It’s hard to believe, but it’s been four years since JJ Abrams restarted the Star Trek franchise, giving new life to the decades long saga of Starfleet’s never ending journey throughout the cosmos. Given that it’s been so long, it’s only appropriate that Star Trek Into Darkness kicks off with a bang.

Starting with the sequence shown during IMAX screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, we are thrust directly into a surreal, red tree covered planet, home to a group of indigenous tribal aliens. Naturally, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) has done something he shouldn’t have - taking a scroll belonging to them - and is running for his life, while being admonished by medical officer Bones (Karl Urban). Concurrently, a secondary team, lead by Spock (Zachary Quinto) is trying to prevent the eruption of a volcano. As he is being lowered into the volcano, his away team, which includes his girlfriend Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and ace pilot Sulu (John Cho), struggles to keep up, as the volcano is too volatile. Expertly, director JJ Abrams cuts back and forth between the two sequences, never leaving the action. The dialogue is humorous, whip-smart and exciting. The whole sequence is pure Indiana Jones. And by the time the credits finally appear on screen, that’s when you realize - oh yes - you’re in for quite a ride.

This fast and furious epilogue is light and exciting, which is appropriate given the story that follows. A tangled web is weaved as Starfleet’s London office is brought under attack by one of their own, Commander John Harrison (Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch), and from there, all hell breaks loose. Over the course of the action which follows, London and San Francisco (home to Starfleet) are both wrecked, we see action on Earth, in space, and on the Klingon planet of Kronos, and are met with an ever escalating series of action sequences - from the traditional Star Trek spaceship face-offs to exhilarating moments such as a single man launch into space, sort of an interstellar bobsled race, only with no sled and much higher stakes. In short, JJ Abrams and the writing team of Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof continue their Star Trek run as they started it, with non stop, relentless action. There remains more Star Wars in their version of Trek, and once again, as a viewer brought into the series with the 2009 film, I’m completely for it.

Much like the first film of this new saga, what really makes the movie work is the cast. The chemistry remains strong, as Kirk and Spock’s friendship flourishes here, with both Pine and Quinto doing some of their finest work. Quinto in particular shines, living up to Spock’s human half more and more as the series goes on. It’s his moments of realization and growth which really define the film (appropriate given that the first was more about Kirk) and he is thankfully given some defining hero moments within this film. This isn’t to say that Chris Pine is set adrift, however. His Kirk remains as brash and impulsive as ever, and he starts to see the direct consequences of his actions. Still a man looking for the family support he never had, Kirk’s relationship with Commander Pike (Bruce Greenwood, once again doing great work) is a focus of the first act, and results in some of the film’s strongest human moments.

This isn’t to say the rest of the cast is ignored. Bones continues to provide some of the films biggest laughs with his pure exasperation at what his life has become, and Sulu gets some very strong, bad-ass moments of his own. Scotty (Simon Pegg) and Chekov (Anton Yelchin) remain mostly comedic backup, with Chekov having a great reaction to a change of shirt, and Scotty getting to be a hero in his own right. It somewhat disappoints me to say that Uhura isn’t given much more than being the “angry girlfriend” in this film, and newcomer Dr. Carol Wallace (Alice Eve) isn’t much more than a nice face to look at. I truly wish they were given more. It was also a joy to see Peter Weller back on the big screen as Admiral Marcus - he really makes an impact with his role here, and I hope this gets him back in the mix of big time movies.

The best part of the film, however? John Harrison. Benedict Cumberbatch is absolutely captivating as the main villain of the film, and he provides the new crew of the Enterprise with a rival worth fighting (sorry, Nero). While Tumblr may be a little too excited for his work, Cumberbatch makes it clear that he will be headlining big name films for some time to come - this is a star making performance.

All of this being said, the movie is not without it’s flaws. The third act in particular has some of the movies most difficult moments. In short, there are some very overt homages to prior films (so much so, that I, a non-trekkie, picked them up), and based on my discussions with friends after the film, your reaction will vary depending how tied you are to the previous work. Additionally, there is a cameo in the film that could not be more overtly shoehorned in. The audience seemed to appreciate it in the moment, but sitting here hours later, I’m not entirely sure what the purpose was. You’ll have to decide how you feel about these things on your own.

Summer 2013 looked like a heck of a movie going season on paper, and for me so far, we’re two for two. Star Trek Into Darkness zeroes in on what made the 2009 reboot so great, and continues it onward, and I already cannot wait for the third film. Long time fans may have their gripes, but if you’re willing to move on, you’re in for a great time. I cannot wait to see how JJ Abrams tackles the other big sci-fi franchise. Go forth and enjoy.

Before I forget - I did see the film in IMAX 3D. Ultimately, the movie gained nothing by being in 3D, although the IMAX was certainly immersive. If you’re near a “true” IMAX, go for the upgrade. Otherwise, go 2D.