JJ Abrams's new Star Trek movie pulled in $72.5 million at the box office this weekend, surpassing expectations. "Clearly, this film is reaching a much larger audience than just the old Trekkies. Otherwise, we would have seen a fanboy-style dip on Saturday," writes The Box Office Junkie. "Bravo, J.J. Abrams! You've successfully brought the franchise back to life!" According to Box Office Mojo, this was the biggest opening for a Star Trek movie ever, thanks in part to good marketing, which "slickly offered the familiarity of Star Trek's culturally iconic trappings with the promise of a grand, visceral adventure. Even if people hadn't seen previous Trek movies or shows, many elements, from the character types to the catch phrases, have saturated the culture for decades. That gave the new movie, which is a return to the original and most famous crew, a widely resonant framework to catapult it above other action pictures." "I guess it is safe to say that Star Trek has actually gone where it is never gone before and very boldly I may add," writes Fused Film.

Bloggers' reviews of the film are largely positive. "The best Star Trek movie by far," writes Cranach: The Blog of Veith. "The actors, playing the younger versions of the later characters, nailed their roles. I tend to scorn mere special effects, agreeing with Aristotle that spectacle is the lowest of the dramatic arts. But these special effects were integral to the story and very well imagined." "I can only echo the awe and wonder of experiencing such a technically miraculous script come to life under such able direction," writes PopTen, rapturously. A few complaints, though, from hardcore fans: "not nerdy enough!" says Hollow Earth Radio, while Diary of a Network Geek thinks "if you're an old-school, Trek purist, you will hate this movie." And The Crotchety Old Fan is skeptical: "I find it entirely unbelievable that Kirk would be sent to the Academy on the very day he decides to sign up. With a record.  Following a barroom brawl." Errors aside, The Wertzone says, "Star Trek is 43 years old this year, and like any long-running franchise from time to time it needs a reboot and reset, with fresh creative energy being introduced for a new generation of fans."