Bottom line: The new Star Trek movie blasts the series into the present with outstanding special effects, deeper characters, and a clever re-launch of the series. The movie is also a bit more mature than its predecessors, containing heavy sci-fi violence, some language, and a brief but steamy sexual scene.
MPAA Rating: PG-13, for sci-fi action and violence, and brief sexual content
Genre: Sci-Fi
Guide age recommendation: 13+
Runtime: 127 minutes
Star Trek - Overview
What would happen if evildoers from the future blasted into the past and changed history? That is exactly what we find out in the new Star Trek. The 2009 Star Trek movie begins a re-launch of the original series, but things will be very different this time around.
In order to save his wife and child and others from a vengeful group of Romulans from the future, Captain George Kirk sacrifices his own life and thus changes future history forever. George's only son, James Kirk, grows up to be a reckless rebel who feels he has something to prove. Kirk has no interest in joining the Starfleet, but when he is challenged on the matter by Captain Christopher Pike, he just can't refuse. James hops aboard the ship carrying new recruits and begins his training. He meets Nyota Uhura and Leonard "Bones" McCoy along with other characters from the original series.
When the fleet is called to help with a problem on the planet Vulcan, there are reports of a lightning storm. Although he's a lowly recruit in trouble for so-called cheating on a test designed by the intelligent half-human/half-Vulcan Spock, James recognizes the description of the storm and runs to warn the captain that the storm is the Romulans -- just like when his father was killed 25 years prior. By the time he finally convinces everyone, though, it is too late. The Romulans are drilling a hole into Vulcan and plan to turn the planet into a black hole.
The leader of the outlaw pack, Nero, calls Captain Pike to his ship, leaving James and Spock to lead the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Spock and Kirk make a daring plan, and a bloody and dangerous mission ensues. The two are out-teched and out-manned by the malicious and vengeful outlaws from the future, but Kirk has a secret friend who has given him some helpful information.
Star Trek - Guide Review for Parents
Just so everyone knows where I'm coming from on this, nothing can make me change the channel faster than seeing the original Star Trek, or any thing like it, on the screen. The new movie has definitely given the series added depth and intrigue, however, and provides an edge-of-your-seat experience with a clever story line. All of this excitement comes at a PG-13 price, of course, so it isn't necessarily a movie the whole family can enjoy together.
The movie is full of sci-fi violence, the most disturbing of which involves the bad guys forcing a giant bug down a captain's throat so that it can latch onto his brain stem. One brief sexual scene shows male and female characters dressed in their underwear. The movie contains innuendo and some language. For a more detailed description of movie content, see "Content Overview" below.
Star Trek – Content Overview
- Violence (High): Star Trek contains a wide variety of sci-fi violence including fights with machine guns, ships shooting at each other, a man being stabbed with a long pronged object (we do not see the actual impact), and bloody fist fights. As mentioned before, one scene involves the Romulans forcing a large beetle type of bug down a man's throat.
- Sex/Nudity (Medium): The movie contains sexual innuendo, with Kirk hitting on the ladies, Nyota Uhura in particular. One scene shows briefly shows a male and female engaged in sexual activity on a bed (they are both wearing underwear). Another female is shown undressing down to underwear.
Star Trek – Topics to Discuss
- After seeing Star Trek, kids may have questions about the following topics: time travel, space, aliens, logic vs. emotion, revenge, .
