3. Star Trek (2009)
Once 2002's
Star Trek: Nemesis flopped with critics and audiences alike, many thought the iconic sci-fi property, a staple of pop culture since 1966, had finally run its course. Obviously, that wasn't the case as Paramount green lit a reboot directed by JJ Abrams and released it to all sorts of acclaim in 2009. With a strong 94% Rotten Tomatoes score and a $257.7 million domestic box office gross, it was apparent
Star Trek would most certainly live long and prosper. In the 21st century, most blockbuster franchises (such as
Lord of the Rings,
The Dark Knight, and
Casino Royale) tend to be more dark and serious than the event films of yesteryear; the Spielberg and Lucas spectacles of
Star Wars and
Raiders of the Lost Ark. An admirer of those films, Abrams looked to bring the fun back to summer movies by using the
Star Wars tone with
Star Trek. He was largely successful, as this reboot is thought by many to be one of the best films of 2009. In a fresh, exciting entry to the sci-fi genre, Abrams and his team were able to breathe new life to
Star Trek by combining thrilling action with a great story and made a crowd-pleasing film that would have been right at home with the light-hearted blockbusters of the 1980s. The new Kirk and Spock were well-written characters who grew as the movie progressed and made the events all the more interesting. It was a large risk to recast the roles of the original series, but Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto (along with their fellow cast members) were up for the challenge, making the parts their own.
Star Trek is a great piece of pop entertainment that both longtime Trekkies and new curious fans (like myself) can enjoy. Abrams added another successful chapter to his rebooted series earlier this year with
Star Trek Into Darkness. In the same vein as the first film, the sequel had a nice mixture of substance and style and made the four-year wait worthwhile. The filmmakers allowed the characters to grow as people and provide the usual summer action (which was more impactful because we actually cared about the crew of the
Enterprise). With Abrams off to the galaxy far, far away looking to work his magic on another beloved series, a new director will most likely call the shots for the inevitable
Star Trek 3. Still, with Abrams on board as producer, the third installment should deliver another quality installment.