[kevin]

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/...ek-dvd-sequel/

For the delectation of those who may be interested - Abrams' perspective on how some things came to pass in Star Trek.

[janeway72]

It's funny, they are still saying 2011 yet they are only throwing round ideas.

They should have left the scene where Spock Prime explains what he is doing in the alternate timeline in, I think. It would have made more sense. Who needs mysteries?

[kevin]

I think it depends on how you want to maybe define 'mystery'.

In that snippet Abrams is possibly trying to excuse what some would simply see as plot holes instead of 'mystery'. Then again, not every film-goer wants the A-B-C spelled out literally for them, while some do.

It depends on the viewer.

I think O&K did go about the film and leave more than perhaps other writers would 'open' to audience perception.

The time taken to arrive at Vulcan etc is highly debated between those who think it was mere minutes and those who think it took longer, for instance.

Also the question of how much time elapsed between the escape of the ship from the Black Hole and Kirk getting command. Some think it was days, some think it could have been longer than that and the film doesn't give a clear answer.

Of course, one could argue that leaving some things open to the viewers imagination is a good thing. Some would disagree.

[TheTrekkie]

Timeline repairing itself sounds like "deus ex machina"

Of course, one could argue that leaving some things open to the viewers imagination is a good thing. Some would disagree.

I think it depends on what you leave open.

Leaving open how many time elapses between two scenes is Ok, that always was a normal stylistic device in ST movies. (Just remember that the Borg Cube in ST:FC just entered Federation space at the beginning of the movie and in the next scene the Cube already reached Earth - that had to be a lot more than just minutes, too)

You also can leave a few things open to create the impression that there is a huge universe and the audience is just watching a tiny detail, just one story of many that are happening at the same time (like they did in the old Star Wars movies or in STXI with the main fleet being engaged anywhere else)

And when you want to create a good horror or mystery movie you even have to leave a few things open to the fantasy of the audience to create fear and tension. There is no CGI effect as shocking as the expectations the human fantasy.

[janeway72]

It probably depends how much they want to close the holes in the sequel. The problem with leaving things open to interpretation is that once you have decided what you think is the answer to the problem, if they turn round in the next film and change it, then you are going to get annoyed with it.

It's kind of similar to reading the book before going to see the film. I read all the Harry Potter books before the film came out. The dementors, in my head (an in JK Rowling's description of them) looked more like Darth Vader with a great big cloak on that the ghost type things that became the dementors in the movie. So I was really disappointed and annoyed by them. And the Inferi were much more scary in my head.

[kevin]

Originally Posted by TheTrekkie

Timeline repairing itself sounds like "deus ex machina"

To some people, I agree it would.

However, that particular stoytelling technique has been employed on TOS once or twice in the past as well.

The twist with Organians was one such instance, Trelane's parents etc

[NCC-73515]

"There may be some logic to the belief that time is fluid, like a river, with currents, eddies, backwash." - Spock (COTEOF)

[kevin]

Originally Posted by janeway72

It probably depends how much they want to close the holes in the sequel. The problem with leaving things open to interpretation is that once you have decided what you think is the answer to the problem, if they turn round in the next film and change it, then you are going to get annoyed with it.

Possibly, yep, but then being too prescriptive doesn't automatically solve the problem.

If the film had said it was 14 days later that Kirk got his promotion - it would have made no real difference, except to further infuriate those who would say he got it too quickly

(which technically, he probably did but...)

[kevin]

Originally Posted by NCC-73515

"There may be some logic to the belief that time is fluid, like a river, with currents, eddies, backwash." - Spock (COTEOF)

Which appears to be a theory the movie very loosely implies as well.

[Captain Shaw]

Originally Posted by janeway72

They should have left the scene where Spock Prime explains what he is doing in the alternate timeline in, I think. It would have made more sense. Who needs mysteries?

Completely agree! I would love that scene to have been left in(it was in the Book). Oh well...can't wait to see it on the Bluray, in deleted scenes.