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Abrams Admits To Faults In Star Trek Films

J.J. Abrams has been heavily criticized by fans for some of his directorial choices that were made during 2009’s Star Trek and 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness.

While on stage with late night host Stephen Colbert at the Montclair Film Festival, Abrams admitted he may have been a little excessive with his use of lens flare and too overt with fan service while working on Star Trek.

Abrams told Colbert “we got in trouble on the second Star Trek film with some of the fans,” and admitted “There were too many nods to The Wrath of Khan. I’ll cop to that.”

Regarding his use of lens flare, Abrams promised it would be toned down in his next film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Telling the lighting crew bringing large spotlights onto the set “these aren’t the flares you’re looking for.”

Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens will hit theaters on December 18.

Star Trek Beyond, which is directed by Justin Lin and produced by Abrams and Roberto Orci, is slated for July 22, 2016. The film will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Star Trek franchise.

Stay tuned to TrekNews.net for the latest news related to the next Star Trek film. Follow @TrekNewsnet on Twitter, TrekNews on Instagram and TrekNewsnet on YouTube.

via Rolling Stone

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42 Comments

42 Comments

  1. ziplock9000

    November 25, 2015 at 8:54 am

    Oh JJ, it’s far more than too many nods to ST:TWOK. Your films were just not Star Trek at all and were mostly shit.

    • Dasjerm

      December 1, 2015 at 6:10 am

      Then it fits in fine with most Star Trek movies like TMP, Final Frontier, Insurrection, Nemesis. JJ Trek is so much better than most Trek in the past couple of decades. Trek has been shit for a very long time before JJ came along.

      • dapranak .

        December 1, 2015 at 11:51 am

        romulus destroyed by a star far far far far away, just like that ?
        nero hiding himself during 20 years just for a crappy revenge ?
        when he could save his world by preventing the death of his family while bringing the technology of the future of his great “ship of death”

        vulcan, destroyed so easily while it is a founding world

        • Keith Patrick

          December 3, 2015 at 5:04 pm

          Nero didn’t hide himself for 20 years, he was captured by Klingons and kept in prison. When he’s laying in the bed and looking up directly into the camera, that’s in prison. The Klingon storyline was removed in the final edits, they can be seen in special features.

          • Matt G.

            December 3, 2015 at 6:19 pm

            Really? I need to go check that out

      • Christopher Morgan

        December 3, 2015 at 5:10 pm

        most star trek movies? you named four. there were more than that. Nemesis wasnt that bad. TMP final frontier insurrection were all not up to the best of star trek but better than abrams trash. your not a star trek fan really are you. go back to your corner moron

        • Matt G.

          December 3, 2015 at 6:20 pm

          Nemesis wasn’t horrible but I felt it could have been better – I’m just not sure how.. final frontier is actually growing on me – I liked the casualness about it

        • Stanimir Georgiev

          December 4, 2015 at 11:37 am

          Nemesis was horrible. Not star trek in the slightest, except for the part where picard was trying to convince shinzon not to destroy earth.

          • Stanimir Georgiev

            December 4, 2015 at 11:39 am

            The Final Front Ear was a complete mess. Insurrection and Nemesis were bad as well.

        • Dasjerm

          December 7, 2015 at 5:51 pm

          1 was bad, 3 wasn’t great, 5 was horrible, and other than the borg movie, the next gen movies are unwatchable messes. Kirks death was handled so poorly in Generations as to be laughable. So you go back to YOUR corner moron because “your” not a star trek fan, nor a fan of spelling.

      • Jones()

        December 3, 2015 at 5:17 pm

        The problem isn’t just that the Abrams movies sucked (although they kind of did). They just weren’t Trek. They were space opera fantasy like Star Wars — but with Trek characters and ships. Trek was always more about seeking out new life and new civilizations and things like that, but Abrams turned them into hero’s journeys.

        But you’re right that Star Trek movies usually suck. Trek has always been better as a TV series. Most of the movies aren’t any better than an average episode of one of the series. Man, 2017 can’t come fast enough.

    • Simon

      December 3, 2015 at 7:06 pm

    • Moose442

      December 4, 2015 at 7:10 am

      Agreed. Let’s Forget all about “JJ Trek” Hope a future Star Trek Reboot Returns to PROPER Star Trek Canon.

      In the Meantime We can sit back, Relax, and Enjoy the “Howls of Outrage” on December 18th, as Fanboys across America discover that JJ Abrams Has NOW completely RUINED Star Wars.

  2. Captain Jon

    November 25, 2015 at 10:51 pm

    I really like STID but I’m more than willing to recognize that there were significant story flaws, the most prominent being that there were too many nods to ST2:TWOK. There were good ideas in there worth exploring but they were loosely connected that comes down to the work of the writers.

    I think JJ Abrams gets WAY too much heat for these issues when it’s really his direction and the actors that salvaged a flawed script. I think without this cast and Abrams behind the camera the movie could’ve been awful. A weak script can be salvaged by the cast and director, something I think would’ve been possible with STN had they found someone else to direct it.

    • Christopher Morgan

      December 3, 2015 at 5:12 pm

      piss. have you seen super 8? he directed it. like ID it was same story of ET. JJ has no ideas of his own. new star wars is a rehash of new hope and the empire strikes back. he is a stupid person

      • indic8r

        December 3, 2015 at 8:41 pm

        You know that S8 was a nod to Spielberg, right? You know the Spielberg produced, right? And, as far as I know, in ET the aliens weren’t violent, it didn’t involve a group of kids filming a zombie movie, or the government actually having kept the alien captive for an indeterminate amount of time?

  3. Victor Carballo

    December 1, 2015 at 8:11 am

    The only beef i have with the JJ movies is that they are reboot, while they could easily be a sequel. Keep the actors, keep the sets and designs and make them descendants of Kirk and Spock, in a time after Picard, that would´ve been perfect.

    • Keith Patrick

      December 3, 2015 at 5:11 pm

      That would not have been perfect. The reboot allows for a new exploration of beloved characters, storylines, and ideals of the Trek universe without the constraints of canon. Disney basically did the same thing by removing almost everything from Star Wars canon to provide freedom in the storytelling, and to make it more accessible to new generations of fans.

      I’m certainly not here to defend STID, it was a disjointed story, and I agree with Captain Jon above in regards to solid actors and director overcoming poor writing. I also agree that STN was ruined by Stuart Baird. I’m excited to see what ST: Beyond becomes with the Simon Pegg and Doug Jung script rewrite.

      • Victor Carballo

        December 4, 2015 at 6:08 am

        But that´s what´s different about Star Trek. In our minds these people are real, like relatives. they lived, they died, we mourned their deaths. We celebrated new characters. They´re not comic book characters who can be replaced by new actors, like Batman or James Bond.
        So, if someone appears in Halloween dressed as a deceased relative, that´s odd. That´s what´s keeping older fans from embracing JJ Abrams Star Trek stories. Aside of that, all the effects, musics, all the efforts are great. I don´t even mind if “STID” is disjointed, ´cause it´s not more disjointed than an average episode.

      • Ocho

        December 4, 2015 at 8:38 am

        Ideals of the Trek Universe… well that would be great, if JJ had any interest in showing them at all. He didn’t. He made the Star Trek movies summer romps with big budgets, big special effects, and no substance. They were about as deep as a puddle, and Star Trek is supposed to be about depth. That’s what separates it from Star Wars. Star Wars is something you don’t have to think that much about… good guys are good, bad guys are bad. Lightsabers, woo! Star Trek is about social commentary, pushing boundaries, lifting humanity beyond it’s confines, celebrating the human spirit. … And JJ showed none of that. So his movies, though decent in that summer blockbuster kind of way… simply weren’t “Trek”.

    • Jones()

      December 3, 2015 at 5:19 pm

      A reboot would’ve been fine if they’d just done a straight reboot. But trying to have it both ways with new actors and then old Spock popping up here and there to connect to the old universe — that sucked hard.

      • Edo Edo

        December 3, 2015 at 9:41 pm

        Not necessarily. Every new Star Trek incantation received a “warm hand off” from an already established character. Dr. McCoy appeared on the first episode of The Next Generation, Picard appeared on the first episode of DS9, Quark appeared on the first episode of Voyager, Zephram Cochrain appeared on the first Enterprise episode… etc.

        It made sense for JJ Abrams to do the same thing for his reboot. It was either old Spock going back in time or having a very old Capt Archer or T’Pol making a cameo…

        • Ocho

          December 4, 2015 at 8:45 am

          Yeah, but those cameos in the shows weren’t used as deus ex machina. In *both* JJ movies, they’ve used the prime Spock as a “hey, we’ve encountered a problem. How do we solve it?” lame plot device, showing that the new Trek crew can’t even solve their own problems. A warm hand-off would’ve had the cameo, but then show the new crew as actually being competent, which JJ didn’t do.

    • Gredorel

      December 4, 2015 at 12:04 pm

      Who knows? The new crew of the new series for 2017 might have a descendant? As long as the series is set in the time line at least 15 years after Voyager. Although the new show should definitely be it’s own animal, it’ll be nice to have previous characters from other shows occasionally pop up. I’m sure the likes of Frakes, Sirtis and Dorn would jump at the chance. And I wouldn’t be surprised if at least one of two characters from the previous incarnations pop up in the pilot episode to help establish it as proper Trek.

      • Victor Carballo

        December 4, 2015 at 12:49 pm

        I can only hope so. I look forward for that series. It feels disrespectful to dump a whole continuity just like that.

  4. Katrina DeWitt

    December 3, 2015 at 5:16 pm

    So many internet tough guys in the comments section…
    I still liked the Abrams trek movies and will be seeing the next one. Take that, zealots!

  5. Richard Macaulay

    December 3, 2015 at 5:31 pm

    HERE is the REAL problem.
    Star Trek was built with a certain vision by it’s creator, Gene Roddenberry, and after his passing, it has been twisted and warped to suite popular trends and to make big $. That was never what this franchise was about. People don’t seam to get that.

  6. Reece Maguire

    December 3, 2015 at 5:54 pm

    I’m just waiting for Deep Space Nine, the movie directed by Scorsese…

  7. Darrell Jeffers

    December 3, 2015 at 6:19 pm

    Don’t care what anyone says it was great loved it. Bought it and still watch it. Come on its star trek. And it’s a parallel universe

  8. Ray Delien

    December 3, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    My problems with the new iterations were the lack of all things star trek. No alpha quadrant aliens, no respect for the timeline, no respect for anything that came before. He arogantly left everything behind in order to bring his vision of it to life. It is literally a random sci fi plot with federation uniforms and names.

    Chris Pike and Zachary Quinto were terrific and the only saving grace. But there will be no Nimoy to carry the weight for him this time around.

  9. Matt G.

    December 3, 2015 at 6:27 pm

    I liked Fringe a lot (cross between trek and xfiles) although the ending seamed rushed.
    My favorite trek movies were 2 and 6 which were both directed by Nicholas Meyer who went after it with a naval theme in mind – which I loved.
    I’m not crazy about the Pulse phasers on JJ Trek and of course not a fan of the change in storylines..
    Trek had got to be difficult to make movies / shows for. I’m sure they had a staff that’s only job is to ensure everything is correct per technology and time line.

  10. Chad

    December 3, 2015 at 6:37 pm

    I used to work on the Trek TV series, and I think Abram’s Treks were fun, endearing, creative and ENGAGING, with all kinds of attention to detail, and countless nods to the franchise.

  11. Trey Hudson

    December 3, 2015 at 6:48 pm

    There is always going to be conflict with Star Trek movies! This fan likes this while this fan don’t. I happen to like ST:TMP. The effects were incredible for an era that didn’t have digital f/x! Star Trek is fun! I accept it for that and look forward to much more Trek good or bad!

  12. Tim Burks

    December 3, 2015 at 10:19 pm

    It would have been great……….had he left out Khan. Khan was all about >passion< and NOT about being devoid of any emotion like an android. I like the actor and all but the character sucked mule dong and turned a good movie into an abortion for me.

  13. Jean Plescha

    December 3, 2015 at 10:35 pm

    What do I think of Abrams admissions? Nothing. It is just sensationalist question in an attempt to create hype for the Next movie.

    Having said that, I am very very confident that the next Star Wars Episode will be awesome. Because JJ Abrams and his team are great Story Tellers and Star Wars is a Story kind of Movie. Yet in Star Trek they all leave much to be desired for. Because Star Trek is not just about the Story it is about the Science as a pillar of the story, it is about the Technical aspects that garnish the story and follow the characters in the Realistic albeit Futuristic Challenges and Situations they face. And that is where JJ really is messing up with Star Trek.

    I still watch his Movies in this Alternate Universe, because there is nothing else Star Trek, baring the Fan made creations, I watch them for the nostalgia of the characters . But I take nothing as Cannon from these movies, they have no intrinsic technical Value, they are like a dream of the real thing, because the movies are not based on Science either.

    For me these movies are not unlike episodes of the Alternate Universe where the Earth is an Empire. They were nice to watch but then we all go back to the real thing, the Prime Universe. Can’t wait for Star Wars though.

    • doogster1

      December 30, 2015 at 11:31 pm

      Now that you’ve seen (?) SW:TFA, what do you think? In my opinion, a well made direct remake of A New Hope. Isn’t all of this sounding soooo familiar? Abrams is a hack, a leech who is capable of MAKING good movies, but not of writing them or coming up with an original idea.

  14. Jim

    December 3, 2015 at 11:52 pm

    JJ need to maybe come up with something of his own…rather than screwing up decades old franchises with his ignorance of vision.

  15. Vernon Loyed

    December 4, 2015 at 2:35 am

    I LOVE Star Trek. I have loved it for my entire life. We’ll both turn 50 this coming year. JJ’s Trek is a complete Alternate Universe. A plot device INVENTED by Star Trek. The Alternate Universe was created by the Events of First Contact. (Borg Ship Destroyed over Earth of the Past) expanded by events on Enterprise (Federation discovers Borg Tech, the Show is Darker and More Military) These events that occured in the PRIME Universe are Confirmed in JJ’s films. I can get behind that horribly buried storyline. His sins to the Trek Franchise were born out of an attempt to make Trek more Action-Oriented and Less Character Driven. STID was a wonderful movie when it was “Alternate Universe Space Seed”, once it became TWOK, it was more than a Toe across the Line. Still, His Trek has renewed interest in the franchise and sent those new fans running to Netflix to discover the entire Trek Universe and even landed a new (1st time since 1966) Network TV deal. Hate the Movies if you will Trekkies, but they have saved the franchise. Now my Grandchildren will discover Star Trek….and my 2 cents. ST(2009) and STID Rank ahead of every Trek MOVIE Except 2,3,4,6, First Contact with TMP and ST5 being the worst 😉 …of the BIG Screen Trek, ST4 is my favorite.

  16. Gredorel

    December 4, 2015 at 11:51 am

    It’s the plot holes which needed more attention. Forgetting the obvious time paradox flaw in the first one, why did Spock for instance chase Khan for his blood, when logically there were a load of other blood donors from Khans group already aboard the Enterprise?

  17. Christopher Letch

    December 7, 2015 at 5:59 pm

    What about the flipping engine rooms they were huge!!!!!

  18. Mort Adell

    December 21, 2015 at 9:41 pm

    I refuse to watch JJ’s movies….especially after his first Trek movie. He’s a HACK. I might be the only sci-fi geek not going to Star Wars, but screw him! What a joke.

  19. Mort Adell

    December 21, 2015 at 9:49 pm

    Here’s what should’ve been the plot for the Trek re-boot JJ screwed up. Kirk comes over to command the Enterprise from the Farragut as the youngest commander in the fleet. He struggles in replacing Pike, who enjoys mass loyalty from remaining Enterprise crew including the First Officer.Kirk also thinks of his late Captain Garrovick. The crew is thrust into an epic battle where Spock and Kirk disagree on tactics, but Kirk turns out to be correct, earning instant respect and friendship.

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