Excellent, beats the first

Rating: 9/10 (18 May 2013)

I am really enjoying the re-revival of cultural stuff from when I was a child of the 60's, particularly Star Trek and most of the Marvel movies. I have always felt a good Star Trek movie is pretty much equal parts characters, plot, dialogue and believable special effects. In the first run of six Star Trek movies - I don't consider Next Generation to be "Star Trek" - they got thinner on the plot as the movies went along (sort of like in the original TV series). In its second revival this one is actually better than the first. I think Pine has more range than Shatner as Kirk and also can show a vulnerable side, although for a 60's TV show Shatner's bluster was effective. I can't speak as highly for Quinto, but I don't think there's a man alive who can out-Spock Nimoy. Nimoy WAS Spock so that Quinto acts like Nimoy more than he acts like Spock, if that makes sense. That said, Quinto comes across as too accessible and almost effeminate. They need to show a tougher, quieter side of Spock next time around. No one would ever call Nimoy effeminate. Urban does much better as McCoy than in the last movie. Scotty does very well despite his visual difference from the original, Uhura and Sulu are fine also. This movie starts out a little slow and over-CGI'ed -- a common major problem with current films -- but picks up speed as it goes along. I like the references to the original Star Trek stories but of course they risk credibility each time they do that in terms of series to series continuity. Admiral Marcus could have been played by Robert Lansing but he's been gone for years. Very well done, keep 'em coming!