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Beam Up To io9's Shiniest Star Trek Stories
The Sexualization of Spock
San Francisco, 11:43 AM
Sun Nov 8
11 posts in the last 24 hours
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05/09/09
>(yes, it's really called red matter and is so science-magical that it could be ripped right out of Fringe).
Or even Star Trek.
>The premise - that a bunch of cadets inherit the Enterprise - is fairly hard to swallow.
Compared to, say, a spaceship that travels faster than light, or technology that can transport someone thousands of miles instantly?
05/08/09
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05/07/09
Maybe if some fans were a bit more open-minded he would have felt more comfortable trying to cater to them.
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05/08/09
Spock, who I normally never thought too much of, really stole the show. The romance with Uhura was great. Just understated enough to leave me wanting more. I'm glad JJ finally gave her character more depth.
05/07/09
This "review" is a pile of garbage! Did you even see the movie?
All the production design things that make no sense for Star Trek make even less sense when you're watching the film.
The pretty actors as juvenile delinquents given a starship is even harder to swallow.
The storyline derails in the worst kind of Enterprise way about 1/3 of the way into the film when a particular old-school actor appears.
This is summer popcorn crap for the rest-of-them. It's not Star Trek and it's not even good Sci-Fi - Starship Troopers made more sense.
This is Speed Racer with only slightly better writing and slightly prettier actors - but bearing even less resemblance to the inspiration.
I think I'll ride my motorcycle to the bay area, mud-pit construction zone... Welcome to the future you never imagined and only some network execs would be stupid enough to put on film.
05/07/09
"Is anybody that writes for this blog NOT A TOOL for the various media outlets???"
When in doubt, blame the media/call it liberal. Or both.
"The pretty actors as juvenile delinquents given a starship is even harder to swallow."
Seriously, did you *really* want Fatner playing the role?
"This is summer popcorn crap for the rest-of-them. It's not Star Trek and it's not even good Sci-Fi - Starship Troopers made more sense."
And they say the hardcore trekkies AREN'T elitists. LOL.
Seriously, give it a fucking rest. Every review of the movie except for the people looking for some heavy-handed meaning in an action movie has been overwhelmingly positive. Stop bitching because you're acting like your baby was shot.
05/07/09
Oh, and BTW, if you'd considered my comment about being a media tool at all you'd realize there are a fair number of writers on this blog that don't even bother to read or watch the material they're reviewing - they take a payment to comment positively in some way other than the standard review - thus the dumbass sexy Spock tease to what is a boiler plate Paramount PR release of a review!
05/07/09
What? Oh never?
Thanks. I needed a good laugh.
05/07/09
Annalee's review was favorable, but slightly less favorable than most I've seen in the press so far.
My co-workers have been raving about it all day, 90% of them aren't Star Trek fans. So it must have something going for it.
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05/09/09
Did you?
"The pretty actors as juvenile delinquents given a starship is even harder to swallow."
Kirk is the only known one with a criminal record, and he was a bratty teenager at the time. If you wanted to disqualify someone from being a great leader because they used to be a dick, go right ahead. The field narrows pretty quickly.
"This is summer popcorn crap for the rest-of-them. It's not Star Trek and it's not even good Sci-Fi - Starship Troopers made more sense."
Pistols at dawn, sir.
"This is Speed Racer with only slightly better writing and slightly prettier actors - but bearing even less resemblance to the inspiration."
Wasn't Speed Racer criticized by highbrow critics for being too much like the cartoon?
"I think I'll ride my motorcycle to the bay area, mud-pit construction zone... Welcome to the future you never imagined and only some network execs would be stupid enough to put on film."
Just so you know, those same "execs" canceled the original series after two seasons. Only fan demand bought it back. Remember that? Remember "Spock's Brain"? Remember?
05/07/09
Now let the rest of us enjoy something a little new. I've just skimmed this review (I intend to return to it after I see the film) but it sounds great to me. This movie hasn't "ruined" anything for anyone. ST still exists in more completeness than most television shows.
So, STFU already.
05/07/09
Don't tell me that what I'm mourning doesn't matter, when I'm not picketing any theater, I'm not telling anyone not to go or not buy a BK glass or not purchase the inevitable rock stylings of any castmember. But don't dismiss the investment, emotional
I've been through that crap with Shatner's "Get A Life" phase, and it only makes me glad that he was frozen out of this new batch of films, because his timing about distancing himself from Those!Damn!Trekkies! was off.
The new crew wants my money? Fine. They want a shot at extending the brand? Fine. But don't insult me because I and others like me *maintained* the brand when no one wanted to know from us, wanted our money for a movie, or thought we could sustain the first show that ran in first-run syndication as a hit.
We were fans, and we got our rewards, but don't pretend that what we thought important -- which, as you should notice, is not about the *actors* but the *concepts* behind ST -- was never important.
05/07/09
So be happy and STFU.
Who is even insulting you? JJ Abrams? The studio? Where is this mass conspiracy against you? You're anger is so misguided it's not even funny. You don't wanna see this movie? ok, who cares? You're stance is silly and will go ignored.
But again, you already HAVE your ST series. You already HAVE your extended ST universes. So calm down and appreciate what you have.
And, for the record, I am a fan and I have watched every series.
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Sounds like they nailed the Kirk Character then.
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I totally agree and now that i read this i am wondering if i really want to go and pay to see this film.i am sorry and yes i do agree we need to do something to make trek better and revitilize the franchise but i do not agree with all i am hearing on this film.
i don't consider myself a Trekkie but I have watched Trek since it first aired on TV as I am now 53.I do not like the idea at all that Vulcan is destroyed and now there are only a few Vulcans and that is a piece of shit idea.
How about the idea that now Spock is a much sexier and has hot kisses etc which is also a crock of shit.Spock did have his issues and that was really great in the shows and movies with Spock and his logic/illogic but making him into a sexy kisser,etc is not the spock we have known and loved.Thanks a lot for changing one of my fave scifi characters.
Before I go near this film I am studying these kind of reviews.
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I guess it's a growing theme in popular sci-fi these days, but come on. Between this and your Heroes reviews that read like gay fanfics, it's getting a little old.
And it would have been better if you had separated this into two posts: one editorial about the sexualization of Spock, and one post with the actual review of the movie (which only seems to take up about 30% of this "review").
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05/09/09
That seems redundant.
05/07/09
Why do I get the feeling that you spoke most truly when you penned your penumtimate paragraph? "The premise is fairly hard to swallow... elderly Spock [is] too platitudinous... [m]ost disappointing is Kirk... a douchebag without charm who spends most of the movie yelling and getting beaten up." My God. I fear.
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Do you get that to the people who live in that alternate universe -- and to the older Spock who *can't go back* unless the 29th c. Starfleet decides to play changewar -- it doesn't matter that the universe has been altered? There were no hooptied-up interdimensional transporters involved.
The post-TNG universe still has a dead Romulus in its future, and the alternate universe has a dead Vulcan in its present. And, we're stuck in the uni that has kids who have to steer because everyone else was killed at Vulcan, demonstrably a worse defeat for the Federation than the Borg at Wolf 359.
That destruction's not "unnecessary canon" to me; that's the heart of ST's message being cut out for kicks.
05/07/09
Actual Russians can in fact pronounce the letter "v". really, ask any guy named "Vladimir".
05/09/09