Star Trek is a 2009 science fiction film directed by J. J. Abrams, written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, and produced by Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk. It is the eleventh film based on the Star Trek franchise and features the main characters of the original Star Trek series, who are portrayed by a new cast, though the film introduces an alternate timeline differing from the original series. It explores the backstories of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto), before they unite aboard the USS Enterprise to combat Nero (Eric Bana), a Romulan from the future who threatens the United Federation of Planets. Released to traditional and IMAX theaters, the film debuted internationally (with some advance showings in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States) on May 7, 2009, and was widely released in North America and the United Kingdom on May 8, 2009
Nero proceeds on a course for Earth with the same intentions: Kirk wants to pursue Nero immediately, but Spock insists that the Enterprise should regroup with the fleet as per their orders. Spock has Kirk forcibly removed from the Enterprise and stranded on the nearby ice planet Delta Vega, only for him to be rescued by an aging Vulcan, revealed to be Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) from the future. This elderly Spock explains that 129 years in the future, he tried to save the Romulan homeworld "Romulus" from being destroyed by an impending supernova, using the red matter in his ship to create a black hole that would neutralise the threat. Spock managed to stop the supernova, but not in time to save Romulus—resulting in Nero's vow to exact revenge on Spock and the Federation. The resulting black hole transported Spock's ship and the Narada into the past, which also creates an alternate timeline from the original series. Spock takes Kirk to a nearby Starfleet outpost where they meet Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg), a master engineer and pioneer of transporter technology. Scott and Kirk are transported back to the Enterprise and, taking Ambassador Spock's advice, Kirk goads the younger Spock into attacking him. Spock is forced to relieve himself of command and Kirk, as First Officer, becomes the acting captain of the Enterprise.
Captain Kirk takes the Enterprise to Earth, intending to stop the Narada on his own. Spock, Scotty and math-whiz Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin) figure out a way to lie in wait for the Narada and beam aboard, allowing Kirk and Spock to stage a surprise attack. While Spock steals Ambassador Spock's captured ship and lures the Narada away from Earth, Kirk rescues Pike. With the assistance of the Enterprise, Spock then rams Ambassador Spock's ship into the Narada, detonating the red matter and creating a black hole that, aided by a full barrage of the Enterprise's weaponry, destroys the Narada. Kirk, Spock and Pike are rescued just in time by the Enterprise via transporter, and manage to escape the event horizon thanks to Scotty's quick thinking. Back on Earth, Kirk is commended, promoted to captain and given permanent command of the Enterprise from Pike, now an admiral and confined to a wheelchair. Ambassador Spock visits his younger self and explains that he helped Kirk directly to ensure that the young Spock and Kirk would come to an understanding and become friends. The younger Spock, convinced to stay with Starfleet, requests to be posted to the Enterprise as first officer. As the Enterprise warps away, the elder Spock recites the series' motto:
“ Space: the final frontier. These are the continuing voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life-forms and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before. ”
