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I just saw it myself. It rocked.

Some of the attempts to be mainstream were smacked upside the head (like young James Kirk enjoying what they'd consider classical music by then and the modern brand name references) but it was overall good at what it set out to do -- please fans and casual audiences alike. My casual moviegoing friends liked it a lot. Now the reviews on the other hand... "The first Star Trek for everyone!" Uh, that already happened. They were called Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and First Contact.

I think the early swirl was used to signify they had some trouble beaming them up. Didn't the drilling platform cause some interference? Plus, the Trek movies established you could move around a bit before and after transport even if there were a few "sparkles" left. It's just like the transporter troubles in any number of TOS episode where you see some of the particles swirling on them as they stand PERFECTLY STILL (limited by the effects/budget of that time), yet when they can't be beamed Kirk immediately goes back from the pose -- as if he's been conscious of it the entire time -- and says, "What's wrong with this thing?" Same with Scotty a couple of times.

I disagree about Chekov. It gave a legitimate reason of why he was already posted aboard the flagship, at navigation no less. The accent didn't bother me. It's 2258! Maybe by 2267 he'll have a subtler accent. I would have liked at least one statement of something being invented in Russia (with the classic ambiguity about whether he really believed it or he was just messing with everyone). "I can do this! I can do this! De transporter was inwented in Russia!" :P

Karl Urban was great. He really did channel DeForest without making a mockery of him. I don't know how he did it, but I'd love to learn as an aspiring actor myself.

Spock/Uhura romance seemed a bit shoehorned in. The classic mentor/learner relationship between them and everything else (including the bit about favouritism) would have worked perfectly without it. A quick hug on the transporter along with him saying her name would have also worked just fine -- as a CLOSE FRIENDSHIP and nothing more, though Uhura may have feelings for him but not the other way around. This would also add depth to her flirtations in TOS. A lost opportunity, IMO.

The Nokia gag was totally unnecessary. Product placement has no standing in Star Trek.

Romulans seem equivalent in strength to Vulcans after years upon years of ambiguity and conflicting canon (sorry, Dr. Crusher, I absolutely refuse to accept that Romulans are THAT different to Vulcans after only a few thousand years). No wishbone ridge on forehead or phony looking grease makeup... thank God. The heavier brow and slightly different ears were fine with me to differentiate them from Vulcans a bit without taking a wrecking ball to their ancestry like TNG did. These Romulans were quite refreshing and a welcome change.

Nero opens up by saying, "Hellooo..." instead of the cliché, "CAPTAIN [INSERT NAME], WE MEET AT LAST. I MUST SAY THAT YOU SURPRISED ME WITH YOUR FORTHCOMING--" I loved it! Again, refreshing. He's blunt and to the point and doesn't waste either he or Pike's time with formalities besides the "hello."

The effects were good. Had a lot of scale and depth that has been missing from many recent movies. Doesn't try anything ridiculous that ends up looking fake anyways such as in movies like Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. All the camera angles were plausible, which also helped sell the action.

Sound design was perfect. Great mix of classic and new. The use (or disuse) of sound from certain characters' points of view ratcheted up the suspense well. The beginning draws you in mainly using sound, "overhearing" the bridge as camera slides past it slowly.

The stardates were changed in format, even in 2233's "prime" reality. Who cares? They never made much sense to begin with!

Kirk was promoted to captain far too quickly. Would it have hurt to cut to "five years later" where he's promoted to it from Commander? Acting captain =/= full fledged captain!

Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana made the roles their own. Wonderful. I didn't mind a bit that they were the farthest from the original interpretations.

I give the movie a B-, if only for the clumsy romance and awkward promotions.