the morning while I was having breakfast, before going to the lab
(when I used to work at the university). But I really liked it. I especially
liked the character of Seven Of Nine and her inner conflict.
I also
started watching Enterprise. I watched one or two seasons, but
then I wasn’t able to catch it anymore on TV. I always promise to myself to
retrieve it.
My
relationship with the other series has always been a little tepid.
Although I am too young for the classic series, it is definitely the one
that I lingered on watching more often. I was fascinated by the character of
Spock (who isn’t?). But the generational gap was evident. I was born in the
70s and in fact I grew up with the science fiction of the 80s (just as an
example, with V). And then there’s the not insignificant fact that I am
a fan of Star Wars (well, my nickname on the web is Anakina).
Not that one thing excludes the other, since they are two completely different
visions of this genre. But even of Star Wars (strictly the classic
trilogy) what I love most is the cunning, irony, and action, while the philosophical
part does not exactly strike a chord on me.
And then
there’s Darth Vader:
the villain tormented between the loyalty to the Emperor and the feelings for
his son. Again, a character that lives a conflict.
Added to
this are the surprise effect, the plot twists, characters that take their own
destiny and change things.
One thing
that used to puzzle me in Star Trek was a certain fatalistic
aspect. This damn Enterprise always got herself in bigger
trouble than she was able to manage, the characters risked succumbing, but then
they made it thanks to a fortuitous event that changed the situation and
put them in condition to get by.
Now, as a
forty-something (oh yeah!), I find myself developing a passion for Star
Trek thanks to this new movie franchise.
Yes, I
know, most of the Trekkies hated Abrams’s movies or at least have had
critical views on them (I have seen them recently on DVD to get ready for the
new one), whilst, as far as I know many of them are appreciating Star Trek Beyond, directed
Justin Lin.
But I
loved them all, in a crescendo.
I am
certainly aware that the latter has a more compelling and elaborate plot (and
there are no lens flares!). It seems it has less stretching from the rules
of the old universe of Star Trek, rules which I don’t know (and then it
is still an alternate reality), so this doesn’t make any difference to me.
But I must
confess that what keeps my attention alive are elements such as action,
irony mixed with cunning, characters finding solutions without these to fall from
heaven (or at least not entirely or they don’t give this impression, because
you’re distracted by something else) and especially the way they interact,
some of them showing a certain depth because of their past (i.e. Kirk
and Spock).
On the
first point, suffice it to say that you are talking with a person who doesn’t
miss a Mission Impossible, Fast & Furious, 007, and Jason
Bourne film. I want to be amazed with incredible action scenes so
that I can scream, laugh, and clap. So fistfights, shootouts, collisions,
and so on send me over the moon. And the so-called Kelvin Timeline is filed with this stuff.
Irony and
cunning fall a bit in the classic American stuff (in Italy we call
it “americanata”),
so I’m not saying anything new.
But one
thing I really appreciate is the least dominant role of the good luck factor
(especially for what concerns its perception). Yes, well, of course there is
some good luck, yet (I don’t know if it’s just me) if compared to the old Star
Trek the characters in this new movie franchise go looking for their
good luck. It seems they have a complete control over the situation, even
when they’re in the worst trouble. It’s obvious that then they make it (it’s
taken for granted), but they make me suffer a bit less about their fate
and have more fun for the things they say, their witty remarks or
racking my brain to try to understand what the screenwriter will invent to save
them whilst making me laugh and wonder.
I think
this is simply due to the fact that the way of telling stories, and with
it the tastes of those who benefit from them, has changed, so, like many
who defend the work of Abrams say, the new Star Trek adapts to the
times and the new public.
At the same
time I understand the difficulties of the old fans to accept this change (I’ve
been already there with Star Wars) and basically I think my appreciation for
these films arises from the fact that I’ve never been a Trekkie.
However, I
can only say that I adored Star Trek Beyond because
of all these elements, to which a quite well thought out storyline is added,
even though the basic story remains the same: a supervillain who wants to
avenge (but in Into Darkness Khan, which I liked a lot, at
least had its own logic in practicing his revenge), creates a lot of
problems and is eventually defeated. But in my opinion among the best things
in this film are the subplots and generally the interaction between the main
characters (equally important), which managed to make me smile and laugh.
And I
love Spock, which
is the main reason of my enthusiasm. It is a wonderfully complex character, because
of the internal conflict due to his special nature midway between Vulcan
and human (the moments when he pulls out his emotional part alone are worth
the price of admission!), and Zachary Quinto gives a fantastic performance, both for his ability to bring us
back to mind the one of the late Leonard Nimoy and for his own special
something he is able to lend to the character.
As you can
see, just like in my books, again I’m attracted by a character that lives in
irresolvable conflicts. In the end this is the crucial element that makes
me love a story, because I can identify myself in such a character. Then
the barrier between reality and fiction collapses and I find myself fully
experiencing the magic of the latter.
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