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STAR TREK (2009)Movie Reviews
New vision of 'Star Trek' featuring the young crew venturing boldly where no man has gone before. Cast:Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Karl Urban, Eric Bana, Simon PeggDirector:J.J. AbramsRelease Date:May 8, 2009DVD Release:November 17, 2009From:ParamountRating:PG-13Length:2 hr 7 min
Star Trek (2009) played to sensational reviews. • Julie E. Washington wrote in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, "...a superb blend of bedrock 'Trek' themes and J.J. Abrams' brand of intelligent action." • Tom Maurstad wrote in the Dallas Morning News, "...indisputably great..." • And Josep Parera wrote in La Opinion, "...recupera su encanto. La nueva entrega de la serie es una película ideal para el verano." More Reviews Below...
Star Trek (2009) Positive Reviews (48 Reviews, reviews below)
Leah Rozen, People: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...exciting and sassy... a blast in every sense of the word.... a kick-ass reminder that in the right hands and with savvy casting, anything old can be gloriously new again."(See all of Leah Rozen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 184 words, 05/07/09
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...seems solely made to entertain. It's an absolutely gorgeous film with impeccable production design... Either you'll go with it or you won't."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 665 words, 05/07/09
Thelma Adams, Us Weekly: OUTSTANDING(cg) "While brimming with dazzling space battles, the adventure never neglects the characters.... Expect a long and prosperous life for these characters..."(See all of Thelma Adams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 182 words, 05/07/09
Claudia Puig, USA Today: VERY GOOD(cg) "...aficionados may find plenty to take apart. But non-Trekkers are likely to be transported by this latest voyage on the mother ship of sci-fi sagas."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 460 words, 05/07/09
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (13 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: OUTSTANDING "...a testament to television's power as mythmaker, as a source for some of the fundamental stories we tell about ourselves, who we are and where we came from."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,117 words, 05/08/09
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...an exciting, stellar-yet-earthy blast that successfully blends the hip and the classic.... don't worry Trekkies, a time-travel plot acknowledges previous stories."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 475 words, 05/08/09
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "There are times when the command deck looks like Bring Your Child to School Day, with the kid sitting in daddy's chair."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,048 words, 05/07/09
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "Though it has its over-caffeinated aspects and its missteps, it has in general bridged the gap between the old and the new with alacrity and purpose."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 857 words, 05/07/09
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Nimoy exudes gravitas and is terribly affecting as aged Spock, who sagely speaks what could be the filmmakers' mantra: 'Put aside logic, and do what feels right.' "(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 661 words, 05/06/09
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: VERY GOOD(cg) "...breathlessly paced bordering on manic, but propulsively entertaining.... The film may not be memorable science fiction, but it's an engaging pop diversion."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 723 words, 05/08/09
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Youthful energy, non-stop action and a downright sexy Spock, but this 'Trek' lacks the heart and wit of its predecessors."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 367 words, 05/06/09
Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "Smart and youthful, with a well-balanced package of humour, romance, crisp action and character-based drama... gives popcorn movies a good name."(See all of Liam Lacey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 667 words, 05/08/09
Robert Wilonsky, Village Voice: OUTSTANDING "When Spock tells a young Jim Kirk, 'I have been and always shall be your friend'... it's enough to move even a Star Wars fan to tears."(See all of Robert Wilonsky's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 780 words, 05/06/09
Scott Foundas, LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "My advice to the filmmakers: When you return for the inevitable sequel, don't worry so much about placating the fanboys and instead set your word processors to stun."(See all of Scott Foundas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 616 words, 05/07/09
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "Brace yourself for the nerdgasm.... a thoroughly contemporary science fiction adventure rooted in the spirit of Gene Roddenberry's original conception."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 520 words, 05/07/09
KEY CITIES (19 Reviews)
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Most of all, thanks and praise for that very starship itself: the USS Enterprise, the shiny, brand-new craft where these spiky, ambitious young Turks gather..."(See all of Ann Hornaday's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 779 words, 05/07/09
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Purists may kvetch, but this timeline re-set is a clever move; it blows open new narrative possibilities while remaining true to essential characters."(See all of Amy Biancolli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 970 words, 05/07/09
Joe Gross, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...bounces with warm humor, sharp characterization and warp-speed action that should satiate anyone, fan and newbie alike, in the mood for kinetic sci-fi."(See all of Joe Gross's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 780 words, 05/08/09
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: EXCELLENT(cg) "...the real star here is J.J. Abrams, who has mined the TV series and previous films only for useful nuggets to come up with a new creation..."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 692 words, 05/08/09
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "...the writers figure out a clever way to maintain these iconic characters for future sequels, while giving themselves license to diverge from accepted Enterprise history."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 705 words, 05/08/09
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Quinto plays the bi-planetary Spock, product of an unemotional Vulcan father and a sensitive Earth mother, with some feeling."(See all of Carrie Rickey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 638 words, 05/07/09
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "You don't expect to find much fresh air in outer space, but that's exactly what the reboot of 'Star Trek' brings to the musty franchise."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 296 words, 05/08/09
Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...delivers the nonstop action you'd expect from the creator of 'Lost' and the writers of 'Transformers'... offers some tantalizing surprises..."(See all of Jeff Shannon's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 670 words, 05/08/09
Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Abrams isn't in the top class of action directors -- if only Steven Spielberg had supervised the second unit here! -- but he's got a great narrative sense..."(See all of Shawn Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 758 words, 05/08/09
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...reintroduces us to characters who have become cultural clichés. Although there's an animal magnetism between Kirk and Uhura, it leads to an unpredictable twist."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 393 words, 05/08/09
Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the movie's grandest stroke is its casting, with both younger versions of the bulwarks of the USS Enterprise crew immediately recognizable."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 630 words, 05/07/09
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: EXCELLENT(cg) "...brings it all back to basics, and back to life, with a rousing 'How Scotty Met Sulu' prequel about how the intrepid crew of the Enterprise became shipmates."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 525 words, 05/08/09
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: VERY GOOD(cg) "...moves like lightning, looks fantastic and assembles a cast worthy of the mantle handed down by the original crew of the Enterprise."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 546 words, 05/08/09
Carla Meyer, Sacramento Bee: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...strikes a beautiful balance, with enough allusions to 'Trek' mythology to please longtime fans and enough 21st century verve to wow those viewers who know nothing..."(See all of Carla Meyer's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 600 words, 05/08/09
Michael Sragow, Baltimore Sun: VERY GOOD(cg) "With crackling fresh actors moving into the wittily revamped roles of James T. Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Bones, Sulu, Chekov and Scotty, the film recaptures the team spirit..."(See all of Michael Sragow's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 735 words, 05/08/09
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "A vision of a multicultural destiny has been repurposed for a time and a younger generation that find the ship's rainbow crew something of a given."(See all of Lisa Kennedy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 887 words, 05/08/09
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (7 Reviews)
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...manages to pay homage to the classic 1960s TV series and still boldly go where no man, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy included, has gone before."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 325 words, 05/01/09
Jeffrey Gantz, Boston Phoenix: OUTSTANDING(cg) "There are surprises, a big one being the object of Uhura's romantic interest. There's Leonard Nimoy as Old Spock to anchor the proceedings."(See all of Jeffrey Gantz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 746 words, 05/07/09
Robert Wilonsky, Village Voice: OUTSTANDING "When Spock tells a young Jim Kirk, 'I have been and always shall be your friend'... it's enough to move even a Star Wars fan to tears."(See all of Robert Wilonsky's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 780 words, 05/06/09
Scott Foundas, LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "My advice to the filmmakers: When you return for the inevitable sequel, don't worry so much about placating the fanboys and instead set your word processors to stun."(See all of Scott Foundas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 616 words, 05/07/09
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "Brace yourself for the nerdgasm.... a thoroughly contemporary science fiction adventure rooted in the spirit of Gene Roddenberry's original conception."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 520 words, 05/07/09
Tricia Olszewski, Washington City Paper: OUTSTANDING "I can only pass on what I judged as a new fan, who only a couple weeks ago didn't know her Romulans from her Klingons. And the verdict is that it's undeniably good."(See all of Tricia Olszewski's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 630 words, 05/07/09
HIGHBROW PRESS (5 Reviews)
Bob Mondello, NPR All Things Considered: OUTSTANDING "...the point of a reboot isn't really to tell a tale; it's to ensure that the underlying enterprise can go on. Abrams has done that, for sure..."(See all of Bob Mondello's reviews...)(Listen to the full review...) 217 seconds, 05/07/09
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: OUTSTANDING "...a testament to television's power as mythmaker, as a source for some of the fundamental stories we tell about ourselves, who we are and where we came from."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,117 words, 05/08/09
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: OUTSTANDING "...it's so stirring to see old Spock on the same big screen as the ardent kids who grew up to be his peers. We've traveled light-years in their company."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 732 words, 05/08/09
Anthony Lane, New Yorker: GOOD "...nonsense, no question... but at least it's not boggy nonsense, the way most of the other movies were, and it powers along, unheeding of its own absurdity..."(See all of Anthony Lane's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,646 words, 05/11/09
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "Though it has its over-caffeinated aspects and its missteps, it has in general bridged the gap between the old and the new with alacrity and purpose."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 857 words, 05/07/09
MOVIE INDUSTRY (5 Reviews)
Todd McCarthy, Daily Variety: OUTSTANDING "...rockets along like a beautifully engineered vehicle you can't help but admire for its design and performance. It shifts gears often but always smoothly..."(See all of Todd McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 985 words, 04/22/09
Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter: EXCELLENT "...screenwriters Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman keep the plot simple but hit all the right notes and some phrases that will bring a smile of recognition."(See all of Ray Bennett's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 486 words, 04/20/09
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "Though it has its over-caffeinated aspects and its missteps, it has in general bridged the gap between the old and the new with alacrity and purpose."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 857 words, 05/07/09
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: OUTSTANDING "...a testament to television's power as mythmaker, as a source for some of the fundamental stories we tell about ourselves, who we are and where we came from."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,117 words, 05/08/09
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: OUTSTANDING "...it's so stirring to see old Spock on the same big screen as the ardent kids who grew up to be his peers. We've traveled light-years in their company."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 732 words, 05/08/09
13.8 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Star Trek (2009)'s reviews are separated by an average 13.8 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Star Trek (2009) (48 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Star Trek (2009)'s reviews cover 91.3% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 32,057 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 668 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 29.1 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Star Trek (2009)'s reviews on average broke 29.1 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Star Trek (2009)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Star Trek (2009) (48 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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