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Star Trek is a 2009 science fiction film directed by J. J. Abrams, written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is the eleventh film based on the Star Trek franchise and features the main characters of the original Star Trek television series, who are portrayed by a new cast. The film follows James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) before they unite aboard the USS Enterprise to combat Nero (Eric Bana), a Romulan from their future who threatens the United Federation of Planets. The story establishes an alternate reality through time-travel by both Nero and the original Spock (Leonard Nimoy), freeing the film and the franchise from established continuity constraints.

Development of the film began in 2005. The production's aim was to be faithful to the Star Trek canon, modifying continuity with the time-travel storyline, and modernizing the production design of the original show. Filming took place from November 2007 to March 2008 under intense secrecy. Midway through the shoot, Paramount chose to delay the release date from December 25, 2008 to May 2009, believing the film could reach a wider audience.

In 2233, the Federation starship USS Kelvin is investigating a storm in space when a Romulan ship, the Narada, emerges from within it and attacks the Kelvin. Narada's captain, Nero, demands to meet with Captain Robau of the Kelvin. Aboard the Narada, Robau is questioned by Nero. When Robau professes no knowledge of the Vulcan Ambassador Spock and states the current stardate, Nero kills him and orders the Kelvin's destruction. Acting Captain George Kirk orders the ship evacuated onto shuttlecrafts, including his pregnant wife Winona, who is in labor. Kirk sacrifices himself to steer the Kelvin on a collision course into the Narada, and Winona agrees with George to name their son James moments before the ships collide.

Several years later, a young Spock grows up on Vulcan and is discriminated against, as he is half-human. As an adult, Spock declines to join the Vulcan Science Academy after his human heritage is referred to as a disadvantage, and instead joins Starfleet. On Earth, James Kirk has become a reckless but intelligent young man. After a bar fight, Kirk meets Captain Christopher Pike, who challenges him to emulate his father's heroism and join Starfleet, which he does. Three years later, Kirk draws Spock's ire by cheating during the Kobayashi Maru test, which Spock programmed. During Kirk's hearing over the matter, Starfleet receives a distress signal from Vulcan, and with the primary fleet out of range the cadets are mobilized to help crew ships in orbit. Leonard McCoy smuggles Kirk aboard the USS Enterprise; while on board, Kirk learns that a lightning storm in space was reported shortly before the distress signal was received. Kirk recognizes the events as being similar to what happened the day his father died, and warns Pike that the fleet is heading into a trap. The Enterprise arrives at Vulcan to find the fleet destroyed and the Narada drilling into Vulcan's core. The Narada attacks the Enterprise and Nero orders Pike to surrender himself. Pike agrees, promoting Spock to captain and Kirk to first officer. En route to the Narada, Kirk and Hikaru Sulu perform a space jump onto the drilling platform, disabling it. However, it has drilled deep enough for Nero to launch red matter into the planet's core, which creates a black hole. As Vulcan is destroyed, Spock rescues some of the planet's elders, but his mother dies along with the majority of the planet's population. Nero tortures Pike in an attempt to gain access to Earth's perimeter defenses.



After arguing with Spock, Kirk is marooned on Delta Vega for mutiny. Kirk encounters Ambassador Spock, who tells Kirk that both he and Nero are from the future. Spock relays his story through a mind meld: 129 years in the future, the galaxy is threatened by a volatile supernova. Spock intended to use red matter to create a black hole to consume it, but before he could enact his plan, the supernova destroyed the planet Romulus. Nero, one of the few surviving Romulans, plotted his revenge on Spock. When Nero's ship attacked Spock's, both were caught in the event horizon of the black hole, sending them back in time; the Narada arrived first, encountering the Kelvin. Spock arrived 25 years later and was captured by Nero, who stranded him on Delta Vega to watch Vulcan's destruction.

Ambassador Spock insists Kirk must become Enterprise's captain and the two walk to a nearby Starfleet outpost. They meet Montgomery Scott who beams onto the Enterprise with Kirk. Kirk deliberately enrages Commander Spock, forcing Spock to acknowledge that he is emotionally compromised thereby forfeiting command to Kirk. The crew devises a plan to ambush the Narada by hiding behind Saturn's moon, Titan. Once there, Kirk and Spock beam aboard the Narada. Kirk rescues Pike while Spock uses Ambassador Spock's ship to destroy the drill and lure the Narada away from Earth before piloting a collision course into the Narada. The Enterprise arrives and beams Kirk, Pike, and Spock away. Spock's ship and the Narada collide, igniting the remaining red matter and creating a black hole. The Enterprise escapes by ejecting and detonating the ship's warp core; the explosion pushes them clear of the black hole.

On Earth, Kirk is promoted to captain of the Enterprise and Captain Pike to Admiral. Spock encounters his older self in a hangar. Ambassador Spock is departing to establish a new colony with the remaining Vulcans. The younger Spock informs his older self of his intention to leave Starfleet to aid his people. Ambassador Spock tells his younger self that he and Kirk need each other and that he should do what feels right instead of what is logical. Taking his advice, Spock remains in Starfleet, becoming first officer under Kirk's command.