Star Trek (2009)

Star Trek is a 2009 American science fiction film directed by J. J. Abrams, written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is the eleventh film based on the Star Trek franchise and features the main characters of the original Star Trek television series, portrayed by a new cast. The film follows James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto) and Dr. McCoy (Karl Urban) aboard the USS Enterprise as they combat Nero (Eric Bana), a Romulan from their future who threatens the United Federation of Planets. The story takes place in an alternate reality due to time travel by both Nero and the original Spock (Leonard Nimoy). The alternate timeline was created in an effort to free the film and the franchise from established continuity constraints.

Development of the film began in 2005. Filming took place from November 2007 to March 2008 under intense secrecy. Midway through the shoot, Paramount chose to delay the release date from December 25, 2008 to May 2009, believing that the film would reach a wider audience.

The film earned high critical praise, gaining a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. It has become the highest-grossing film in the Star Trek series; as such, it is credited by the media as a reboot of the series. It was nominated for four Oscars at the 82nd Academy Awards and won the Academy Award for Best Makeup, making it the first Star Trek film to win an Oscar.

In 2233, the Federation starship USS Kelvin is investigating a "lightning storm" in space. The Romulan ship Narada emerges from the singularity and attacks the Kelvin. Narada's first officer, Ayel (Clifton Collins, Jr.), demands that Captain Robau (Faran Tahir) come aboard to discuss a cease fire. Narada's commander Nero (Eric Bana) is initially silent, but when Robau mentions the stardate, Nero suddenly kills Robau and resumes the assault on the Kelvin. The Kelvin's first officer, George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth) orders the ship's personnel evacuated via shuttlecraft, including his pregnant wife, Winona (Jennifer Morrison). To protect the shuttlecraft, Kirk sacrifices himself by steering the Kelvin on a collision course. Seconds before impact, Winona and George agree to name their newborn son after Winona's father - Jim.

Several years later, Spock (Jacob Kogan), growing up on the planet Vulcan, is discriminated against for being half-human. As an adult (Zachary Quinto), he decides to join Starfleet after the Vulcan Science Academy slights his (human) mother (Winona Ryder) as a "handicap". On Earth, James Kirk (Chris Pine) has become a reckless but intelligent young man. After a bar fight involving Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Kirk meets Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), who challenges him to emulate his father's heroism and join Starfleet.

Three years later, Commander Spock accuses Starfleet Academy Cadet Kirk of cheating during the Kobayashi Maru simulation, which Spock himself had programmed. The disciplinary hearing is interrupted when Starfleet receives a distress signal from Vulcan. With the primary fleet out of range, cadets are mobilized to crew ships waiting in orbit. Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban) and Kirk board Pike's command, Enterprise. Realizing that the "lightning storm" observed by Vulcan is similar to the one on the day of his birth, Kirk convinces Pike to raise the shields and thus be ready for the oncoming trap.

The Enterprise arrives at Vulcan to find the rest of the fleet destroyed and the Narada drilling into Vulcan's core. After the Enterprise is attacked by the Narada, Pike surrenders, giving Spock command of the ship and promoting Kirk to first officer. Kirk, Hikaru Sulu (John Cho), and Chief Engineer Olson perform a space jump onto the drilling platform, disabling it. However, it has drilled deep enough for Nero to launch "red matter" into the core, creating an artificial black hole. The black hole consumes the planet, killing most of the population, including Spock's mother.

As Nero tortures Pike to gain access to Earth's perimeter defenses, Spock maroons Kirk on Delta Vega for mutiny after Kirk argues against Spock's orders. Kirk encounters Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy), who explains that he and Nero are from the future. 129 years in the future, the galaxy is threatened by a volatile supernova. Spock intended to use the "red matter" to create a black hole to stop the supernova, but did not arrive in time to stop the supernova's blast from destroying the planet Romulus, killing Nero's wife. Nero attacked Spock's vessel with the Narada, and both were caught in the event horizon of the black hole, sending them back in time. Nero captured Spock and stranded him on Delta Vega to watch Vulcan's destruction.

Spock and Kirk walk to a nearby Starfleet outpost, where they meet Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg). With Ambassador Spock's help, Kirk and Scott beam onto the Enterprise in flight. Following Ambassador Spock's advice, Kirk mocks Spock's lack of emotion to provoke an emotional response. An incensed Spock chokes Kirk before he recognizes his emotional compromise; he relinquishes command to Kirk. Spock talks with his father, Sarek and then decides to work with Kirk and joins Kirk in a bold plan for a sneak attack on the Narada. After the Enterprise hides itself under the gas clouds of Titan, Kirk and Spock beam aboard the Narada; Kirk rescues Pike while Spock uses Ambassador Spock's ship to destroy the drill. Spock leads the Narada away from Earth and then programs his ship to collide with the Narada. Just prior to impact, the Enterprise arrives and beams Kirk, Pike, and Spock away. Ambassador Spock's ship and the Narada collide, igniting the "red matter" and creating a black hole that destroys the Narada and almost claims the Enterprise.

On Earth, Kirk is promoted to the rank of Captain and given command of the Enterprise, while Captain Pike is promoted to rear admiral. Spock encounters his older self in a Starfleet hangar; Ambassador Spock has selected a planet for the surviving Vulcans to colonize. He dissuades his younger self from resigning from Starfleet to help his species, encouraging him to do what feels right, instead of what is logical. Spock remains in Starfleet and becomes first officer under Kirk's command. The film ends with the Enterprise going to warp as Ambassador Spock narrates the "where no man has gone before" monologue.