New Star Trek Movie: 'Trekord' Breaking?

Previews in London last week, and in Los Angeles this weekend, have made for some incredibly positive buzz, even before the 11th Trek flick hits theatres in England on May 7, and in the U.S. and Canada on May 8.

Initially, Abrams' new Trek was expected to earn $50 million for that important opening weekend. Pundits have now moved it into the $80- to $100-million neighbourhood - a very nice place for a $150-million picture to live. That should put the updated film on track to surpass the $300 million worldwide total.

In what's expected to be his breakout role, heartthrob Chris Pine plays a rebellious James T. Kirk, in the story of how he becomes the Enterprise's captain. Zachary Quinto gets nods for Kirk's more passive and logical second in command, Spock. Ditto John Cho as helmsman Zulu, who has some dramatic moments, swordplay included. Shaun of the Dead's Simon Pegg does comic relief as Scotty the engineer. In a time-travel sequence, the appearance of an older and wiser Spock (Leonard Nimoy) seems to come off well, too.

Of course, the point of a reboot isn't really to tell a tale; it's to ensure that the underlying enterprise can go on. Abrams has done that, for sure, and if it feels toward the end of his Star Trek that the various plot points have been scattered to the edges of the known universe, well ... it's hard to imagine anyone caring much why we're plunging ahead at warp speed, when the ride is so insanely satisfying.