Prelude to Axanar

Until George Takei's Facebook post supporting Prelude, I was unaware of fan-funded Trek films. Truth in advertising, I contributed to both the Kickstarter campaign for Prelude and for the full Axanar movie which will be filmed in 2015. However, if I thought I hadn't gotten my money's worth, I'd say so. That is NOT the case here.

This is a great concept that presents a prequel to The Original Series. And despite the shoestring budget for Prelude, the production quality is astounding! It's also cleverly presented as a History Channel-like documentary that reviews the events of the Four Years' War between the Federation and the Klingons.

Production quality aside, this is a brilliant collection of on-screen talent with veterans of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Babylon 5, and even the original Battlestar Gallactica. I'm sure I'm missing other projects but you get the idea. This is NOT a bunch of rookies.

What makes me an expert at all this? Years of fandom as a viewer, with the elevated expectations that come with that. Bottom line is that this leaves me hungry for the full movie, just as it was intended to do!

What's amazing is not that it is such a wonderfully produced, well acted, and beautifully shot film (which it certainly is). It's that it was done with loving care on a budget of less than what probably most TV ads cost nowadays to make. The producers, director, actors, cgi/special effects, photography director, and crew are all long time Hollywood professionals. They made an independent short film on their own terms, visualizing the Star Trek universe as they see it. Which seeing the support they're receiving from the fan base, I'd say they've succeeded. I gave it a 9/10 only because I wish it was longer, Ha. I guess I'll have to wait for the movie....Star Trek: Axanar!

This film is what Star Trek was meant to be. On a Q&A panel the director and producer explained that as they made this film they kept asking themselves "Would Gene Roddenberry Do This?" and they made it true to Gene and true to Star Trek fans.

I like how they've used the 2009 ships' models and phaser mounts while fixing the exaggerated ship size and ridiculous out of proportion engines. Its wise to maintain some recognizable features from the latest films. On the other hand I would have liked to have seen the Fleet HQ, Dreadnought, Destroyer and Transport/Tug from the 1975 Star Trek Technical manual. Or even the Klingon Battleship from the '90's Task Force Games Star Fleet Battles. This arms race could have been "bigger" but I see how that would have taken away from their " We were explorers" vein they are pursuing and their unveiling of the Constitution Class. Which is very cool.

Where JJ Abrams has turned Star Trek into an unintelligent, mass appeal action romp these guys succeed in bringing it back to its roots and I couldn't be more impressed or eager to share it with my friends who really care about Sci Fi. I can't wait for the feature film.

This 20 min short is just amazing, better than most trek movies. Can't believe it was filmed on a next to nothing budget. Someone should give them a license and a budget to film a feature length sequel

Prelude to Axanar is the first real piece of Star Trek to come out since the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Enterprise 10 years ago. It has a great trek-worthy storyline and magnificent acting, and the special effects are great! I also greatly enjoyed the numerous "easter eggs" hidden throughout the film.

The quality is nothing like Star Trek: Into Darkness, which was just a mindless action flick intended for today's unenlightened audience. Prelude to Axanar is a thought-provoking Star Trek that visionary Gene Roddenberry himself would have been proud of.

The fact that Prelude to Axanar is an independent production (commonly referred to as a fan film) did not derail the production at all. The teams at Axanar Productions did a fantastic job of making the movie just as good, if not even better than, any "professional" production, and I have that in quotations because this was made professionally just like any other movie.

I highly recommended watching Prelude to Axanar, which is only twenty minutes long. See for yourself whether or not you like it. It's free and extraordinary; you'll love it.