Like the original Star Trek II, this is the film that breaks Kirk. It smashes him down and forces him to dig deep, to find just what he is willing to sacrifice in order to prove that he deserves the chair. He takes on an enemy that is more cunning and powerful than he ever thought possible. There is no re-writing the Kobayashi Maru. The script is pure genius, taking elements from the first Trek II and reworking them to fit the altered time line. The dialogue is sensational, never straying into over-emoting or taking the cast out of character.
And speaking of the cast, the entire crew is back plus a cameo by the awesome Leonard Nimoy. The chemistry sparks between the characters, with Pine finding a deeper level with each actor. The scenes with Kirk and each of his fellow actors are alive with tension and amazing fluidity. Particularly with Quinto. The only weakness was the casting of Alice Eve as Carol Marcus. She was the only one who appeared to have no chemistry with Pine, she seemed distant, unsure, like the dialogue was troublesome and she could not project the right emotion.
The action sequences are mindblowingly huge, fast and furious. I was strapped into my seat on a wild rush. The fx overall were incredible and I did not need to see this in 3D to enjoy the brilliance. The other downer is I know that J.J. is going to be tied up doing Star Wars for the next few years, so Star Trek may go on the back burner, which is a shame as I am totally invested in this new crew.
So what did you all do this weekend? See Star Trek? Thoughts?