Star Trek parents guide

Star Trek Parent Guide

Catering to longtime enthusiasts, while attracting newcomers with a well-paced story and visual effects, this Star trek is certain to open this final frontier to a whole new generation.

Overall B+

At last! Screenwriters are boldly taking fans of this TV and movie franchise where they have never gone before -- back into the pasts of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and his trusty companion Spock (Zachary Quinto). This prequel will finally answer how the Captain became so confident and cocky, and how the Vulcan acquired his logical and unemotional demeanor.

Release date May 8, 2009

Violence C-
Sexual Content B-
Profanity C+
Substance Use C+

Why is Star Trek rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Star Trek PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence, and brief sexual content.

Run Time: 126 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

The Star Trek universe has been silent over the past few years, leaving diehard fans with little to do but collect past movies and television episodes on Blu-ray discs. However, with the unveiling of this film, which fills in the backstory of the heroes from the original series, there is potential for a bold new injection of story ideas and discoveries in this perpetual franchise.

Romulans are the big problem on this voyage, thanks to a rogue spacecraft that has adapted some high tech equipment into a weapon of revenge. But on Earth, isolated on the Iowa plains, a young and rebellious James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) could care less about space politics— that is until Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood) discovers the scrappy and drunken youth in the middle of a bar fight with Federation cadets. Aware of his father’s stellar Starfleet service, Pike convinces Kirk to join the ranks.

Meanwhile, many light-years away, a young Spock (Zachary Quinto) faces humiliation on his planet due to his mixed Vulcan-Human ancestry. Feeling he will forever be considered inferior compared to his purely logical colleagues, he too embarks on a journey to Starfleet Academy. There he will ultimately begin a tenuous relationship with Kirk and many other characters familiar to movie audiences worldwide.

These rookie officers find themselves pressed into service when the Romulan issue becomes critical. Although the bad guys play the catalyst of the plot and provide reason for the many impressive action sequences, the core of the story really revolves around Kirk and Spock. For those who have wondered how these two divergent personalities—one driven by logic, the other by gut reaction—ever managed to learn to work together, this movie will answer that question, and many more.

The performers playing these characters (all of whom were developed before the cast of this movie ever walked the Earth) literally have a hard act to follow. Thankfully, they deliver very credible representations of the people we (speaking for those of us who Stardate back a little longer) know so well. The well-written screenplay gives them great material to work with too. Visually amazing, with a great sense of the depth and scale of space, this production may become one of the best-loved cinematic treks.

There is also a good chance parents will find this new Trek suitable for teen viewers. Not wallowing entirely in darkness, like so many action flicks, this space adventure offers positive messages about overcoming differences and building a team. For families, violence will likely be the greatest concern, with portrayals similar in intensity to previous Trek movies like First Contact. Depictions of hand-to-hand combat with bloodied injuries are frequent (including an impaling), along with death and destruction involving futuristic weapons. Sexually is limited to some innuendo and a brief scene between a semi-clothed man and woman who are interrupted before things get too serious. And the script includes intermittent profanities, which are limited to mild expletives and a few terms of deity.

Catering to longtime enthusiasts with ample inside humor (watch for iconic lines interwoven with the dialogue), while attracting newcomers with a well-paced story and visual effects, exploring Star Trek’s origins is certain to open this final frontier to a whole new generation.

Directed by J.J. Abrams. Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, J.J. Abrams. Running time: 126 minutes. Theatrical release May 8, 2009. Updated

Star Trek
Rating & Content Info

Why is Star Trek rated PG-13? Star Trek is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sci-fi action and violence, and brief sexual content.

Dealing with Romulan rebels is never pretty. Many scenes in this film depict conflict sequences on both a wide scale (spaceships shooting each other) and a personal level. Characters engage in frequent hand-to-hand combat, often with bloodied injuries shown. Other scenes depict characters using futuristic weapons. Deaths occur from these encounters. Characters are also injured or killed by falling, impaling, being engulfed in fire or crushed by falling debris. A character nearly drowns. A man is shown strapped to a table in a torture situation—he is verbally threatened and a parasite is put in his mouth. Strange beasts chase and attempt to eat a human. A boy is bullied and pushed by others at school. A brief scene shows a shirtless man and woman in underwear in bed together (their sexual intentions are quickly interrupted). Another female character undresses and is shown in a bra and panties. A few mild profanities and terms of deity are heard. The script includes some sexual innuendo and a single joking reference to bestiality. Drinks are served in a bar, and a somewhat inebriated character begins fighting with other patrons. A man drinks from a flask. A child drives recklessly and is chased by police.

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Star Trek Parents' Guide

What events in the life of James T. Kirk contributed to his decisions as a young man? How did Spock’s childhood affect his personality? What adjustments do the characters need to make in their lives before they can successfully work together? Do you think people actually change, or do they simply learn to control their emotions and reactions?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Star Trek movie is November 17, 2009. Here are some details…

Release Date: 17 November 2009

Star Trek on DVD is in an anamorphic presentation (enhanced for widescreen TVs), with audio tracks in Dolby Digital 5.1 (English) and subtitles in English, French and Spanish. Bonus materials include:

- Commentary: by JJ Abrams, Bryan Burk, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof and Roberto Orci

- Featurette: A New Vision

- Bloopers: Gag Reel

Star Trek: 2-Disc DVD Special Edition, with Digital Copy is in an anamorphic presentation (enhanced for widescreen TVs), with audio tracks in Dolby Digital 5.1 (English) and subtitles in English, French and Spanish. Included on this two-disc set are:

- Commentary: by JJ Abrams, Bryan Burk, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof and Roberto Orci

- Bloopers: Gag Reel

- Featurettes: A New Vision, To Boldly Go, Aliens, Score and Casting.

Additional Scenes: Spock Birth, Klingons Take Over Narada, Young Kirk, Johnny and Uncle Frank, Amanda and Sarek Argue After Spock Fights, Prison Interrogation and Breakout, Sarek Gets Amanda, Dorm Room and Kobayashi Maru (original version), Kirk Apologizes to the Green Girl and Sarek Sees Spock.

- DVD Rom: STAR TREK D-A-C Free Trial Game for XBOX 360, PC and Playstation.

- Digital copy of the movie.

Star Trek: Blu-Ray 3-Disc Special Edition, with Digital Copy offers the movie in 1080p HD resolution, with audio tracks in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English) and Dolby Digital 5.1 (English). Subtitles are available in English, French and Spanish. Extra features include:

- Commentary: by JJ Abrams, Bryan Burk, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof and Roberto Orci

- Bloopers: Gag Reel

- Featurettes: A New Vision, To Boldly Go, Aliens, Score and Casting.

Additional Scenes: Spock Birth, Klingons Take Over Narada, Young Kirk, Johnny and Uncle Frank, Amanda and Sarek Argue After Spock Fights, Prison Interrogation and Breakout, Sarek Gets Amanda, Dorm Room and Kobayashi Maru (original version), Kirk Apologizes to the Green Girl and Sarek Sees Spock.

- DVD Rom: STAR TREK D-A-C Free Trial Game for XBOX 360.

- DVD Rom: Weblink to the STAR TREK D-A-C Free Trial Game for PC and Playstation.

- BD Exclusive: Starships, Planets, Props and Costumes, Gene Roddenberry’s Vision, Ben Burtt and the Sounds of Star Trek and Starfleet Vessel Simulator.

- BD-Live: NASA News

- Digital copy of the movie.

Related home video titles:

For another adventure with Captain Kirk and Spock, check out: Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. Other movies from this franchise that we have reviewed include: Star Trek: Nemesis, Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: First Contact.

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