Who ever said this film wouldn't please Trekkies?

Rating: 9/10 (8 May 2009)

If you have heard this you have been lied to! Star Trek has and will always be a favorite among science-fiction enthusiasts; this is a given. This film plays off the old series a lot more than some reviewers may have led you to believe! And, take it from a fan of the series growing up, this movie was amazing in almost every aspect! The story made sense inside of the Star Trek universe. Time travel, not so much a spoiler to this film, is what makes the tables turn in this new film, though we get a new spin on things that make it all-the-more interesting to watch. Every original character is addressed, and aside from the obvious Kirk and Spock, every character we as Trekkies grew up loving has a decent role in the film. 'Bones' as the comic relief, Scotty as the simple yet intuitive chief engineer, Sulu is a little different than we remember but not at all bad, Uhura, and even Checkov gets his time to shine. The story is entertaining, though it drags ever-so-slightly in the middle of the second act. True fans of the series will not be disappointed, and yet I'm sure any avid sci-fi lover, or even an action person, would be impressed with it.
The visuals are stunning and are far superior to what we have been exposed to before in the Trek universe. Everything is a little bit more gritty than the lushes 'happy' feeling world we know, and the visuals sort of humanize Trek in a way we have never seen. Great CGI effects (and coming from someone like me who is in no way a fan of CGI unless needed, that's saying a lot). I'm almost sad I couldn't see this on IMAX just for the quality of what you get to see.
The score is phenomenal. Definitely something different, though it will take you easily back to the days of the original series in how the music plays out. Great themes, great low-brass for the villain, Nero, and a great homage to Alexander Courage during the closing credits.
All in all, true fans and ordinary movie-goers will enjoy this film, I hope, as much as I did. I kept a high level of expectation going in, though I also braced myself for the worst. There will be sequels to this film, and when I get the privileged to see them, I hope they keep me entertained like this one did.
What you will get: if you follow the Trek universe, you will get several different references to the show and films. If you don't, these little throw-backs to the time of Shatner and crew are well presented to the point where you can still find them comical/worthwhile. I recommend this film to anyone who enjoys sci-fi, and I also want to say if you are a true fan, go expecting the worst, but prepare to be shocked and awed.