I admit that my expectations for this film were low as soon as I heard it had been delayed, and that they steadily declined as I learned more about it. However, Destructor's posts have pretty much confirmed every single one of my worst fears about this movie, to the point where I probably wouldn't bother seeing it if it didn't carry the
Star Trek name.
I initially dubbed the then–unnamed villain "Gary Khan" after the first trailer. The reason for this was that I figured he was going to be Gary Mitchell based on then–current information, but with "super powers" more along the lines of those consistent with Khan. As soon as the name "John Harrison" was revealed, I knew that he was really just going to be plain 'ol Khan, that pretty much took a photon torpedo to my remaining expectations for this film.
For starters, Abrams and his crew had sworn up and down for the past four years that they wouldn't cheap out and do a Khan movie next. In fact, they went as far as releasing a list of the villains they were considering instead. (It contained, Harry Mudd, Tribbles, Trelane, Talosians, Gary Mitchell, and the Horta.) Gary Mitchell seemed like the obvious choice, and for awhile, it sounded like we were going to get a Gary Mitchell movie. The primary reason all of these characters were a better choice than Khan, is that Khan already had a movie dedicated to him, and it's one of the most, if not the most iconic Trek flicks ever made. Gary Mitchell made sense because he was just similar enough to Khan that he could tell a Khan–like story without rehasing TWOK. Talsoians were better suited for a third film to bookend a trilogy, while the Horta would be tough to work with, and Trelane would be better suited for a later film, as would Harry Mudd, particularly if he took on Cyrano Jones' role as Tribble dealer. Instead of running with any of those wonderful characters, Abrams and his crew did exactly what they said they wouldn't do, and opted for a Khan movie.
Now I could have tolerated a Khan movie if what we were getting was going to be along the lines of "Space Seed" rather than TWOK, but that's obviously not the case. Instead of something unique and original, the trailers have made it abundantly apparent that we're getting a TWOK rip–off, right down to the dueling Federation starships, and thanks to Destructor's spoilers, even TWOK's dialogue. Unlike Nemesis, which made it clear from the get–go that it was going to be "TNG's TWOK," STID was promoted as being "not TWOK," which was clearly not the case. Speaking of Nemesis, Abrams managed to even recycle a key component of Shinzon into Khan with the whole "blood brings Tribbles back from the dead" bit. (To me, this simultaneously ruins both Khan and Tribbles.)
What really does this film in for me is Abrams and his crew knew that doing a Khan movie was a bad idea, and decided to do it anyway. The trailers definitely lowered my expectations, but the good thing about spoilers is that they've allowed me to confirm that I've been justified in doing so. I'll still see the new movie, but I'll be walking into the theater expecting it to suck fuzzy Tribbles. I consider this a good thing, because with expectations this low, I might actually enjoy parts of the film. In all honesty though, I feel that this is going to be everything that I hate about the JJ–verse with none, or at most, very little of what I enjoyed about it.
Oh, and Whirlygig, I want your "they're just hitting "random page" on memory–alpha and name–dropping any reference they can" comment to be the "review quote" that they slap on the DVD/Blu–Ray Disc cover art. I'd actually feel better buying the movie when it comes out on DVD/Blu–Ray if they were at least honest about what they did.
