I have never consumed a single piece of Star Trek, being more of a Star Wars fan, which makes the newest movie, "Star Trek: Section 31," all the more fascinating to watch; I should have had no idea what was going on, and I didn't, but its fast-pace, good cast, delicious overacting and even better special effects piqued my interest just enough to begin considering binging the media property in earnest. Or maybe I'll just wait for the sequel.
Michelle Yeoh stars as Philippa Georgiou, a name I most certainly had to Google, a sort of gangster who runs a totally legit club somewhere outside Federation space, or so the interest tells me. She's introduced during a flashback, where we see her (played by Miku Martineau as a kid) seemingly returning home from, er, something. Oh that's right, it's a sort of trial to see who'll become the next emperor, and she's got just one final test. What's the test? Oh nothing, just to kill her parents and younger brother (all within the first five minutes of runtime) before her competition San (played as a kid by James Huang and James Hiroyuki Liao as adult). She does, he doesn't, and she's crowned emperor, with San to forever serve as her servant. Talk about a cutthroat competition.
Anyway, Georgiou, having now assumed the name Madame Veronique du Franc (thanks interwebs), is soon approached by Alok (Omari Hardwick) and his team about stopping Dada Noe (Joe Pingue), who's selling a very dangerous weapon. The Godsend in fact, a weapon Georgiou herself had developed and later ordered destroyed. Of course, we wouldn't have much of a movie if it was actually destroyed, or if things went smoothly, so of course the Godsend is stolen, and then a lot more plot happens. In fact, there's probably about 25% too much plotting and 25% too little action plot, with a double-cross, few red herrings, a sabotage or two, all for what amounts to a pretty basic narrative. Still, there's enough good world-building, sets and creatures to keep any scifi fiend amused.
But you wouldn't know the ultimately decent film this becomes at the start, with director Olatunde Osunsanmi filling the beginning with so much slow-motion that you'd think this hailed from Zack Snyder, including, but not limited to, slow-motion running, hugging, affectionately gazing, ladle pouring, laughing, eating, and oh yes, dying. It was so bad that I began questioning my decision to hit "play" on Paramount+, but I persevered, just for you- we believe in full-service film criticism around here.
He does go on to stage the action competently, so you more-or-less have a clear idea who is throwing which punch or shooting which gun, but then he decides to get all cute and constantly fuddles with the camera while people are talking, walking, or any other basic activity. Swooping left or right, up or down, gliding in all directions so we never get a sense of the environment the heroes, or villains, are in. It's disorientating and completely unnecessary, and feels like a really nerdy, two-hour long music video without, you know, music.
But it's fine. I was surprised at how much I was engaged with "Star Trek: Section 31," as if all the problems made the whole thing more intriguing. I would feel ripped off had I driven to an actual theater and spent actual money on a ticket, all while munching on overpriced candy, but watching from the comfort of my own couch with reasonably priced Junior Mints in hand, it's not bad.
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