Star Trek

Let me start by saying that if you were never a fan of the original show then this movie probably won't do much for you. If, like me however, you have an emotional attachment to these characters then you will absolutely love J.J. Abrams reboot of the old franchise. "Reboot" couldn't be a better term as Roberto Orci's and Alex Kurtzman's screenplay doesn't just go back to visit younger versions of the original characters, it starts an alternate timeline in which slightly different versions of familiar characters are created.

You see, a grumpy Romulan named Nero (a scenery chewing Eric Bana) travels back in time with a ship and some stuff called Red Matter that is capable of destroying planets. He's pissed off at the Vulcans because they allowed his planet to be destroyed so he's going to return the favor. The chain of events he sets off creates a tangent universe, altering the lives of James T. Kirk, Spock and the rest of the Enterprise crew, who aren't even the Enterprise crew yet when the movie starts. This plot line came as a refreshing surprise to me as I thought the movie was simply going to be a prequel and had serious reservations about whether or not I'd be able to accept new actors in these beloved roles.

The time travel/alternate realty plot device was a brilliant stroke. It gives original fans an easy out to let down their defenses and enjoy the movie. These are after all, new versions of old characters set upon a divergent reality from the one we know. Significant events are caused by Nero that have huge ramifications on not only the characters but the entirety of the Star Trek universe. Naturally their personalities, while still immediately familiar, would be slightly altered by these events. Having new actors in the roles feels less like a betrayal and more like an organic result of the story. It helps that smart choices were made for the actors to play these parts. Zachary Quinto is especially good as Spock and Karl Urban virtually channels the late, great DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy. Chris Pine as Kirk does a fine job and everyone else brings a fresh feel but instantly recognizable nostalgia to their characters.

While the story spends a lot of time reintroducing the characters, it affords plenty of opportunity for spectacular action set-pieces. There's sky diving, fist fights atop precariously suspended platforms, alien beasties and breathtaking space battles. While highly detailed and fast paced, these dueling spacecraft scenes are rendered with CGI and lack some of the immediacy of the models that were used in earlier films such as The Wrath of Khan. Filled with action, humor and some genuine character development, this is a movie that has something for every science fiction fan out there and should be embraced by Star Trek aficionados.

The whole movie has a glossy, high-def look to it that really shines.

It's a testament to Gene Roddenberry that so many years later, people still love these characters and want to return to the world that he created. J.J. Abrams has done a fine job setting himself up to tell more stories with a group of characters that already has a large investment of goodwill with audiences. Let's hope that he can strike a balance between the Hollywood action movie of today and the thought-provoking story lines of the original series.