Reboot? Not exactly...

Rating: 7/10 (28 May 2009)

I'm not a Trekkie, i grew up a Star Wars nerd and fought my corner where necessary. With that in mind, i figure i have the right to be picky about what I do like about Star Trek and the original series is just about as good as it gets.
Not disappointed in the slightest, it's a brilliant work on the original characters with McCoy and Spock the obvious standouts. All the familiar facial expressions, catchphrases and mannerisms are back again, just this time it's shiny and not so disco.
A lot of people keep whining on about the reboot ruining established stories, the main thing i got from watching this was far from that idea though - it's not a reboot at all. Nero has come from the future, a future with events that could quite easily have been covered in a story that fits the overall sequence of previous films, but he has has now travelled back in time to in some way avert these events. It's not as if JJ Abrams is trying to retell an old story, he's telling more of the story and, at the same time, breathing new life into a franchise that was quickly going stale (Enterprise? Oh, come on, it was weaker than Mrs Captain Chicken-bone-stuck-in-throat from Voyager).
The work on the effects and textures is breathtaking - the Kelvin roaring along in the chaos of the opening scenes drew me in and it just continued in that rich vein of form. Adversely, the over-contrasted look to the Enterprise' interior gives it a slightly dreamy feel but doesn't detract from the performances or the action at all.
Bana is, as always, fearsomely good and, aside from Pegg's occasional "Scottish" accent (sounded Welsh, Brummie and Geordie at points, but there you go)i can't really find fault with any of the main players.
Well worth it and, from a Star Wars nerd such as myself, that's high praise. Took them 30 years to come up with something to beat down Lucas, now he's at the bottom of a slump and this film is towering over him. Enjoy your moment in the sun, Trekkies, you waited long enough and this really is worth it.