I was going to see the “Star Trek” reboot tonight, but my in into the advance screening bailed on me, so I’ll wait till this weekend.
We brought back a couple of “Star Trek” related articles on Hyphenmagazine.com to mark the movie’s opening. One is a Q&A with John Cho, who plays Sulu in the movie, and the other is one I wrote that examines racial stereotypes in the “Star Trek” universe.
For the stereotypes article, I talked to Daniel Bernardi, who’s written several books about race and how it’s portrayed in movies and TV. I found him by coming upon his book, “Star Trek and History: Race-ing Toward a White Future,” on the Internet. Despite its utopian outlook, just like back here on Earth, “Star Trek” is dominated by its white characters.
“What ‘Star Trek’ is really about is a future that is quote, white, and white is really articulated as a metaphor for being human,†Bernardi told me. “We can all get along if humans — read white — are in charge, and we all try to be like them.â€Â
“Star Trek” has its flaws, but it effort to have diverse casts, including Asian Americans, makes it a step above most Hollywood fare. I’m looking forward to the movie, despite the delay.