I went considerably out of my way to see this, that is, I left the country to find a showing. I have been very excited for a long time over it. But I was disappointed. Let me tell you why.
For wit, I gave it an 8.5. This is what I gave the first one too. The acting was, to me, first rate. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto hit every note. Simon Pegg is hilarious. I still think Karl Urban has remade McCoy in his own image without bring anything unfaithful to the original. Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Anton Yelchin. I love Anton already since "Fright Night". Peter Weller (whom I remembered from Dexter) and Alice Eve made a splash too.
And if anyone deserved his own paragraph it is Benedict Cumberbatch. The man absolutely commanded the screen, the whole time.
But alas, the writing was not worthy of all their efforts. I don't want to place all the blame on Damon Lindelof's shoulders. There are three credited writers. But it does have some very disturbingly Lost-esque moments that seem to be shortcuts after writing into a corner. I'll discuss this more at the end in the section for those who've seen it already.
As far as wisdom goes, I dipped even lower than before, to an 8, than before. This is because of the way that Benedict's character is treated. He's an old Star Trek villian and I almost believed that he might get a fresh treatment, but he's assumed as a bad guy by our "heros" from the very beginning. He really doesn't do anything to deserve it. Nothing. This is again a writing problem.
That all put aside, the film is beautiful and well put together. Ut truly has quite a number of great scenes. Music is great and editing makes for a clean film.
Overall, I still suggest seeing it, but a non-Trekkie like myself could easily wait for DVD.
SPOILER ALERT
If you've seen this film already, I'd love to be more specific about my issues with the writing. Other Spock is a clear and unabashed deus ex machina. Somehow, in the middle of a giant battle, Spock gets a message to New Vulcan and doesn't ask for reinforcements, but queries Other Spock on Khan. This is clearly ridiculous. Then after getting what he needs to defeat Khan, he simply wraps it up. It is simply beyond too easy. Also it is clearly morally suspect. Spock has only the judgment of the man who.has already betrayed him, that is Marcus, to imagine Khan as a villian. Whatever Other Spock tells him will be the story, not of Khan, but of Other Khan and thus Kirk's decision to stun him after Khan has helped him is baldly treacherous. This is morally baffling and just plaij bad plotting. Sorry, J. J.
But, great moments include making Spock scream Khan's name when Kirk dies, reversing it; Kirk and Khan getting ready to go get Marcus; the build up to resurrecting Kirk; and the clear references to Sulu's eventual captainship.
