9 Origin Movies That Actually Worked

5. Star Trek

Though William Shatner will forever be the definitive Captain Kirk for a generation, his performance lacked any sort of subtlety and nuance to go alongside the bad boy of Starfleet image he'd carved for himself. Sure, it was great to watch (and occasionally hilarious without too much intention), but it was all very one-dimensional.

That opportunity was where JJ Abrams' Star Trek reboot really succeeded - by following the upstart Kirk through his early days in (and out of) Starfleet. And again, it laid out exactly how two characters as wildly different as Kirk and Spock could ever be friends in the future.

Star Trek does far more for Kirk in terms of characterisation than the Original Series (or its spin-off movies) managed and putting aside the fetishised lens flare, it's a great addition to the franchise and the world of origin movies.