An instant sci-fi classic

Rating: 9/10 (9 May 2009)

First of all, I've never been that much of a Star Trek fan. Throughout the years, I've only watched a hand full of episodes, and it wasn't until rather recently when I decided to watch Wrath of Khan, which not only thoroughly impressed me, but got me even more excited for this latest installment. Now, while it may be too early to say for certain (as I've only just come back from seeing the movie), I'm tempted to call Star Trek one of my all-time favorite science fiction films.
On top of this being one of the best looking movies I've seen in a long time, I was very pleasantly surprised by the action in this film. Ships aren't simply staring at each other, waiting for somebody to fire the next shot. Here, they're swooping past each other, and diving under chunks of ship debris; it's just a ton of fun to watch. Also, the fight choreography is top-notch, and - in some ways - more engaging than any of the ship battles in the movie. If anything, I felt that there was almost too much action in the film. Not a huge gripe, but there were a few action sequences that felt irrelevant to the story. Overall, the action, as well as the special effects, are superb.
The most impressive part of the movie, however, is the acting. Even as somebody who hasn't watched a whole lot of the original TV series, I felt that each of the actors nailed their respective characters perfectly. Zachary Quinto as Spock and Karl Urban as Dr. Bones McCoy were especially brilliant, from their mannerisms and nuances, to just the overall essence of their characters. The only character whose motivations I wasn't able to buy was Nero, despite being very well portrayed by Eric Bana.
Overall, Star Trek is a smart, funny, action-packed thrill ride. Whether you're a die-hard Star Trek fan or somebody who has never even heard of the series up until now, you'll have an absolute blast. This is not only my second favorite film of the year so far (with Coraline still sitting firmly at the #1 spot), but one of the finest science fiction movies I've ever seen.