50 Essential Sci-Fi Films of the 21st Century (So Far)

A worthy successor to Gene Roddenberry’s iconic property - and one that has gone unmatched in the years since - J.J. Abrams' Star Trek relaunched the big screen adventures of James T. Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise with modern Hollywood gloss and lots and lots of lens flare.

Chris Pine boldly goes where no man has gone before as a rough ‘n’ ready rookie Kirk, desperate to locate his place in Starfleet while refusing to toe the line. Finding his way aboard the Enterprise, he joins Spock (Zachary Quinto) in a fight against the mysterious, time-travelling Romulan Nero (Eric Bana), who seeks to destroy the United Federation of Planets as penance for untold future crimes.

This early incarnation of the iconic Kirk allows Pine to give his own flair to the character while honouring William Shatner’s version, and the supporting characters - including Simon Pegg as Scotty and Zoe Saldaña as Uhura - enjoy the opportunity to do the same. What results is a tight, exciting, spectacular Star Trek adventure that instantly finds its footing and goes on to surprise us throughout, remaining reverential but clearly establishing its own polished and gargantuan style, away from the cheesy costumes and cardboard sets of yore.