One question Star Trek fans may have on their minds before seeing director J.J. Abrams's updated new movie could be: is this movie a prequel, a sequel, or a reboot? And the answer could be: how about all three?

Abrams plus writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (this duo got on my bad side with Transformers, but they fare better here) should be credited with fashioning a creative solution to the ever picky continuity problem. They've somehow found a way to acknowledge all that's gone before as canonical, and yet have given themselves a whole new channel for absolute creative liberty. Let's just say the words "alternate reality" get used in this movie. If you can wrap your head around the explanation and can find yourself comfortably accepting it, you'll allow the new Star Trek to take off as an incarnation of its own design, yet true to already established elements of a familiar well-worn universe.

The challenge left to Abrams was to make Star Trek marketable again, after the last TV show and couple of movies bottomed out and the franchise's general reputation became more vulnerable to being construed as a boring, nerdy old has-been. Thus, Abrams's tone-shift appears to infuse it with more action, an element not as prominent in the original universe as cerebral problem-solving was. Although I'm nowhere close to being a hardcore Trek fan, in watching the original movies I observed a few things, such as the way they were usually about handling a crisis. The original crew of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, et al always did so intelligently, analytically, and would resort to weapons mainly as necessary tools in their missions.

In this new Star Trek, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is more likely to think with his fists first, and if he's to become captain of the Enterprise, I can't help wondering if this is really Star Trek. Indeed, it is a concession to making the franchise more mainstream, more approachable to audiences outside of Trekkers. But perhaps longtime fans can take some solace in recognizing that this version of Kirk still retains some of the character's most defining traits -- his unassailable confidence, his tendency to act impulsively, and his ability to think on his feet. The main difference, perhaps, is that the old Kirk (as made famous by William Shatner) would have mind games in his arsenal, whereas Pine's Kirk might go in with guns blazing. Who knows, maybe the youthful all start out that way, and someday he'll develop into the more mature Kirk.

Abrams's movie is a tricky blend between the old Star Trek and a new incarnation. It contains multitudes of loving references to the old shows and movies (there's even a nod to the last show, the generally unpopular Enterprise). But meanwhile it has a look all its own, in big-budget gloss for ship interiors and planetary spectacles. The much-loved characters from the original series are all here, all with nods to their familiar depictions, yet given room for new interpretations -- Zachary Quinto as a Spock not yet fully in control of his emotions, and Karl Urban channeling DeForest Kelley as Dr. "Bones" McCoy deserve special mention here. The film is very much an exercise in contrasts -- it presents catastrophes we may feel very uneasy about, yet tries to retain its idealistic optimism about smart, talented people from many races working together. And previous to this, I would've never expected a Beastie Boys song to be played in a movie that would later feature loving shots of the U.S.S. Enterprise spaceship.

In order to become a new Star Trek, facets of its old personality must inevitably be sacrificed, while modern flavor -- faster pace and a little sass -- is infused. And that presents a real danger of the franchise losing what made it distinct, and becoming somewhat more generic. Yes, the movie is enjoyable and well-made, but, again, is it Star Trek? Do we want it to be? To coax us along, Leonard Nimoy himself makes an appearance as the older version of Spock, to hold our hands as we wander into this familiar yet brand new universe. His presence a soothing calm, it effectively admits that changes are to be risked in order for this storied franchise to revive, for it to have a new chance to "live long and prosper."

(Released by Paramount Pictures and rated "PG-13" for sci-fi action and violence, and brief sexual content.)

Review also posted at www.windowtothemovies.com