Attempting to pull off a sequel to a prequel without losing appeal and coming off as forced was a tall order, but what this movie lacked in freshness, it more than made up for with another round of excellent performances by the main actors, a seemless introduction of the villain into the storyline, constant back and forth edge of your seat action, a very "big budget" feel, and lots of classic Star Trek moments sprinkled throughout ("I'm a doctor, not a torpedo specialist!").
The 3D was used conservatively, adding depth and adventure to the experience in just the right places, but without becoming intrusive and annoying, and the majority of the special effects were top notch and believable.
While most die hard Trek fans will likely rank the first reboot a star above above this successor, taking both films on their individual merits and scoring accordingly, this film was better in every way (except for not being the first).