The Evidence

"A Trekkie's Trek" by Judge Eric Profancik

As an avid Trekkie, one bordering on hardcore, I remember 2008 as a painful year. A new Trek was to be released at Christmas, which was later bumped to May. The extra five-month wait was horrible, and I was practically foaming at the mouth in anticipation. Yet the incredibly odd thing was I never had a moment of doubt. It never crossed my mind that it wouldn't work, that it would be an abomination to the franchise, or that it would be the final, hideous nail in Trek's coffin.

I eagerly bought my tickets for the first IMAX showing. It was definitely worth $15, and I'm the type of guy that hates paying more than $5 for a matinee. Then luck smiled upon me and I won free preview tickets to a screening the day before. I was set! Star Trek back-to-back, two nights in a row. I was ready to be immersed. And then I began to get nervous. It finally dawned on me that this could be a colossal failure. What if this was the end?

I showed up to the theater with many a geek, ready to go. Deep down inside, I knew it would rock. In we all marched, ready to be wowed. When it was done, I knew it was a good movie, but I needed time to digest it all. I had to think about the simple fact that everything had changed. The past forty years of history, encompassing 28 seasons of television and 10 movies, was obliterated in a mere two hours. Nothing would be the same.

For the next 24 hours I pondered life, the universe, and everything Star Trek. Could I simply embrace the new Trek and all its changes? Would I be a stubborn Trekkie and adhere to my old Trek and everything that it was? What would I do?

As I watched it a second time, this new Enterprise staffed with twenty-something actors, venturing into a new universe, all resonating to Michael Giacchino's score, I discovered I could love and embrace the movie while still being true to all the other material. Yes, Virginia, there is a way to love them all, even though everything had changed, it's all still there in an alternate universe.

I, along with millions of other Trekkies, embraced the movie because it is the encapsulation of Trek, just in a shiny new coat. Simply put, it works because J.J. Abrams, along with writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, took the time to think things through. They found ways to be loyal to the core tenets of the franchise and infused it with 21st century sensibilities. And you know what? It's a lot of fun. Isn't that why we really go to the movies, to have fun and be entertained? By that measure alone, Star Trek is a success. Keeping its loyal fan base appeased is simply icing on the cake.

What makes this a terrific movie?

• Great Story
The opening sequence is a perfect encapsulation of the quality of the script. In the first ten minutes, we get deep development of characters we'll never see again, thrill to an outer space battle, and top it off with the birth of a child. It's a beautiful scene that instantly hooks you into the tale and never lets up—danger, excitement, and emotion. You need that emotion to invest in this new universe, and it succeeds.

• Excellent Acting
Bruce Greenwood, Zoe Saldana, Anton Yelchin, and Chris Pine. Without question, Greenwood as Pike should be the next Trek television series. He was remarkable in his role, simply exuding natural strength and leadership. Now imagine that in the early voyages of Captain Pike. Someone just needs to plan out a five to seven year series that culminates with him walking into the Shipyard Bar to meet Kirk. I'd buy that for a dollar! Saldana as Uhura is breathtaking, in not only beauty but also brains. The character's reimagining gives Zoe ample opportunity to shine and surprise many a fan. Yelchin as Chekov gets the most brilliant makeover, turning him into a prodigy and not just eye candy. Chekov not only gets the conn and saves Kirk and Sulu, but also comes up with the impetus of a plan to save Earth! And Chris Pine, stepping into the immortal shoes of William Shatner, clearly comes up with his own style and you never doubt his abilities to command—although you may question Starfleet's idea of promoting a cadet to Captain. Pine owns the role while paying homage to the Shat, most notably when putting on his gold shirt. He has all the vocal intonations, gestures, and mannerisms down pat.

• Beautiful Set Design
Yes, the bridge was designed by Apple, but it still looks great. The newly refurbished Enterprise has all the classic graceful lines of the original, yet is easy to accept in this universe. There are a multitude of polished, striking touches to the sets, but there's something more important happening here. This universe feels real, and the set design accomplishes that. Look at the shuttle Captain Robau uses. It's not all pretty, shiny, and new. No, it's quite scuffed up and dirty. This multitude of detail enhances and pays tribute to the classic series (and science fiction in general), giving your eyes so much to appreciate and enjoy.

• Brilliant Special Effects
Need we elaborate on this? It's self evident, I applaud ILM, Digital Domain, and everyone else for their top-notch efforts.

• Expert, Assured Direction
J.J. Abrams has received many a well-deserved accolade, for successfully taking this beloved franchise and giving it new life. So many times such things fail, but he has skillfully made Trek cool and palatable to the masses. Perhaps now Trekkies will no longer be the bane of the fan community.

"Appealing to the McMasses" by Judge Daniel Kelly

I consider myself a genuine lover of science fiction, but the Star Trek universe is one into which my imagination rarely ventured. Sure, I've seen bits and pieces from the TV show, its various incarnations, and a handful of scenes from the films, but apart from the basics, I'm a Trek virgin. So upon venturing to see J.J. Abrams much anticipated reboot, I was looking for a good summer film rather than a reverential overlook of everything that preceded it. Hope was on the horizon in seeing that Abrams didn't even consider himself a hardcore fanatic, and the possibility of the reboot offering easy entertainment access for newbies started to seem probable. All I wanted was a hearty and energetic time at the movies, and you know what? Star Trek completely delivered.

The film opens with a neat dose of exposition, presented amidst a fireball of visual ferocity—as good a way to hook in the uninitiated as any. Filling in the story with solid doses of excitement means those detached from the legacy can pick up what info they need whilst the diehards won't be bored. For its entirety, Abrams seems chiefly interested in providing moviegoers a great time, rather than pandering exclusively to badge wearing members of the Gene Roddenberry fan club. The action is frantic and invigorating, while the performances and writing maintain a lively streak and willingness to build the story and characters up from the ground. It's truly shocking to behold how universally lovable this reboot is. All that's really required is a desire for quality cinema and a tolerance for a heck load of fun.

Against other summer offerings (particularly from the 2009 season) the movie sizes up nicely. Star Trek is technically the match of any other big budget blockbuster, with a desire to charm and to enthrall. The digital effects and lavish production design offer the picture a feeling of legitimacy, as key action sequences are carried out with a panache and confidence, something most seasoned blockbuster creators struggle to muster. Plus, the editing is top notch and the CGI seamless. This is an expensive and picturesque beast of a movie.

Great blockbusters need good characters and Star Trek is packed with them. Chris Pine is applause worthy and easy to engage, Zachary Quinto paints a believable Vulcan sidekick, while Zoe Saldana and Rachel Nichols ooze sex appeal (the former providing a strong female figure). I'm not going to discuss the performances any further, but they make for an enigmatic and impressive bunch. I also have to commend Star Trek for maintaining a beautiful dramatic arc (the opening scene is particularly heartbreaking), while showing a willingness to infuse a sly comic edge. In summer entertainment, people aren't looking for something dour and humourless (even The Dark Knight managed a few quips). Star Trek rises to the feel-good challenge, using Simon Pegg and Pine's impish antics to power the laugh potential. It's primarily an action adventure, but I was glad to see it provide some genuinely amusing moments to compliment the questing, unlike the juvenile comic interludes farted out by Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

There are some problems with the movie, foremost having to accept the bounding between timelines. There is no denying this aspect of the screenplay treads close to being hokum, but what surrounds it encourages forgiveness. The relentlessly exciting action set-pieces and cinematography merge tastefully with the performances to render such a narrative misgiving possible to overlook. More terminally troubling is the bad guy, played by Eric Bana in a loud and bouncy fashion, but lacking one original bone in his body. The finest event movies always have kick-ass villains (Darth Vader, Sauron, The Joker), so the fact that Star Trek lacks one is probably its most noticeable flaw. However, true Trek-aholics and most science fiction fans should be able to get over these minor quibbles and enjoy this otherwise near perfect film.

Star Trek is a heroic and wonderfully conceived Hollywood offering, executed with style and obligatory digital excess. More importantly, it guns up a great cast, a stimulating adventure, smile-inducing comedy, and a few dramatically stunning moments. It has the scope and tight plotting the masses desire, a rarity in this increasingly bloated and needlessly overblown filmmaking era. However, to say it's one of the summer's best films would be to sell it short. For sheer entertainment value, it's easily amongst 2009's most watchable and likable cinematic fixes.

"Dammit, Man! I'm Karl Urban, Not DeForest Kelley!, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love J.J. Abrams' Star Trek" by Judge Dan Mancini

Gene Roddenberry's short-lived science fiction television drama Star Trek didn't, against all odds, find new life in syndication and spawn a series of successful and (mostly) entertaining theatrical features because of its brilliant writing (let's face it, for every humdinger of an episode like Harlan Ellison's "The City on the Edge of Forever" there's a stink burger in which an alien race of black and white cookies is locked in civil war). It wasn't because the show delivered whiz-bang special effects (audiences in the '60s weren't credulous dolts; they saw those strings on the USS Enterprise, too). It wasn't because Roddenberry's vision of life in the 23rd century was chock full of chicks in mini-skirts and scantily clad, green-skinned alien sex workers (though that helped). Star Trek escaped total annihilation in the pop culture memory hole largely on the strength of its characters—specifically, the sometimes rocky but mostly genial relationship between ship's captain James T. Kirk, Vulcan science officer Mr. Spock, and ship's doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy. When I first heard that Roddenberry's original Star Trek was getting a Hollywood-fashion-of-the-day reboot at the hands of producer-director-television wünderkind J.J. Abrams, my second thought was that it might be nice to return to a Trek absent of humorless bald men with a love of Earl Grey tea. My first thought was that the picture would be a disaster because there was no way in hell that Abrams could successfully recast Kirk, Spock, and Bones. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley owned those roles—owned them. Without those actors, it just wouldn't be Trek.

Abrams proved me wrong.

The most baffling of Abrams' casting decisions was placing Karl Urban in the role of Dr. McCoy. Let's just say that Urban, who was mostly known for playing the scowling and ruddy badass Eomer in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings flicks, as well as hateful villains in The Chronicles of Riddick and The Bourne Supremacy, didn't seem a natural fit for the grouchy, slight of frame, man of inaction. He's a revelation in the role. Younger and haler than Kelley, Urban still manages to nail the character's posture, his pinched facial expressions, and cadences of speech right down to his Southern gentleman's drawl. Most surprising, Urban has genuine comic timing. His crackerjack delivery of a speech about how outer space is "disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence" is as perfectly comedic as it is perfectly McCoy. Yet it's also clear that Urban approached McCoy as a character, not merely a collection of physical and vocal tics to be mimicked. In a brief but wonderfully written and acted scene of high drama, McCoy questions Spock's decision-making after Spock has been thrust into the role of captain of the Enterprise. McCoy's lines probe at the limitations of the Vulcan's reliance on pure logic and include the sort of "green-blooded hobgoblin" line that made the doctor's interactions with Spock on the TV show so enjoyable, but Urban plays the scene so it's abundantly clear that McCoy is concerned for Kirk's well-being, for the well-being of the ship's crew, and for Spock's success as a leader. McCoy's exasperation with Spock's emotional detachment and fierce intellectualism were a source of much comedy in the original series, but DeForest Kelley managed to exude affection for Spock hiding just beneath the doctor's gruff exterior. Urban recreates that balance between cynicism and warm humanity perfectly. Upon first meeting Spock, Kirk wonders who that "pointy-eared bastard" is. "I don't know," McCoy replies, "but I like him." That's Bones. And that's Star Trek.

If Karl Urban was an odd choice to play McCoy, then Zachary Quinto was perhaps the most obvious fit for Mr. Spock. Lean, tall, dark-haired, and striking angular features, he looks the role. He'd also proved a capacity for playing steely emotional reserve in his villainous, star-making role on the hit television series Heroes. Still, Quinto is surprisingly good as Spock. Looking and sounding the part with comfortable ease, he makes hay with a script that allows him to explore Spock's oddball status as a boy raised Vulcan though his mother is human. While Spock's half-breed status was occasionally used as a plot device in the old series, in Quinto's hands it becomes a sea of hostility and self-doubt roiling constantly beneath the character's cool and collected surface. For Abrams, Spock's underlying emotionalism (including his secret passion for Lt. Uhura) is an integral part of the foundation of the Spock-Kirk bromance. In this reimagined Trek universe, Spock can relate to (and maybe even admire) Kirk's impulsiveness, because Kirk is like the human side of himself completely unfettered from the rigorous discipline of Vulcan culture. In Abrams' Trek, it's not just that Spock is the ego to Kirk's superego (or, occasionally, the superego to his id), their friendship is an essential component of Spock's coming to terms with his own humanity. It's to Quinto's credit that he plays this more emotional Spock with such subtle precision that he doesn't seem at all out of step with the character created by Leonard Nimoy four decades ago. Quinto's Spock is Spock, just younger and less comfortable in his own skin.

Despite the quality of Urban and Quinto's work, the movie's most impressive performance is Chris Pine's turn as rugged bad boy and fledgling Starfleet officer James T. Kirk. Because William Shatner's unique rhythms and cadences have become fodder for scores of impressions (good and bad), Pine was faced with a minefield of choices when approaching the role of Kirk. He deftly avoids catastrophe, crafting a performance that captures the essence of the character without ever sliding into Shatner impersonation. Kirk's arc is one of a wild young man who becomes a great leader, when his self-destructive impulsiveness is reined in by prodigious talent and the guidance of father figure Captain Christopher Pike. In the movie, a convoluted series of unlikely events puts the young and inexperienced Kirk at the helm of the Enterprise (why, it's as though he was fated to be there). Pine plays the risk-taking, self-confidence (even in the face of fear and uncertainty), decisiveness, and charisma which define Kirk so perfectly by the end of the movie we buy that the ship's crew would not only accept his leadership but would gladly do just about any crazy thing he asked. More important, we buy that Spock feels the same way. And Pine does this without a hint of any Shatnerisms—no dramatic pauses or oddly placed emphases in lines. He just is Kirk—so much so that, while watching the movie, Shatner never even crossed my mind.

The quality of these performances would be meaningless if the screenplay by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci didn't give each of the actors the opportunity to explore his character's relationship with the other two. It does. Star Trek doesn't ride a wave of nostalgia so much as it exploits our emotional familiarity with this trio of characters and how/why they make a formidable team. Without that emotional core, no amount of dazzling special effects, Ouroboros-like time-hopping plotlines, or shameless pandering to Trekkers would have made Star Trek a good movie. Showing characters on a journey with a well-established destination is the lifeblood of prequels and reboots. J.J. Abrams' stab at Star Trek is extraordinary because it reveals the unexpected: Trek was never about the screen personas of William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley; it was about Kirk, Spock, and Bones all along.

"Will You Be Able to Fly This Thing? A New Composer Boards the Enterprise" by Judge Clark Douglas

While the various Star Trek films have been hit-and-miss, the music written for those pictures has been a generally reliable element of quality. Jerry Goldsmith's grand, sweeping effort for Star Trek: The Motion Picture remains a truly majestic achievement, one of the great film scores of the '70s. James Horner's thrilling music for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is one of the composer's most-loved works, bringing a crackling sense of energy into what is arguably the best film of the franchise. Cliff Eidelman's work on Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is an underrated gem, beginning with grim, moody, Stravinsky-inspired ideas and working towards a soaring major-key finale. Though these three efforts have long been regarded as the crown jewels of the franchise, nearly all of the scores are very fine outings (with the arguable exceptions of Leonard Rosenman's silly score for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Dennis McCarthy's somewhat dull work on Star Trek: Generations).

By 2009, composer Michael Giacchino had already made a name for himself in the realm of film and television music with strong scores for such projects as Alias, Lost, The Incredibles, and Mission: Impossible: III. Even so, Giacchino had very big shoes to fill when he took on J.J. Abrams' Star Trek. The franchise was certainly in need of a shot in the arm, but some were concerned the music might veer into gritty, less melodic territory, as a part of giving the series a more contemporary feel (see the Batman franchise's switch from colorful musical flair to ominous thumping and bumping). Fortunately, Trek music fans were able to breathe a sigh of relief upon hearing the score. Giacchino had delivered an exciting, memorable effort that managed to fit comfortably within the impressive oeuvre of Trek scores, while also allowing Giacchino to let his own distinct voice shine.

Though the Alexander Courage fanfare which opens the main title from Star Trek: The Original Series has played a role in every Trek score, each new film composer has been given the freedom to write their own theme. In this way, the Star Trek franchise is actually comparable to the aforementioned Batman franchise (as opposed to franchises like James Bond, Terminator, and Harry Potter, which require each composer to adopt the established main theme as the series continues). Fortunately, Giacchino's signature theme for Star Trek is a memorable and involving idea; an adventurous, almost swashbuckling minor-key melody that works quite well both in its understated and aggressive variations. Giacchino rarely tinkers with the basic melodic construction of the theme, instead varying the intensity of the performance. It's by no means as ominous as Eidelman's Undiscovered Country theme, but it does seem to have a greater element of danger than the regal Goldsmith or joyful Horner themes.

Some may complain that Giacchino doesn't provide enough variation over the course of the score, considering the theme does get quite a lot of play throughout (though not so much it becomes tiresome). Giacchino explains that his theme is essentially an intentionally "unfinished" idea that will continue to be developed along with the characters (though the theme is said to be primarily tied to Kirk) in the future. The theme is repeated with such frequency that the score may initially feel monothematic, but that isn't the case. There's also a rather ferocious theme for the Romulans which, while not as instantly memorable as Jerry Goldsmith's Klingon theme, nonetheless provides Nero and his army with a distinct musical signature. There's a considerably more delicate idea (frequently performed on the erhu) for Spock, and a seldom-heard but very affecting theme featured most powerfully during the film's moving opening sequence.

All of Giacchino's primary ideas are wrapped up very nicely in a terrific end credits suite, which deserves a lot of applause for two reasons. First, it's not too common these days that composers are actually given the opportunity to provide an original arrangement of their themes over the end credits. More often than not, viewers will either be treated to a pop/rock song or to a cut-and-paste selection of cues heard earlier in the film. Fortunately, Giacchino gets to take the old-fashioned route and deliver his ideas in a liberated manner (as the pieces are no longer required to note specific on-screen events). Second, the piece generously incorporates the original Alexander Courage theme into the suite. As I mentioned earlier, the brief Courage fanfare has appeared in all of the Trek scores, but everyone has more or less ignored his considerably more cheerful and (some would say) campy main theme melody. Giacchino embraces it, giving it a vigorous performance and sometimes allowing his own main theme to play as counterpoint. While some have criticized the use of the Courage theme (claiming it feels out of place with the rest of Giacchino's score), I think it works wonderfully, particularly in the context of the film. J.J. Abrams' Star Trek has brought a sense of joy back to a formerly tired franchise, and the exuberant Courage theme accentuates that nicely.

I certainly recommend picking up the soundtrack album, but there are a few of nagging issues that should be noted. The score album is frustratingly brief, offering only 45 minutes of music and leaving out a great deal of terrific material. Additionally, some may not be particularly fond of Giacchino's trademark pun-loaded track titles, with serious dramatic selections being given such names as "Nero Sighted," "Nice to Meld You," "Does it Still McFly," etc. However, my single biggest problem with the soundtrack is the way it chops up the end credits, offering the fanfare that concludes the film in a very brief track called "To Boldly Go" and then segueing into the "End Credits." It would have been much nicer if they had simply made this section of music one 9 1/2 minute track instead of one 30-second track that bleeds into one 9-minute track.

These quibbles aside, Giacchino has provided his first Star Trek assignment with a very fine film score, and I greatly anticipate hearing him develop these musical ideas further as the series progresses. Is it the best score of the series to date? No, but on the basis of what he's accomplished so far, I believe Giacchino has what it takes to create a classic Trek score. In the meantime, we'll just have to settle for a damn good one.

"I Like This Disc. You Know, It's Exciting!" by Judges Eric Profancik and Clark Douglas

The lineup of summer 2009 blockbusters didn't compel me to want to buy too many on Blu-ray. Atop that short list was Star Trek. Some of the others have yet to be released, but the ones that have didn't impress me. Transformers 2 is a lousy movie, but the eye and ear candy was so delicious I wanted to try and taste it again. Hoping to replicate that excitement at home with its Blu-ray was a disappointment; the bonus materials went on for hours but weren't especially enjoyable. That's not the case with Star Trek. The Blu-ray is an impressive piece of work, clearly destined to be near the top, if not number one, for best release of the year.

Video is a 2.40:1, 1080p transfer that impresses at every level. From fine details and rich, accurate colors, to deep, lustrous blacks, the movie shines. As you watch, you'll never see a problem. Instead, you'll be rewarded with a presentation that allows you to see the tiny chevrons in the Starfleet uniforms, count the dust particles in the Saturnian moon, and easily discern the black Narada against the nothingness of space. It's reference quality video. That continues with the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio mix. Whether it's a whisper or a sonic boom, the track delights in producing an accurate, lively, and nimble aural experience. I had this disc cranked in my man cave and it produced the requisite wall vibrations, but also conveyed every word of dialogue without the slightest imperfection, all the time feeling like I was in the middle of every scene. The sounds never felt forced; it all felt perfectly balanced to give an authentic, immersive experience. This is a movie to pull out, when you want to impress.

Vetting out this three-disc set…

Disc 1
• Commentary by J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Damon Lindelof (producer), and Bryan Burk (executive producer). Overloaded. That's the word to describe this commentary—overloaded with information. These guys practically talk over one another to impart all manner of trivia and detail. They have so much to say that someone starts, someone cuts them off, and the first person never gets to finish. It's a very informative listen; a definite listen. I was surprised to develop a slight dislike for Abrams during the commentary. He gave off an arrogant, bossy vibe I didn't like. As this is the first commentary track I've heard with him, I don't know if that's just his style, his personality, a fluke of the situation, or my misunderstanding. (This track was recorded in June 2009).

• BD-Live
Click on BD-Live to be taken to the RSS feed for NASA news. This is an interesting idea that falls flat. I can do this on my computer or iPhone, so why would I want to take the time to turn on my PS3, pop in a disc, wade through menus, just to get an RSS feed? I much would rather have some real online content related to Trek…or maybe a trivia track instead.

Disc 2
The second disc offers a very generous batch of bonus content. Everything from the 2-disc DVD set is included here, along with a number of Blu-ray exclusives. The most divisive element will surely be the "branching pods" (1-3 minute clips that touch on slightly obscure aspects of the film's creation) that accompany the featurettes, providing additional content while frustrating to deal with. Basically, you have the option to watch either the standard version of the featurette or the "extended" version with the pods. Thing is, they aren't actually inserted into the extended version. Instead, you access them by pressing the "enter" button on your remote every time a Starfleet symbol appears onscreen. This means a whole lot of clicking over the course of the 3+ hours of content. This will certainly try the patience of some viewers, but persistent Trek fans will be rewarded with some cool odds and ends.

• To Boldly Go (17 minutes)
This introductory piece puts the spotlight on J.J. Abrams during pre-production, as the director and his team attempt to figure out how to revitalize the franchise. Abrams, Orci, Kurtzman, and Lindelof discuss trying to find the balance between creating a film that will satisfy both lifelong Trek fans and newcomers. There's a particularly interesting moment when one of the producers suggests that Kirk and Spock should essentially have a "Butch and Sundance" dynamic. There's also a bit of discussion on the taboo of breaking the franchise timeline, and the idea that audiences might be more accepting of something so controversial if the original Spock himself were responsible. Branching pods include "The Shatner Conundrum," "Red Shirt Guy," "The Green Girl," and "Trekker Alert!"

• Casting (28 minutes)
As you have undoubtedly guessed, this piece focuses on the challenges of finding young actors capable of filling these iconic roles. Not the usual EPK-style fluff, this piece features substantial comments from everyone involved. You'll hear about such things as Nimoy's mentoring of Quinto, Pine's conscious decision not to explicitly mimic Shatner, making sure that Uhura was a strong female role considering the male-centric nature of the film, and much more. It's also a particularly pleasant surprise to see some of The Original Series cast members visiting the set (don't expect to see Shatner, though). The unquestionable highlight is a brief, touching section on Nimoy. There are no branching pods here.

• A New Vision (20 minutes)
Most of the previous Trek films have been relatively light on action scenes, and the producers knew that probably wasn't going to fly with modern audiences. Abrams, Orci, and Kurtzman talk about attempting to bring the tone and pace of Star Wars into the world of Star Trek (sacrilegious as that may be). There are quite a few moments featuring the crew gushing about how marvelous and wonderful J.J. Abrams is (with Abrams generally returning the compliment about each of his crew members). You'll also hear about the importance placed on giving the film a sense of reality, as the crew attempts to do as much as possible without resorting to green screen. Yes, the ever-controversial lens flares are discussed in detail, too. The only branching pod is "Savage Pressure."

• Starships (25 minutes)
Filmmaking fans will surely enjoy this featurette, which goes into the architecture of the various ships. There's some interesting discussion on the evolution of the USS Enterprise, from the super-low-budget original series to this big-budget blockbuster. Naturally, the biggest chunk of time is spent discussing the Enterprise, but all the noteworthy space vessels in the film are touched upon. Branching pods include "Warp Explained," "Paint Job," "Bridge Construction Accelerated," "The Captain's Chair," "Button Acting 101," "Narada Construction Accelerated," and "Shuttle Shuffle."

• Aliens (16 minutes)
The aliens of this franchise have more often than not looked quite cheesy, and it was a surprisingly large challenge for the filmmakers to find a way to redesign the established races (particularly the Vulcans and Romulans) in a manner that simultaneously looks credible and traditional. It's fun to get a closer look at the many different alien species created specifically for the film. Branching pods include "The Alien Paradox," "Big-Eyed Girl," "Big Bro Quinto," "Klingons," and "Drakoulias Anatomy 101."

• Planets (16 minutes)
This featurette covers the various otherworldly locations in the film. There's an unintentionally hilarious bit when Quinto talks about how strange and bizarre it was to shoot a scene in a non-controlled environment in the middle of the California desert. "You know, in that sort of non-controlled environment, there's a real danger of ankle-twisting or falling, things like that." I can only imagine what someone like John Ford (talked about on more than one occasion as an influence on this film) might think of such an actor. There's some interesting chat about embracing the "imperfections of nature" in order to maintain the film's naturalistic look. Branching pods include "Extra Business" and "Confidentiality."

• Props and Costumes (9 minutes)
Yet another piece that focuses on the struggle of simultaneously making things look realistic, futuristic, and faithful to that of the original series—curse you, '60s television! You'll hear about phasers, communication devices, uniforms, and more. The only branching pod is "Klingon Wardrobe."

• Ben Burtt and the Sounds of Star Trek (12 minutes)
The sound design legend gets to step into the spotlight in this featurette, which digs into the remarkably complex audio of the film. This may sound like a bland technical piece, but it's actually quite fascinating. We get to follow Burtt as he digs through the Trek archives, attempting to find old sound effects he could use and employ in the new film. There are no branching pods included.

• Score (6 minutes)
A too-brief featurette that gives us a quick interview with composer Michael Giacchino and offers some behind-the-scenes footage of the scoring session. The composer talks about the challenges of attempting to find the perfect spot to include the original Alexander Courage theme. There's also some discussion of attempting to focus on a sense of action and adventure rather than on Star Trek: The Motion Picture-style grandeur. There are no branching pods included.

• Gene Roddenberry's Vision (9 minutes)
The obligatory nod to the genius of the man who invented these characters and this vision of the future. The most compelling participant is Leonard Nimoy. It's also nice to see veteran Trek experts Michael and Denise Okuda turn up to say a few words. It's a predictable, but lovely tribute to a fascinating man.

• Deleted Scenes (14 minutes)
These deleted scenes (which are accompanied by optional commentary from Abrams, Burk, Lindelof, and Kurtzman) are generally slower, more character-driven moments that were largely excised for pacing reasons. The most noteworthy moments are those featuring the Klingons, who were cut from the film entirely. These scenes make Nero come across as a bit more badass than he does in the film. You also get some additional scenes from the respective childhoods of Spock and Kirk, an alternate version of the love scene between Kirk and the green girl, an alternate version of Kirk taking the Kobiyashi Maru, an amusing moment between Kirk and another green girl, and a little 5-second clip in which Sarek sees Spock Prime.

• Gag Reel (7 minutes)
I won't spoil the fun, but suffice it to say that a good deal more effort was put into this gag reel than one usually sees. It's not all funny (too many monotonous shots of people dancing), but still well worth a look (especially for Quinto's Irish accent).

• Starfleet Vessel Simulator
A technically impressive but ultimately bland interactive feature that lets you examine 3-D models of the ships and learn various bits of technical info. Meh.

Finally, you get all of the trailers (teaser and full-length) for the film, in addition to some disc credits. Remarkably enough, watching the entire disc went by rather quickly, and I never entered the sort of "bonus feature fatigue" that often sets in when one tries to dig through a loaded release in one sitting. Best of all, absolutely everything is in glorious 1080p!

Disc 3
• Digital Copy
Did you know that some studios put expiration dates on these digital copies? Worse, did you know intrepid hackers are always trying to find codes and yours could be gone before you use it? In either case, don't wait and throw this on your iPod. I have and it looks great.

• Star Trek D-A-C Demo
This is available only for Xbox 360 and I've heard bad buzz about it. Still, why not include a demo for Playstation 3? This is a Blu-ray release, and which system plays this medium? That's right, the PS3.

Case Number 17738

Star Trek (2009) (Blu-Ray)

All Rise...

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