Star Wars vs. Star Trek – Part 2

Star Wars episode 3 is looming on the horizon…

From what I have seen on its website (www.starwars.com) and the trailer, I think this one could be a lot better than the previous two episodes. The original trilogy is still the best, and since episode one flopped big time, the second trilogy wouldn’t live up to its original standard (story-telling wise).

Special effects have always been a treat for Star Wars. There’s just plenty of it! Even in comparison with Star Trek. Action is more hands-on thanks to the light-saber and lightning-fast, smaller and nimbler ships. Wired magazine rated the light-saber as the second-coolest sword in motion picture history (the first being Hattori Hanzo sword used by Uma Thurman character in Kill Bill). Ships in the Star Wars galaxy are swift and maneuverable, resulting in plentiful action.

I compared this to Star Trek. Ships in the Trek universe are big and slow. Plus, the action is brief and simplistic (fire a phaser, and you’re done). However, the appeal of Star Trek is different than Star Wars. Ships in the Trek universe have high consistency (aesthetically and technically). Technologies are advanced and yield a high degree of possibility, even the transporter. Star Trek production really uses its consultants, so a lot of the technologies used in the series can be explained by real-life science. (Even the modern cell phone is said to have similarities with Captain Kirk’s communicator that was used in Star Trek series in the 1960s).

As for the action, Star Trek has been catching up in the Dominion War storyline, but I think it is not the main attraction.