Star Trek (2009)

The American science fiction action film, Star Trek (2009), was directed by J. J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. Serving as the 11th installment in the Star Trek franchise, it marks a reboot featuring a new cast portraying the main characters from the original television series. In the year 2233, while investigating a mysterious ‘lightning storm’ in space, the Federation starship USS Kelvin is unexpectedly attacked by a Romulan ship called Narada. The commanding officer of Narada, Nero, demands to speak with Captain Robau of the Kelvin to negotiate a truce. However, during questioning about an ‘Ambassador Spock’, Robau is killed by Nero and the attack on the Kelvin continues. In a brave sacrifice, first officer George Kirk orders all personnel to evacuate while he steers the ship on a collision course with Narada since its autopilot is disabled. While George tragically loses his life, his pregnant wife Winona gives birth to their son James Tiberius Kirk amidst the chaos.

Seventeen years after his birth on the planet Vulcan, a young Spock is accepted into the highly esteemed Vulcan Science Academy. But, due to the Academy’s bias against his human mother, Amanda, he decides to pursue a different path and enlists in Starfleet. Meanwhile, on Earth, an adult Kirk finds himself involved in a bar brawl with other Starfleet cadets while in the company of Nyota Uhura. It is during this altercation that he meets Captain Christopher Pike, who urges him to join Starfleet Academy. At the academy, Kirk becomes fast friends with Dr. Leonard McCoy. However, their friendship is put to the test when Commander Spock accuses Kirk of cheating during a simulation known as the Kobayashi Maru. Kirk defends himself by arguing that cheating was necessary since the simulation was designed to be unbeatable. As fate would have it, their disciplinary hearing is interrupted by a distress signal from Spock’s home planet of Vulcan.