Star Trek: For a new Generation.

More partial to Vader than Vulcans? Prefer being a trendy to being a Trekkie? Well all that doesn’t matter any more, Star Trek has been re-born.

From the opening time-splicing frames, screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman cleverly breathe new life into a series that lets face it had been considered lifeless. Transporting the familiar characters into an alternate universe full of potential, make no mistake, boldly going where no man has gone before is cool again.

An origin story of sorts; director JJ Abrams shows us how the crew of the Enterprise are thrown together, forcing them to fight through their first real mission. Hell hath no fury like a Romulan scorned, and Nero (Eric Bana) is that Romulan.

Feeling betrayed by Spock; blaming him for the destruction of his home planet, he and his surviving crew of tattoo faced foes search time and space for revenge.

Meanwhile the crew are meeting and greeting . . .sort of.

Luckily for us all members of the cast have time to shine. Be it Sulu’s (John Cho) samurai sword fight atop a huge planetary drill, Checkov’s (Anton Yelchin) clumsy accent translations or Scotty’s (Simon Pegg, proving that not all movie Scottish accents are bad) comic relief, the new crew of the Enterprise is one to marvel at.


As with all ensemble casts there are always stand out performances, Kirk (Chris Pine) is heroic when he needs to be heroic and cocky when he needs to be cocky without over playing either and becoming a caricature of a character.

Although Kirk carries us through the movie, this is Spock’s story; played with perfect restraint, Spock (Zachary Quinto) perfectly displays a fragmented mind; a constant internal battle between logic and emotion, human and Vulcan.

And finally Dr Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy (Karl Urban) is instantly likable and very funny as the ships medical officer and voice of reason to the irrational Kirk.

There’s no denying Abrams had a job on his hands when he decided to make this picture. He had to please fans, attract non fans, and basically make a film friendly to all those who see Trek as strictly geek territory, needless to say he succeeded.

Funny, smart, action packed and above all cool, Star Trek ticks all the boxes, maybe there is no limit to the mans talent. Expect an even better sequel.