Sequels, Prequels, and Remakes

I believe I come from the age of sequels. I was a young child when Star Wars came out. It did so well and became such a favorite that they followed it up with Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi...well, you get the idea.

Suddenly, everyone was doing sequels. We have been bombarded with sequels ever since. From Freddie to Jason to Indiana to Jaws to Superman and so on and so on and so on. There were a couple of good sequels and so many bad sequels.

When they running out of ideas or the original actors just didn't want to do it anymore, they began the prequels. Then spin-offs. Then remakes. I'm pretty sure somewhere out there, there is a sequel to a prequel of a spin-off that was a remake! It just got out of control. People say there are just no original ideas out there anymore. I beg to differ. I think that Hollywood just does not want to risk investments because let's face it...sequels, prequels, and remakes mean good money.

Some sequels need to be there. You started it, now we have to finish the story and then let it be. Harry Potter is a good example. Hopefully, JK Rowling has some clause in her contract that states that when Harry Potter's story is told and finished, LET IT REST. We don't need to know about the Weasley Family and their adventures. We don't need to see Harry's parents fall in love, marry, have Harry, and fight the evil Voldemort. And we sure as heck don't need to see some Brokeback Mountain style story with Dumbledore.

Twilight is another example. Sure, I know...I know...the movies aren't really that good, BUT they have us committed. The story is not finished. They can finish it...and LET IT REST. I don't need any stories about Edward's early years because you know they are going to have to recast Robert Pattinson. He's just not looking 17 anymore as it is. Recasting ruins everything for me. And I don't need to flash forward and see how Jacob turns out.

So, this brings me to Star Trek. I was not a Star Trek fan. Not anything specific against the franchise. It's just that I became so dedicated to Star Wars at an early age that I felt that becoming involved with Star Trek would just be like cheating on Star Wars.

I saw one Star Trek movie in the theaters. My uncle had taken my cousin and I to see Wrath of Kahn. The only thing I remember about that movie was that the little guy from Fantasy Island was NOT in it and I had sat in a wad of gum and left with Hubba Bubba all over the seat of my knock off Sergio Valente jeans.

I was all about Star Wars. I was all about Han Solo. I would day dream in school that the Millennium Falcon would come and Han Solo would tell me that I was a long lost Jedi and rightfully belonged in a galaxy far, far away. Of course I would convince Han that Leia was no good for him and we would dump Luke and Leia in some trailer park where they could live happily ever after together (because we all know that was a possibility in Empire and don't tell me they are twins) while Han and I would go off to fight the Dark Side.

I am still about Star Wars. I have skeletons in my closet. Okay, they are actually Star Wars figures and twelve inch dolls in my closet. I'm a thirty something year old woman with boxes of mint condition Star Wars toys in her closet. In my living room there is a Darth Vader Snow Globe and Boba Fett figures and a Han Solo Bust. Oh, and a small replica of the Millennium Falcon.

There just was no room for Star Trek in my Star Wars obsessed mind and heart. And then the prequels were announced and I was so excited. It was a lesson learned. Prequels will disappoint you. Sure, it was nice to see Yoda again and to visit Tatooine. We anticipated the birth of Darth Vader. And Samuel L. Jackson was kinda cool as the Jedi with the purple saber. But it was prequels and they just didn't live up to the original Holy Trinity of Star Wars movies.

When I heard they were going to do a new Star Trek movie, I rolled my eyes. How original. Not that I cared. I mean, I didn't like Star Trek. Besides, wasn't Shatner and Nimoy getting too old for this? At least George Lucas didn't force Ford, Hamill, and Fisher to return.

Then I heard that they were recasting Kirk and Spock and the crew with a younger, hipper cast. Again my eyes rolled. So they are remaking it? Not that I cared, but isn't that an insult to the original cast?

Then I heard it was a prequel. It would be about the early years of the Enterprise. Ah....well...again...great big eye roll. Been there. Done that. And it didn't really quite work.

But, as a Movie Junkie, I was curious and I put it on my Netflix queue. It arrived in the mail the other day. And I watched it. Twice.

It worked. It's very odd, but it is a prequel since it tells the story of how the crew of Enterprise came together. It's kind of also a sequel since Nimoy does reprise his role as the older Spock who comes from a time warp. And since it involves a time warp and the Star Trek history was changed...it's also a remake then. Everything every Trekkie has ever known can now be thrown out the window because, thanks to time travel, an alternate reality has been set. BRILLIANT!!

Bravo! They pulled it off! The movie is funny and action packed. They kept things familiar and didn't change much. The uniforms are the same. The ship is pretty much the same. I think that is where George Lucas went wrong with the Star Wars prequels. He changed so much that it just wasn't familiar to us fans. Gone were the X-Wings and Tie-Fighters. So many new species were introduced (Jar Jar Binks and Watto, anyone?) when he should have stuck to Wookies, Ewoks, and the Mos Eisley Band. Even the wardrobe was different. Princess Leia had minimal costume changes whereas Padme Amidala broke records.

With Star Trek, everything is still recognizable. It makes the fans feel at home again. The casting was pretty good too. Especially Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto (who is the perfect younger Spock), and Simon Pegg. Eric Bana is unrecognizable as the villian Captain Nero.

This prequel/sequel/remake is what I believe to be a perfect example of a movie that is NOT based on an original idea. It stayed familiar, which makes the Trekkies happy. It has a young cast, which can help creat a new generation of Trekkies. And by using the time warp storyline, it creates a whole new history that us non-Trekkies can follow and enjoy. And it's funny in that one-line, cocky way that Han Solo was and has action and a very surprising touch of romance. It was good. It was really good. It made me feel like the six year old who first discovered Star Wars and what was great about it. I watched it twice. I want to buy it and own it.

So, with shame, I am now somewhat of a Star Trek fan. They are making a sequel for this prequel and I'm looking forward to it. I'm excited about it. I'm not saying that I'm going to start buying Star Trek memorabilia. If given the choice, I would rather pilot the Millennium Falcon over the Enterprise. I still believe if they were in a showdown, Han would kick Kirk's ass and Jedis will rule over Vulcans. And there is no villain like Boba Fett. But, I will now welcome the viewings of Star Trek movies in my home. And I will not feel like I'm cheating on Star Wars. And I will enjoy Star Trek.