I first found the plot challenging because I was imposing my long-time Star Trek memories into the plot, expecting it to be a pre-quel. To my surprise and delight - this movie opened up a whole new avenue for sequels with "the sky's the limit."
The introduction of the characters seemed a bit rushed, but then there are only a couple of hours to fit everything in. The cast was well chosen and gave a fresh interpretation of the original characters.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes adventure movies. There's even a little romance thrown in for those who don't.