Short version: It is awesome, drop what you are doing and go to the cinema.

And now for the longer version…

As the movie reel starts, you are immediately thrown into the thick of the action. A Starfleet vessel is under attack from a ship that is far superior in terms of size and firepower. The only clue to the identity of the aggressor is that it is a Romulan ship. The opening sequence neatly introduces you to Kirk, and the legacy that is attached to the name. The story unfolds at a nice pace, steadily cascading into what seems to involve a temporal change in the time line and you know there is going to be trouble. As Janeway puts it “Ever since my first day on the job as a Starfleet Captain, I swore I’d never let myself get caught in one of these Godforsaken paradoxes. The past is the future, the future is the past, it gives me a headache.”

The characterisation is fantastic; the entire crew from the Star Trek original series is there. Their introduction eases in as a background story of how their paths cross, which ultimately leads to their forming of the USS Enterprise crew. Ah the USS Enterprise NCC-1701, she is beautifully rendered and given a very modern facelift. In keeping with the series (and every Star Trek series/movie I can think of), the computer voice is done by Majel Barrett-Roddenberry by using past sound clips and the reminiscent beeps and blips are all there. Even with the cosmetic changes, it still feels like the Enterprise of yore.

Going back to the characters… it is amazing how much work they have put into keeping all the traits for each. Kirk was always a brawler and a womaniser, Spock with his undeniable logic and the list goes on. The script is superb; all the famous lines are uttered with such fluidity and natural conviction it brings back so many memories. However, the one character that stands out for me has to be McCoy. The furrowing of the eyebrows, the voice (he absolutely sounds like DeForest Kelley), the mannerisms and his lines! There are so many gems, such as “Are you out of your Vulcan Mind?!” and “I’m a doctor, not a physicist”. My hat goes off to Karl Urban, his performance was flawless and he must have been practicing in his sleep to get it as good as this.

I have to mention the humour as well, again it does not feel forced and does not detract from the overall action packed storyline but it brings a lot of fun, which was always there in the original series. The film feels so complete in every way; it will definitely cater for Star Trek fans and an entertaining introduction if you are new to the Star Trek universe. The plot itself is engaging, thoroughly compelling and well worth the cinema ticket price. If there is one movie you need to watch this year, make it this one.

Now I have to talk about some slight blemishes on an otherwise brilliant spectacle, spoilers ahead so I suggest you get to Warp factor 8 and stop reading now…


I do not think that the future Spock should have met and talked with the young Spock at the end of the film. If past Star Treks are anything to go by, meeting your future self is a big no no. Having said that, the establishment of the temporal prime directive could be later on, so such rule may not have existed yet. Even so, it did not seem right somehow. Secondly, how can the brilliant Spock miscalculate the release of the red matter so that it was too late to save the planet Romulus? It seems like such a huge mistake on his part to have arrived at the supernova location, only to find that it was already engulfing the planet. I guess this is just me speaking as a fan and I have a bad habit of questioning plot holes sometimes.

I do need to see it again though, mainly just so I can experience the thrill of the ride once more. Since the timeline changed, the creators have opened themselves for a sequel. I hope this is the case and that JJ Abrams is once again at the helm.

Interesting thing to note, the Christopher Pike character makes an appearance also as the second captain of the USS Enterprise. I shall post my thoughts on the movie afterwards, I really hope this is as good as the hype.