But ... What if I'm Not a Trekkie?

Not only am I a smidge on the young side to have been a "Star Trek" devotee--even for "Next Generation," of which I've only seen about one-tenth of an episode--but I also actively dislike space. It scares the hell out of me. I'm still haunted by the "Alien" tagline:

So can I find something to love about J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek"?

In fact, yes! Consider me a new proselyte. Reasons to see "Star Trek" this weekend:

• If you're not already a fan of screwball Brit Simon Pegg--or lithe Zoe Saldana, or the brow-furrowed John Cho, or the impassive and serene Zachary Quinto--you'll become one. The hip, fun cast has an infectious espirit de corps, and I left the theater debating with my boss about whether the magnetic Chris Pine was more Young Leo or Young Tom Cruise. Either way, this bodes well for his future.

• I would've dozed off if they'd lapsed into the kind of pentasyllabic-word parlance that so often populates sci-fi in general, and "Trek" in particular. But the tone and dialogue are so fleet of foot--so sparing on the indulgence--that I was sucked right in. The story arc has a single-episode feel, with pivot points advancing us to a single climactic moment rather than a dozen unsatisfying threads. A welcome reprieve after a rash of multi-stranded, frenetic adventure films that require copious concentration and have little payoff.

• Dramamine--or at least a jigger of ginger ale--might be your friend if you've got a weak stomach. Abrams has already joked with I09 about how he miiiight've gone a little heavy on the lens flare, with light beaming into your pupils at warp speech. But the zippy, swirling, whirling shots, bobbing and weaving through the USS Enterprise's hallways and backrooms like a "West Wing" episode on speed, are downright exhilarating.

• Ann Hornaday today called the film a "pure pop pleasure"--in the best possible way. It feels like vacation time when you're having fun at the movies.