Do not pass go, do collect $200, go directly to see Star Trek.

First off, I am not a huge Trekkie fan. I got nightmares from Wrath of Khan when I saw it with my dad when I was in Grade 2, because I got scared from the maggot things that crawled inside the brain of people (I covered my ears when I went to bed). I also had a Burger King meal deal with Spock on the box and got violently ill (food poisoning?) and thus boycotted Burger King for ten years and had an aversion to Star Trek.

I was a Star Wars guy. It was more exciting, the ships were cooler, and there was more action that a little kid could handle and understand. After the television show, Star Trek the Next Generation, I could certainly understand why people liked Star Trek. It was more cerebral and it consistently illuminated issues that we face today in society. However, the movies were pretty bland.

This new Star Trek is not your daddy's Star Trek. This Star Trek is jam-packed with action. It is exciting from the moment it starts leaving little time to breath. I was amazed at how quickly the movie establishes the characters that you may know, yet it didn't feel too forced or contrived. I never liked Captain Kirk. But, this one is great. I never liked the heavy-handedness of logic (Spock) vs emotion (Kirk), but in this movie, the juxtaposition was dead on and resonated more than usual.

For those of you who are not Star Trek or only think of it for geeks, you need to just put those notions aside. This movie somehow manages to appease all. For those who know nothing about Star Trek (like the two people I went with), you will just get wrapped up with this entire "new" crew. The humour and lines work with everyone and sometimes a bit deeper for those who know the history of Star Trek.

My wife is not a huge Star Wars fan. She knew nothing about Star Trek. After this movie, she couldn't stop raving about how good it was and how much FUN it was. It has been a long time since I saw something entertaining on the big screen. Do yourself a favour and go see this. It will be an entertaining two hours. My wife can't wait to see the inevitable sequel. I just realized, in a weird twist, I, the hardcore Star Wars geek, am now married to a Trekkie.

I never would have believed that statement until seeing this revitalized JJ Abrams Star Trek.

Live long and prosper.