Outstanding second outing for the Enterprise crew

Rating: 10/10 (15 May 2013)

With 2009's Star Trek JJ Abrams managed to do what many were sceptical was possible..he made the series accessible to the masses and with a sexy young cast, thrilling action sequences and lens flare aplenty we were immediately sold once again into the Trek universe and both old fans and new highly anticipated what the sequel would bring. We are thrown straight into the action before any opening credits have rolled and instantly the film look stunning. The planet Nibiru sets the scene for the opening sequence, and a decision made by Kirk (Chris Pine) results in breaking a fundamental Starfleet rule. As a result Kirk is reprimanded and first officer Spock (Zachary Quinto) is re-assigned.
Just as it looks like things couldn't get worse for Kirk, a new threat in the form of Galactic Terrorist who goes by the name of "John Harrison" (Cumberbatch) interrupts proceedings and before long Kirk is back leading the crew of the Enterprise in hot pursuit.
Around this point we are introduced to a few new characters, Dr Carol Marcus (Alice Eve), the daughter of Starfleet head Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) whom has instructed Kirk to take 72 suspicious looking Torpedoes along for the journey.
What follows is a cat and mouse chase across the cosmos that takes us to Klingon home-world Kronos, where Kirk is once again reluctant to follow orders and risk starting a war with the Klingon Empire.
Abrams, along with writers Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof have created another fantastic Star Trek movie. The story is great with many nods to original trek lore, the Villain is BADASS, and it looks stunning! The movie is relentlessly exciting from the very first minute inside a volcano, to the rather poignant moments between the crew that are so well written. The Enterprise crew steal the show though, it's not often that after just one movie in a franchise you are so involved with these characters, you can feel what they feel, laugh with them, cry with them. I was totally immersed in this movie from start to finish.
Overall I can only say it's as good, if not better than Abrams first movie, and most certainly one of the best Trek movies ever made!