Enterprise Ethics

iSave ethical and moral discussion for a philosophy class. You have to evaluate the movie on its OWN merits. The bottom line, is this a good movie or not??? It's not a trick question, you know.

"laser battles ??" huh?

No self respecting Trek fan would refer to a Phaser as a Laser. Not the same.

I must have seen a different movie, because the Star Trek I saw was about the connection of the two central characters, Kirk and Spock. I mean was it the big moral mirror that the original one was? No, but not every episode of the original was a big moral tale either. The purpose of this movie was to revitalize the franchise and make it relevant again. It did so with a really solid story, then decorated it with some action to generate interest among not ST fans. From the cast onto the story, it was a job well done. Right now this movie has a 94% approval rating so they must have done something right.

The lowest common denominator doesn't give a rat's rear about morals or ethics, which is why the original series got cancelled after only three years. A true classic takes time for the LCD to decide its ok to side with the geeks. Which is why it was revived: money is the true gerator of American culture not ethics or morals.

The beauty of Star Trek is its versatility. It CAN be a morality play, or a comedy, or a science lesson, or a drama, or a romance, or a space battle. The best of Trek combines them all (and I disagree with Card on how hiding things is always better), but to say that the new film lacks a moral "lesson" if you will is to really miss the point. It doesn't HAVE to have a moral lesson to be good science fiction or good Star Trek. In the case of the new movie, the overall concept is an international group of people working together to make the world a better place in the spirit of optimism about the future. That is very relevant today, and will be relevant tomorrow. The fact that it is packaged in a nice entertaining package that gives vision to a world of peace and shared purpose is all the better in my opinion. Star Trek Lives . . . and let's hope it does so long and prosperously.

The greatest movies seem to address moral dilemmas in brilliant ways. Can't BELIEVE if they left out meaning and substance and stuck us with just violence, mayhem and Las Vegassy action stunts. We get mindless action all day long. How tiring it has become. Mindless entertainment for a mindless society. Just bring back the Coliseum so that our society can crumble too. That said, can't wait to see the beautiful ship art. Looks mindbending good.

"When "Trek" first appeared, race relations, the women's movement, the Vietnam War and the Cold War were key social issues, and the show dealt with all of them, even if obliquely." Right; those are no longer issues, so it would be a bore to continue harping on them today. But without them, explosions and ray-gun fights are pretty much all that remains.

It's the first in a new series of films, of course it has to be big and loud. The hand wringing will come later.

If you want someone to point you in the path or morality, than maybe you should see a psychiatrist, but don't expect such loftly goals from a movie which is simply trying to make money.

It's a movie...it's a little flaky to expect a movie to point you in the moral direction you should be going. If you want someone to point you in the direction of some path, go see a psychiatrist.

A lot of you commenting here obviously never seen Star Trek, the movies or the series, in any kind of regularity. Star Trek and many great works of science of fiction, whether they be Blade Runner or Rendezvous with Rama, have always been vehicles for its creators to make a social commentary. If science fiction done right, it will both entertain and enlighten. And that's what good Trek movies or episodes have always done.

If I want to turn my brain off while watching a movie, I would go rent Porky's Revenge.

Oh, I don't know about that... I think that peering into the future...ANY future has signs of hopefulness in it. We are so good at hitting people over the head with our own sensibilites and beliefs that we can miss many of things that make us (the human drama) so compelling. The great thing about MOSt sci-fi is that it is a drama that continues from where we are... Of course, huge challenges and difficulties stand in the way. In order to overcome, we paint broad characters that are the best and worst of ourselves. But at the end of the day, our hero stands (tired and wounded) and declares: "Well, someone has to rebuild.... (whatever)"
I'm just glad they found a way to re-ignite the Star Trek Franchise...whether it's true to it's roots or not. The movie.. represents our hopes. And I'd rather see that than a bizillion "American Idols" anyday!

Orson Scott Card calling Roddenberry "incompetent" through his use of ethical themes when Card himself is a bigot? Surprising, eh?

I loved Trek all of them TOS, STNG,DS9,Voyger and enterprise. The series just went as far as it could this new movie is about rebooting the franchise. Little darker, little grittier. Lot more fun... That's what movies are about "entertainment and enjoyment." In today's world we have access to 24/7 news that tells us Moral Relevance is just a pipe dream your morals are not my morals. This movie is about fun.... let it stay that way.... Fun, Fun, Fun.......... Entertainment......

Intelligence on other planets? Let's hope so, because we're running short of it here! Welcome to the world of internet comments, where the ability to log on and type is commonly mistaken for a form of intelligence. Better dialog could be found at the bottom of a cheap bottle of gin. Of all the naysayers, barely a one had a single logical and relevant thing to say regarding the author's comments, and that, I think, clearly sums up why this movie lacks any and all social relevance. It was made by and for these exact people. As stated earlier, unfortunately, most of the flower children eventually sold out, but more precisely, most of them were only there for the drugs and sex. And Alaska has such a large republican presence only because of the oil. Take that away, and they would almost all scurry back to warmer climes. Can you say 'de-evolution'. It works both ways!

and so my point is proven within the comments after mine

In my honest opinion all the life lessons and peachiness is what made Trek never live up to its full potential. I used to watch Trek every week but I got sick of the every episode trying to prove a point. When I sit my butt down on the couch I want to have a good time and escape from the world around me. Why do you think that video games are so popular? I'm glad this movie broke away from the tired old formula. Let???s hope there are more producers and directors that want to give the people what they want not how they should think.

Has the Trek Franchise lost moral relevance or has it become a victim of it's own success? After nearly 5 decades of story line the Trek narrative is treated like gospel and has become too confining. The more the franchise and it's fans remain loyal to the Trek Cannon, the more the show becomes bogged down in it's effort to remain consistent. Also in the 60's, science fiction was used as a metaphor to discuss currents events. What we can discuss on TV today would never have been possible in teh 60s. The Trek franchise isnt irrelevant but rather impotent because it doenst have to speak in code anymore. So whats left? Character introspection & special effects. That's a far cry from 'seeking out new life & exploring strange new worlds...' While, this new Trek is attempting to revive the franchise by liberating itself from itself, but may not go far enough. Regardless I'm sure it will be fun to watch.