It's Personal: Star Trek

I am neither a Trekkie nor a Trekker.

I know some about STTNG. I can't tell you much about STTOS, STDSN, or STV. And I don't even acknowledge Enterprise.

I haven't seen the cartoon. I do not get daily updates from startrek.com. And I've read very few of the books.

I've never dressed up in a Starfleet uniform. I haven't worn Spock ears. And I do not own a Klingon dictionary.

But... there's something about the movies that I sincerely enjoy. Well, most of them anyway. I've watched them often enough to answer ridiculous questions about them. Not to mention there are certain movies among them that I can quote verbatim, not a normal talent of mine. I know the Star Trek Movie Curse. Enough that I somewhat agree. Logic is rarely binary, after all.

For those of you not in the know, the Star Trek Movie Curse states that the even Treks were better than the odd. Think about it.

The best Trek movie of all time? Even if you're not a Trek movie fan, you know it. The Reliant. Big space fight in a nebula. Weird bug things in Walter Koenig's and Paul Winfield's ears. Khaaaaaaaaaan! Spock dies. Yeah, you know it. Number 2. The Wrath of Khan.

After that, I suggest this order:
First Contact (8)
The Undiscovered Country (6)
The Voyage Home (4)
The Search for Spock (3)
Generations (7)
The Motion Picture (1)
Nemesis (10) [The Exception to the Rule]
Insurrection (9)
The Final Frontier (5)

But I'm not writing this post to talk about Star Trek movies of the past. I'm writing to talk about Star Trek. Arguably the 11th. Or the 1st of the franchise. And lest I ruin the premise, I refuse to say why.

What I can say about the movie... It takes the premise of the best movie with the original cast and the premise of the best movie with next generation cast and weds them almost unbelievably well. J.J. Abrams proves to be to Star Trek what Peter Jackson was to the Lord of the Rings. Abrams obviously enjoys - dare I say loves - the stories and the original cast. So much so that the truest Trek fans will recognize their favorite characters even if they happen to be played by different actors.

But Abrams - to his credit - also understands what the 21st century movie-goer desires. There are incredible special effects for those who want the big bangs. And there's a great story that doesn't require any prior knowledge of Trek lore.

I foresee the - for lack of a better description - next generation of Trek. And how odd that it comes from the original characters.

Gene Roddenberry would be proud.