Saw it last week on the paramount lot. SO AWESOME and I'm not even a sci-fi fan. It really rocks and when Leonard Nimoy shows up the whole theater went nuts!

I went and saw this movie yesterday and must say simply "Perfect"

As a fan of Star Trek DS9 only I do not know much about the original series and never will. May watch the films but not the series.

Usually I have gripes about movies but not here. Maybe upon a second viewing.

First off, I thought the movie was entertaining.

However, I don't think it was Star Trek nor do I think it was even good science fiction. The time travel stuff was ill thought out and not a likely scenario factually, this made the whole story rather weak.

It was more than made up for in action though, so if you like your movies full of action then you will like this one.

As far as it being Star Trek, well it had the same characters and they did a good job with that surface aspects. But as far as holding true to the spirit of the original series, I think they failed miserably.

There was way too much violence, without reason and without trying alternate means solving the problem.

The whole experience was a bit like watching Star Wars, only with Star Trek characters. My nickname for the film is Star Wars Trek.

A great review...and even funnier if you follow the franchise:

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/trekkies_bash_new_star_trek_film

Love the bit with the Gorn.

At no point have I been a big fan of Star Trek, however, I was intrigued to see this 'reboot'.

I echo Cornetto's idea that this is largely a Star Wars tribute.

It was a decent movie, but when you look at it, there was nothing exceptional about this movie, and it's a simple little popcorn movie - nothing more. It has no more kudos as a movie than 'Transformers', aside from a fervent following and a recognised brand - the movie was as hollow, and instantly forgettable.

Good, but nothing special.

Trailer 3 of 'Terminator Salvation' suggests a more impressive movie, but I reserve the right to be wrong!

Andrew

Saw this today at the IMAX. I really enjoyed it.

First off, I'm by no means a Trek fan, so I can't comment on how well it preserved the spirit of the original. But judging it on its own merits, I thought it was very entertaining. The action sequences were expertly handled - the space-dive onto the drill gave me an adrenaline rush just watching it. The opening was very strong, too - visually impressive but also emotionally potent. The science-fiction-time-travel stuff may have been slightly muddled, but is, if you think about, a really good idea when you're creating a prequel, because it meant that ANYONE could have died at any point, and also they can just do whatever they want from this point on. The main thing was that the film was much, much funnier than I thought it would be - and that added to the enjoyment.

Yes, it's nothing more than a summer blockbuster. It doesn't attempt to do anything particularly deep - no-one's going to give it the kind of respect The Dark Knight got for trying to be something more. But it was actually refreshingly free of messages and morals. It really didn't take itself too seriously, and I liked that. Also, you have to hand it to the creative team - they took a franchise that had limited mainstream appeal and have managed to create something that engages and welcomes a much larger audience.

One very dubious bit, though, was Simon Pegg's Scottish accent. That could really do with some work...hopefully he'll have it sorted before the next film. Because there surely will be at least one more.

It's a good one. The time travel thing worked well, I think, in tearing down the tired, clunky (though dearly loved) franchise and rebuilding a new one. Didn't have to be a die-hard trekkie to enjoy the movie, and worked as a self-contained episode. Really funny in some spots (Kirk's swollen hands and tongue). Cool monsters on the ice planet, though having that "old guy" show up was a bit too convenient.

I liked the movie.  Thought it was awesome!

Some people complained about the amount of deliberate lens flare.  I pesronally liked them and thought it gave some of the shots a more organic look.

Well, I'm an uber Star Wars fan, not a Trekkie but I have watched the show (s) a few times so I know a little of the continuity. As far as I can remember, the Enterprise was built in spacedock and Captain Pike was horribly disfigured and left on a planet that had properties that made him look normal (I think) so as for following the canon of the series, I don't think it did, but I could be wrong.
I don't think Spock and Uhura knocked boots either, but I could be wrong there as well. The time travel thing is what got me. Was this Trek movie about Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise as it would be in an alternate universe because the origins are a little fuddled, or are the writers simply attempting to create something new altogether?
It was fun to finally see the the Enterprise back in space and the antics of Scotty, Bones, etc, though played by younger actors. The actor who portrayed Bones was spot on in his performance as was the one who played Scotty. They are definately my favorite characters in the film. The special effects are awesome and the action sequences rival any that Lucas could come up with.
All in all, a great film. I recommend it to others.  

I saw this today, and speaking as an old-school fan of the series, this is amongst the best of the films.

It does have a different feel -- like chunky peanut butter as opposed to the smooth stuff -- but it also feels fresh, which is not something to undervalue in this ancient franchise.

The Enterprise has never looked better -- wait for that scene where she rises up out of the mists of some moon -- just breathtaking -- and while I was concerned the story was going to get bogged down in a bunch of time-travel silliness, the "this changes everything" speech is actually only about 15 seconds long -- perhaps so as to avoid anybody thinking about it too much.

For the most part, this is a pretty straight-ahead action piece, with new faces spouting familiar dialogue in a familiar high-stakes scenario that should likely achieve the nearly-impossible goal it sets out to achieve -- pleasing the old fans while rounding up some new ones.  I did not think it could be done, but if any film can do it, it should be this one. Abrams continues to impress me.

The new characters all work very well, though to a varying degree.  Quinto inhabits Spock already, and while Pine will have to grow into the role of Kirk, it looks like he should be able to. The actors for McCoy and Scotty knock their roles out of the park.  Sulu, Checkov, and Uhura all seem to be in place, although they have not yet been given much to do in this initial outing -- but they have never really been given all that much to do, so I guess they are fine.

Nimoy, of course, is still the man, and for the old-timers, it is great to see him back in those pointy ears of his.

I really only have one gripe, but it is a pretty big one [Spoiler]:

...and that is having Spock hook up with Uhura.  I have no idea what they were thinking -- or where this brainstorm came from -- but when Spock and Uhura start locking lips completely out of the blue, it almost brought the whole film crashing down around them, and nearly bankrupts both of these characters in the process.

I cannot say "blech" to that little angle enough -- blech, blech, blech -- and can only hope that they have come to their senses and abandoned this idea by the next film.  It is just retarded.

But enough fan-boy digressing.  Other than this lone complaint, I already suspect this will be one of the better films to emerge this summer.  Recommended.

unlike many of the reviewers here... i am a closet fan of the original Star Trek series... i grew up on it as a kid so it holds much nostalgic value to me... thanks to my Father...

anyway i really liked this movie... i think they got it right for the most part... the cast was as good as i could have hoped for.

Karl Urban as McCoy steals the movie for me. he is hysterical

my only gripes about the movie are pretty marginal... the Spock/Uhura thingy didnt work for me... would never happen.

and the character of Nero. a bit too underwritten... i'd like to see a much more prominant and more well rounded villain in the next movie.

The Spock/Ulhura affair was definitely a WTF moment.   However, what surprises me the most is that you guys are accepting the hokey time travel plot.  Through a black hole? Pleeeease!

Quoted from mcornetto However, what surprises me the most is that you guys are accepting the hokey time travel plot.  Through a black hole? Pleeeease!

How can you use black holes for time travel?

http://www.astronomycafe.net/qadir/q285.html

However, it is called Science 'Fiction' for a reason.  So far as our science shows today, not much of Star Trek is realistic.  Warp what?  :)

I've only ever saw one Star Trek movie (Nemesis a few years back) so I know nothing about the original series. I've also yet to see a single Star Wars picture but I must say I really enjoyed this.

This blog has a great review from a screenwriters point of view for anyone interested.

http://www.gointothestory.com/2009/05/analysis-star-treak.html

I thought it was pretty good, but the first 30 minutes REALLY dragged for me.  But once they got on the Enterprise I started enjoying myself more (except for a few scenes, like the crappy CGI monster on the ice planet).

I think it set itself up for a really great sequel though.  I'm excited.

Quoted from mcornetto The Spock/Ulhura affair was definitely a WTF moment.   However, what surprises me the most is that you guys are accepting the hokey time travel plot.  Through a black hole? Pleeeease!

The major thing about it is watch the end of Voyager and DS9 and tell me if this is out of the blue and hokey for "Star Trek"

If anything they stole a plot line from Voyager.

Sorry guys to spoil your party, but it's rather frustrating for us not leaving outside the USA, to read threads and spoilers about films not on our screens yet.

Hope you understand

Michel 8)

I don't know how they did it but somehow, this ended up being a pretty kickass movie. I've never been a fan of Star Trek and even less of a fan of J.J. Abrams. I opted to see this after my sister told me it was good. This is coming from someone with seemingly zero tolerance for sci-fi, mind you. So I took it as good advice, which is was. Despite a few disorienting moments, this makes for an excellent IMAX flick.

A lot of people have called this the "Batman Begins" of Star Trek, although I saw this more as an attempt to make something generally perceived as nerdy "sexy" and "badass." Did it work? I wouldn't apply either buzzword to the franchise as a whole but this one did give it a little pizazz. Plus the scene with the dinosaur/beetle/whatever creature was pretty damn sweet. The dialogue, with the exception of lines taken directly from the original "Star Trek," was actually pretty impressive, despite a few instances of on-the-nose. Acting wasn't bad either (Simon Pegg's always fun, isn't he?). Only real issues I had with the movie as a whole were the unintentionally comical Russian kid, a terribly miscast Karl Urban, and two of the worst cameos in any film I've ever seen (Tyler Perry and Winona Ryder).

Overall... nice!

Quoted from mcornetto ...what surprises me the most is that you guys are accepting the hokey time travel plot.  Through a black hole? Pleeeease!

Eh...it's time travel.  For me, if you are even gonna buy into the concept of time travel in the first place, how you actually accomplish it becomes less important.

Quoted from Dressel ...the crappy CGI monster on the ice planet.

Yeah, I forgot about that part.  Looked like something right out of "Cloverfield", didn't it?

Quoted from Michel ...it's rather frustrating for us not leaving outside the USA, to read threads and spoilers about films not on our screens yet.

All the movie discussion threads on any board will have spoilers, Michel.  You need to avoid the threads if they trouble you -- as simply asking everyone nicely to label their spoilers does not work, you know?

Or were you asking something else?  It wasn't entirely clear....  

I was only talking about my frustration to see movies in France sometimes several weeks after they're out in the US. That's all.

Anyway, it's up to me to not read after all...

Michel 8)

They did a marvelous job with this! I loved it!!!

Sandra

Quoted from steven8 How can you use black holes for time travel? http://www.astronomycafe.net/qadir/q285.html However, it is called Science 'Fiction' for a reason.  So far as our science shows today, not much of Star Trek is realistic.  Warp what?  :)

Steven, your post proved my point.  You can't travel into the past using a black hole and you cannot travel through an event horizon.  You may only approach the hole and make use of it's relativistic effects to travel into the future (and that will only help you if you can both avoid the effects its gravity while travelling and escape its gravity when you are done).

Changing science fact in your sci-fi does not make it sci-fi, it makes it fantasy.

Quoted from mcornetto Steven, your post proved my point.  You can't travel into the past using a black hole and you cannot travel through an event horizon.  You may only approach the hole and make use of it's relativistic effects to travel into the future (and that will only help you if you can both avoid the effects its gravity while travelling and escape its gravity when you are done). Changing science fact in your sci-fi does not make it sci-fi, it makes it fantasy.

Nobody's post 'proved' anything.  From the linked article:

Quoted Text Black holes can be used to travel into the future only. So far as we know, our universe prohibits traveling into the past.

So far as we know.  It's all theory, until someone makes the actual journey, and will probably remain so for quite some time.  They have taken no scientific 'fact' and changed it, since it is theory.  It's still science fiction.

Quoted from steven8 So far as we know.  It's all theory, until someone makes the actual journey, and will probably remain so for quite some time.  They have taken no scientific 'fact' and changed it, since it is theory.  It's still science fiction.

Even if you stretch the facts real far, you can't travel through an event horizon or probably even get very close to a black hole without getting crushed.  And it isn't going to accidentally happen to your ship. Your ship would need to be prepared for it.  

Quoted from mcornetto Even if you stretch the facts real far, you can't travel through an event horizon or probably even get very close to a black hole without getting crushed.  And it isn't going to accidentally happen to your ship. Your ship would need to be prepared for it.

That makes sense.  I still can't wait to see the movie!  :)

It's good but not wonderful.  

The time travel idea was okay.  Spock and Ulhura hooking up was a surprise.

The teleporting graphics has been jazzed up.  And the camera work in space kinda reminds me of how BattleStar Galactica the new series was filmed.

With the Vulcan planet getting destroyed, I wonder where this leaves the next instalment of the franchise?

Some of the comic moments were unnecessary also.

Well, I got the DVD for Christmas. . . and I LOVE it!  This movie rocks.  The guy who played Spock was so spot on perfect it wasn't funny, and Simon Pegg IS Scotty as young feller!  I will watch it again and again and again. . .ad infinitum!

Quoted from steven8 Well, I got the DVD for Christmas. . . and I LOVE it!  This movie rocks.  The guy who played Spock was so spot on perfect it wasn't funny, and Simon Pegg IS Scotty as young feller!  I will watch it again and again and again. . .ad infinitum!

Did you get the version that the dvd case IS the Enterprise? I was angry when I had to assemble and store a ship as my DVD case.

Quoted from Old Time Wesley Did you get the version that the dvd case IS the Enterprise? I was angry when I had to assemble and store a ship as my DVD case.

No, and I'm glad I didn't.  Mine just slides right there on the shelf with the other DVDs.  :)