“Star Trek” seems to have it all: Life. Death. Good. Bad. Action. Drama. Angst. Anger. All on top of each other.And that’s only the opening sequence.J.J. Abrams, along with writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtman, has taken this franchise to a whole new level, and fans (and newcomers alike) will be extremely pleased. Rather than take the easy check-your-head-at-the-door Summer Blockbuster route, the creators made this film the right way–with a fantastic script full of rich, complex characters.Not only are we treated to some excellent action sequences, but we learn exactly how our favorite crew struggles to find themselves.The result is a movie that is both Summer entertainment and Top 10 list worthy.The story takes us back to the beginning, where we see future Enterprise crew members progress through Starfleet Academy.After a rogue Romulan captain (played by Eric Bana) starts destroying Federation ships, the recent Academy graduates are sent into action.The Enterprise captain is captured, and it’s up to Kirk, Spock, and company to hunt down the bad guys and rescue their head man.While the story itself provides action and suspense, it’s the youthful cast that truly propels this movie.Chris Pine is perfect as shoot-from-the-hip James Kirk, and Zachary Quinto has the look and feel of a younger Spock down pat. Karl Urban, who plays Dr. McCoy, is absolutely hilarious.And the other crew members are a pure joy to watch.We’ve seen the television show and the movies, so WE know how these characters end up.It’s interesting and fun) to see them develop.It isn’t often that a Summer Blockbuster can offer up everything you’d like, but Star Trek definitely fits the bill.Summer popcorn movie?Sure.Engaging characters?Absolutely.Who says you can’t have both?Now all we need is an announcement about another installment of this franchise.
