Star Trek is a 2009 science fiction adventure film directed by J. J. Abrams (Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens), starring John Cho (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle), Bruce Greenwood (I, Robot), Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead), Chris Pine (Wonder Woman), Zachary Quinto (Heroes), Zoe Saldana (Guardians of the Galaxy), Karl Urban (Dredd), Anton Yelchin (Fright Night), Eric Bana (Black Hawk Down), and Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek: The Motion Picture). It is the eleventh film in the Star Trek film franchise, and the first in the rebooted film series. The film follows James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) aboard USS Enterprise as they combat Nero (Eric Bana), a Romulan from their future who threatens the United Federation of Planets.

Plot:  Okay, the story is pretty interesting considering that it contains time travel and alternate timelines (something that can suck if not done properly).  The story goes at a great pace with a lot of action and character growth.  Although the overarching story is Nero’s attack on the United Federation of Planets, the film follows Kirk trying to live up to his father’s name and assume command of the USS Enterprise.  It’s a pretty compelling story with some pretty interesting twists especially with some of the changes to the timeline.  The developing arcs are strong, specifically the development of Kirk and Spock and how they grow as a team.  The beginning of the film is just as engaging as the ending which comes to a satisfying conclusion. (3 out of 5)

Characters:  If you’re a fan of the original Star Trek series then you’ll probably like these younger versions.  They’re really good, they’re interesting, they’re likable, they’re well written.  Love the chemistry between the characters, they have really good scenes together.  The standout characters are of course James Kirk, Spock, and Bones.  I like that Kirk is smart, cocky and arrogant.  Uhura is freaking awesome.  She’s strong, she’s sexy; loved the relationship between her and Spock.  The rest of the crew is great including Sulu, Scotty, and Chekov and each scene with them is enjoyable.  The villains are interesting but lack enough depth.  Captain Nero does have motivation but the film does lack enough exploration of it and it lacks enough exposition of the crew.  However, Nero is still a pretty cool villain though not as memorable as he could’ve been. (4 out of 5)

Cast:  Thumbs up the cast for the terrific performances.  The main cast includes Chris Pine as Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Karl Urban as McCoy, Simon Pegg as Scotty, John Cho as Sulu, and Anton Yelchin as Chekov and the casting choices are not only spot on but the performances are just solid. Never really been an Eric Bana fan but he was actually pretty impressive as Nero. Supporting cast includes Wynoma Ryder, Ben Cross, Clifton Collins, Deep Roy, Tyler Perry and Chris Hemsworth. (4 out of 5)

Visuals:  This is just a beautiful looking movie, the best that the Star Trek franchise has ever scene.  Everything from the wide shots of the city, to the interplanetary travel, and designs of the space ships look fantastic.  The makeup effects, costume designs, and set pieces are just awesome.  The action sequences are pretty intense and well shot. (5 out of 5)

Score:  Michael Giacchino does a phenomenal job with the musical composition.  The overall theme is just so powerful that it sets the bar high for the film.  The sound effects are on point; the space ships have their unique sounds, the phasers sound impactful, battles are intense. (4 out of 5)

Writing:  I don’t care what anyone says about J. J. Abrams, he does a fantastic job of directing this movie.  The way the pacing goes, the strong character dynamic, the intensity of the film, all under this talented director’s eye.  Loved the writing and how it stays connected to the source material while giving it a fresh take.  The dialogue isn’t bad and it does feel in tuned with the franchise.  The world-building and set up are done exceptionally well.  It’s pacing is done really well and despite the science fiction setting there is drama and humor.

One of my favorite scenes is the space jump scene where Kirk, Sulu, and engineer Olson drop onto a drilling platform that’s drilling to the core of the Vulcan planet.  It’s a fast paced sequence that shifts from an intense jump to a fight on the platform.  And the cinematic side of it looks great.  (3 out of 5)

The Verdict:  In the end, Star Trek is a great film on all fronts.  I had very little problems with the film although I acknowledge that the antagonist Nero could’ve been fleshed out better.  I know that those extreme fans of the series might find fault with this reboot because it does change up the mythos.  But the movie has great characters, great performances, awesome graphics, intense battles, fantastic soundtrack, and great direction and writing.  Star Trek gets 4 out of 5.