I'm not a hardcore Trekkie or Trekker. I'm a casual fan of the films, and I've often caught episodes of all the series when they're run in syndication. I am one of the many folks the new Star Trek movie was made for. Someone with Trek-tendencies, but no real grasp of the universe.

Now my friend Dave has been a fan since he saw the show in his youth. He once had every episode cataloged on recorded VHS (it was Trek or the X-Files -- one of the two). I brought up the new movie once to him and he proceeded to tell me why the Enterprise couldn't be built on Earth as it was in the original teaser trailer. He is the people that this new movie needs to win over more than us newbies.

The franchise of Star Trek is owned and maintained by the fans. Meaning, if they don't like some new direction for their favorite universe, it won't fly. The ratings for Enterprise reflected this. That was a failed revival of an old favorite. Now it's JJ Abrams' turn. I can stop there. I don't care what anyone says. The guy who brought us Alias, Lost, Fringe, and Cloverfield is more than enough to bring us a new Trek done right and bring with him a whole new audience in the process.

I'll not be seeing the movie until Sunday with Dave. I have a sneaking suspicion based on reviews swirling around the globe, that we'll both come out of the theatre smiling and itching to buy a second ticket. I hope I'm right.