It's Star Trek Jim, but not as we know it. Yes, perhaps the greatest challenge in sci-fi franchise history has befallen the enigmatic J.J. Abrams - how do you solve a problem like James T. Kirk and co.? Well, not only has he come up with all the right answers, again, but he's rather nonchalantly shrugged off the weight of the cherished saga as easily as Montgomery Scott wringing the juice out of a clutch of Dilithium Crystals.\"Star Trek\" is an out and out adventure, which refuses to let up for a single second. It's one hell of a ride imbued with a sense of wonder, charm and a knowing wink to Trek lore - this must have been what it was like for those watching the original series all those years ago - you're left feeling a little awe-struck and excited. The opening salvo, the last voyage of the USS Kelvin is quite simply stunning - a set piece that sends Abrams' reboot bursting out of the blocks. And it's not too soon thereafter that Abrams lays down his 'statement of intent'. This is a new Trek universe in which characters we recognise just happen to inhabit. So Kirk here (played with real muscle by Chris Pine), after a great, joy-riding introduction, is a more chaotic creature - all instinct and fury. Spock meanwhile (\"Heroes\" star Zachary Quinto), whose formative years are relatively brushed over on Vulcan, is a young man more attuned to his emotional, half-human side. The names are the same but this is an alternate reality, a fracture in time thanks to resident baddie, Nero (the brilliant Eric Bana). OK, so the above sounds a lot like a familiar MacGuffin found in the annals of Star Trek - and it is, unashamedly. The narked Nero's arrival from the future, on the hunt for an old adversary, triggers a thrilling ride taking in whole scale, planet destruction and some good old fashioned space battles. We may have seen similar before from Trek but Abrams has captured the action in such a way that it all seems new! What's more, despite the stunning visuals, what lingers long in the memory is the new crew dynamic. Each cast member has clearly done their homework and the performances here are pitched to perfection with many a gentle nod to their forebears. Zoe Saldana as Uhura certainly provides the heart of a very interesting love triangle, one which should develop well in the sequels. Kudos too must go to Karl Urban for nailing every tic and frustrated mannerism of Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy. Only Anton Yelchin (Chekov) and our very own Simon Pegg (Scotty) get a little lumbered with their 'light relief' accents but both struggle admirably and get some of the biggest laughs along the way. As 're-imaginings' go, this is every bit the equal of \"Casino Royale\". Indeed one wonders if Abrams looked to Bond's beginning for pointers. Abrams' \"Star Trek\" is the Year Zero - the preamble before the characters get comfortable with themselves and the Enterprise. But before this crew can become the characters we know and love they certainly have a lot of fun learning the ropes! This is right up there with Trek's best. Abrams has sought out a new world and boldly gone where no one else had dared. This is not the Final Frontier...this is just the beginning. And it's brilliant!<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>","fnc":"googleTrackerHelper.doTrackPage( '\/'Star-Trek-film_options~14514'\/Reviews\/ViewAll\/1' );"}