Although Star Trek doesn’t open stateside until May 9, audiences in London were able to preview the long-anticipated prequel last night. Based on the early reviews, J.J. Abrams has a bona fide hit in his hands:

Times Online:  “Just when you thought that the Star Trek phenomenon had truly run its course, along comes J.J. Abrams’s stunning prequel to resuscitate the most enduring franchise in sci-fi history…Abrams’s film is a rollicking space adventure that makes you fall in love with the original series all over again.”

Herald Sun:  “In an effort to satisfy the tastes of modern action fans, the film sets a cracking pace from the start….Should Abrams remain at the helm and future episodes maintain the high standards set here, the Star Trek franchise deserves to live long and prosper.”

Daily Mail:  “Like many people, I yawned at the thought of yet another attempt to breathe life into a series that seemed finished, after the pompous, pointless and all too aptly named Star Trek: Nemesis in 2002…The result is not only by far the best of the 11 Star Trek movies, it must rank as the outstanding prequel of all time.”

The Hollywood Reporter:  “Paced at warp speed with spectacular action sequences rendered brilliantly and with a cast so expert that all the familiar characters are instantly identifiable, the film gives Paramount Pictures a new lease of life on its franchise.”

The Guardian:  “What comes as the real surprise amid the multimillion-dollar storm are the gameness of the performances. Cho and Anton Yelchin, as Chekhov, fit in seamlessly in small roles; Simon Pegg’s Montgomery Scott, accompanied by a comedy cornflake-faced alien sidekick, feels like he’s been beamed in from Red Dwarf, but has the required impact; Zoe Saldana, as Uhura, does her best in an underwritten role. Perhaps Quinto is a little colourless, but he couldn’t exactly play Spock like Withnail, and he is the only junior cast member saddled with his elder counterpart, Leonard Nimoy, hanging around. But Karl Urban’s unshaven McCoy and, especially, Pine’s Kirk, are unqualified successes: the latter ditching the infamous Shatner cadences but channelling the twinkly roguishness spot-on. Combined, they, and this new voyage, have real optimistic force and uplift.”