Star Trek: What the critics think

The latest film outing in the long-running Star Trek franchise is being released in UK cinemas on Friday.

Newspaper and magazine critics deliver their verdicts on the new movie, which charts the early days of the USS Enterprise.

The young Spock is played by Heroes' Zachary Quinto

Non-believers may find the ride somewhat less thrilling, but wherever you're coming from, this is easily the best Trek film since The Wrath of Khan back in 1982.

With some dazzling action set pieces, this is one great-looking movie.

Overall, it makes for an entertaining, if uneven couple of hours, although non-Trekkies may not find it the intergalactic go-see they'd hoped for.

This is a grand success - perhaps a new populist benchmark in what to do with a flagging franchise, and an instant, light on its feet prequel which makes instant toast of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

May it live long and prosper, by which we mean sequels soon, please.

This rebirth of a dead franchise is not only the best of the 11 Star Trek movies. It must rank as the outstanding prequel of all time.

Stupenous special effects and a magnificent score make it a treat for the eyes and ears. It moves at a terrific pace and is a satisfying tale of good and evil.

It is one of the few movies I have seen in recent years which has celebrated intellectual endeavour and the taking of responsibility. It is - well nigh uniquely in modern Hollywood - grown-up. It's also tremendous entertainment.

Very much like its dynamic young cast, this Trek is physical and emotional, sexy and vital even, but it is not cerebral.

The movie is not exactly empty-headed - indeed it has some smarts, but it doesn't live up to the high-mindedness that was part of Gene Roddenberry's original mission statement.

Eric Bana plays the film's baddie, Nero

The franchise has been permanently shifted to new rails: this is a world where Kirk doesn't grow up to look like William Shatner. Trekkies had better get used to it. Welcome to the new 'verse.

The fanbase placated and a brand-new generation blooded, there is undoubtedly even better to come.

Once the new Enterprise crew are established in their own right and the franchise freed of all that expectation, the characters should start to feel properly human again - or at least half-human.

JJ Abrams has achieved what previous directors and George Lucas's Star Wars prequels failed to create - a gripping, action-packed, humorous slice of escapism.

Only Kirk, played by Chris Pine, is a bit one-dimensional. No change there, then.

For sci-fi fans, Star Trek really is a new hope.

Eric Bana's romuluSngan chung jagh ej QIch Simon Pegg Shcott ' Ish' chup je tlhIngan Dat ej Human, yuch & Iw'Hiq.

TlhIngan lopno' 'ejyo' jey'. HochDIch 'ay' qeneJ meh qapla' tlhuH chu' yIn Star Trek veb buv Trek Ho eh, jiH DuD chu', vang ej JJ Abrams nugh Dotlh parHa' tIn nugh.

Chon qu' 'a tlhIngan Daq??????? TlhIngan wo' chup cha' tIq Sub. Q'apla….G'arge

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