For months now people have been buzzing about the new Star Trek film directed by J.J. Abrams. “Trekkies” from all over are waiting in anticipation for the exciting new movie, with new special effects that the first Star Trek series and films could not have produced, coming May 8^th.

Star Trek began as a television series in 1966 starring the legendary William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk and Leonard Limroy as Mr. Spock. Together Shatner and Limroy “has gone where no man has gone before” exploring space for 5 years (80 episodes, and 10 movies), and discovering different life forms. Sci-fi fans would watch the adventures of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock on the Starship Enterprise. A huge fanbase began, which then led to an animated series with Shatner as the voice of Captain Kirk, then 6 films of the second voyage of the Starship Enterprise, starring the orginal cast after the show got cancelled in 1969.

After the first original 6 films, Star Trek television series came back with Star Trek: The Next Generation set 100 years after the original series. The Next Generation ran for 7 seasons from 1987 to 1994 and had the highest rating than any other Star Trek series. Other different variations of the series then followed: Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and the Enterprise, each running for several years.  As these series continued four other Star Trek films were made based on the transition between the original series and the New Generation.

With the constant production of Star Trek television series and films, a masscult following formed, with fans from the first series to the newest series. Now Paramount Pictures is bringing the newest edition to the collection with the 11^th film Star Trek the beginning; how Captain Kirk came to be.

This is the first motion picture Star Trek film to reach the silver screen, and highly anticipated. With the original series, the special effects included a toy Starship Enterprise tied to a string on a backdrop of a black canopy with holes punched in it. Now the 11^th film has taken advantage of all possible special effects to give Trekkies the full impacted experience they deserve.

The film begins with Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) as just a boy, and how he doesn’t want to be in the shadows of his father’s legacy anymore. The film also displays Mr. Spock’s (Zachary Quinto) beginnings torn between being from two different heritages, Vulcan and Human. As the two eventually meet the adventures of the Starship Enterprise begin. Due to the eminent expectancy of the film from cult followers the actors had a huge toll of research, “I obviously utilized Leonard to a great extent and engaged him in many, many conversations about the character. So I immersed myself in a lot of reading about the world of Star Trek and the mythology” Quinto said.

Audience members of the “Trekkie” crowd know exactly what they want from their characters. The reason why Star Trek has done so well is because it has stuck to an effective formula, which has put tremendous amount of pressure for the new actors of the 11^th film, yet at the same time, the new cast still has to make the film their own. “I think the general counsel that we had behind the scenes was I think indicative of exactly what people are going to find... we were doing paid tribute and homage to the minutiae of the original series and to really the themes that Gene Rodenberry expressed in the original version. But then we had new life,” Pine said. Just from previews audience members can tell, this is not anything like the original Star Trek, yet it still holds that excitement and desire.

For people who have never seen a Star Trek episode seem to be enthralled with the new film. The film is expected to be action packed which is catching an immense quantity of people’s attention, “I don’t think I was really prepared for the physical toll…what takes you minutes to read on the page will take like months of actual shooting,” Pine said. This film seems to be trying to appeal and engage to a new generation of Star Trek fans rather than stick to the continuous original plot. “He made this movie for future Star Trek fans. And that’s something I think comes across in the film,” Quinto said about director Abrams.

The new film already seems to go where no Trekkie has gone before, and will be a complete success. Abrams is already planning to film a sequel to his prequel with also the help of Rodenberry, the creator of the first Star Trek. In society today, science fiction is making a huge comeback, consequently giving the new Star Trek film greetings with open arms. This film will probably be an exciting event to take part in, whether being a Trekkie or not. The film seems exciting, action packed, and drama filled. This film will probably be the re-birth of Star Trek and regain as much popularity as Star Wars. This film will bring fans from all different generations in, and it would not surprise me if people dressed up for the event as their favorite characters. Seeing this film will be more than catching a flick with friends, but an experience that should not be missed.

Star Trek comes out May 8^th and if action and science fiction is your fixation, then this film should not be missed. For those who probably just want a crazy experience, away from the “norm”, I highly suggest going to the midnight showing. Cult attractions are always fun and exciting to go to, because it becomes more than watching a movie, the audience becomes completely engaged.