I saw Star Trek this last Friday at the Providence IMAX cinema as part of Brown’s Ivy Film Festival (that’s right; free, early and huge) and I can confirm that the lens flare was indeed ridiculous – but only distractingly so once or twice. My only other qualm with the movie centres around some frankly distracting attempts at comic relief. Apart from that the movie was exactly what I’d been hoping for, that is to say a re-imagination that holds true to the original whist modernizing it and being a genuinely good self standing film. It has also, as will become very clear to any trekkie at a certain juncture of the film, thrown the door wide open for sequels and franchise extensions.

The casting was great. Kirk’s character shone through without Shatner and Zachary Quinto succeeded in being more than a Vulcan Sylar mirror. It was also nice to see Simon Pegg play a slightly different character for once. Expect a film with plenty of nods to its origins, within and outside of its characters.

My hopes for Star Trek as a whole have been restored. See this film. I award 8 out of 10 possible nerve pinches.