Big SF buff here and closet trekkie. I thought it was a good reboot of the ST franchise. Perhaps a few too many contrivances but still a decent SF adventure film. Loved the new villain introduced of Nero, and thought his ship design was novel and refreshing. I don't know if thought provoking, allegorical SF will play anymore in Peoria. The original was from a different era and I don't think that level of literacy exists in todays America.
Nonetheless, there is nothing wrong with a SF adventure romp, and us geeks love them. I gotta say some of the plot holes are big enough to fly a Klingon (Romulan?) Bird of Prey through. They made the interior of the Enterprise like a working scow in some shots with unpainted railings of iron? And I don't understand all the water pipes in the engine room. Aren't starships powered by anti-matter and dilithium, not steam?
Some of the new characters are dead ringers for the originals. Perfect Dr McCoy, (they tossed in the origin of the "bones' nickname, cool.) Good Scotty, and Sulu, decent Uhuru. Totally miscast Chekov though with impossible accent.
One last thing, does Chris Pine fill out a pair of briefs or what? Hot!