Reviews
Premiere - We were also glad to see they didn't ignore the humorous elements that made the original so great. Plus, the casting is spot on, Los Angeles Times - Though it has its over-caffeinated aspects and its missteps, this Star Trek has in general bridged the gap between the old and the new with alacrity and purpose, Time Out - Deceptively clever: it works both as affectionate fanboy nostalgia and as a neophyteÆs introduction to the 'Trek'-verse, Empire - The most exhilarating TREK to date marks a new future for Kirk and co., The Sun - Action movie of the year!, Daily Telegraph - A grand success - perhaps a new populist benchmark in what to do with a flagging franchise, and a witty, light-on-its-feet prequel... May it live long and prosper, by which we mean, sequels, soon, please, Variety - Blasting onto the screen at warp speed and remaining there for two hours, the new and improved Star Trek will transport fans to sci-fi nirvana, Entertainment Weekly - The clever and infectious reboot of the amazingly enduring sci-fi classic, director J.J. Abrams crafts an origin myth that avoids any hint of the origin doldrums. That's because he rewires us back into the original Star Trek's primal appeal, The Independent - Even in comparison with the original series, let alone the Next Generation offshoots, this new Star Trek delivers entertainment of a surprisingly high order, New York Times - A testament to television's power as mythmaker, as a source for some of the fundamental stories we tell about ourselves, who we are and where we came from, The Times - Abrams' film is a rollicking space adventure that makes you fall in love with the original series all over again, Rolling Stone - A burst of pure filmmaking exhilaration that manages to pay homage to the classic 1960s TV series and still boldly go where no man, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy included, has gone before, Daily Mail - The result is not only by far the best of the 11 Star Trek movies, it must rank as the outstanding prequel of all time... The picture moves at a terrific pace, and is a satisfying tale of good versus evil, with Eric Bana a highly hissable villain... This is space opera on a mythic scale, and it's stirring stuff
Additional Information
Those prepared to hate the reboot of STAR TREK--whether they're diehard fans or those in the anti-sci-fi camp--may be convinced to lower their shields after seeing this fun, action-filled film. Best known for creating mythology-driven series like LOST, J.J. Abrams has imbued his version with the elements that have made his shows such mind-bending entertainment while still keeping the soul of the saga intact. STAR TREK begins with an attack by an impossibly advanced Romulan ship captained by the tattooed, snarling Nero (Eric Bana). Among the survivors is the infant version of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), who grows up to wreak havoc on the Iowa countryside. When Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) meets an adult Kirk, he encourages him to join Starfleet, giving him the opportunity to meet Spock (Zachary Quinto), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), and the rest of the characters audiences have loved for decades.
Abrams has assembled a fine cast who seem to be aware of their predecessors but never resort to impressions. Both Quinto and Pine do a fine job with their portrayals of Kirk and Spock, and Karl Urban couldn't be better as Leonard McCoy. The supporting players--Simon Pegg (Scotty), John Cho (Sulu), and Anton Yelchin (Chekov)--all capture the essence of what drove their characters, though their screen time is limited. STAR TREK manages the nearly impossible: it pleases hardcore fans with plenty of in-jokes and references (and an appearance by the original Spock, Leonard Nimoy), but it doesn't alienate newcomers with tons of technobabble. The action and effects rank with any other top-tier summer blockbuster, but there's plenty of humour to balance the excitement. For anyone who (wrongly) felt he had to hide his trekker tendencies, this undeniably cool version of STAR TREK offers a chance to wear the 'geek' label with pride.
