I reallly enjoyed it as a Star Trek fan from the 60's. The only criticism I had was the main antagonist "Nero" played by Hulk actor Bana, was cast only for his face not acting ability, he delivered some of his more emotional demanding lines in a very human bland way instead of like an enraged alien, Chekov's accent was grating on the nerves. Great FX, both Spock's were great, McCoy was terrrific, but the gratuitous love thing twixt Uhura and Spokc was too contrived to crate a love interest that never existed. Good alien creatures in the snow, good score.
Fast moving which is what a movie should be.

I understand all the angst with all the affcionados and fans of the original in their vast disappointment with this remake.
I too looked forward with great anticipation to being thrilled with modern technology melded to a good script. When you have such a stupendous original why must the director butcher the script in so many ways. Least important but glaringly evident is the "Political Correct" but totally unnecessary poetic license to force an ad agency type child of color with a bushy combination of dreaklocks and a fro into the role of Billy Gray. Why not make a remake of Roots and make Kunta Kinte a caucasian boy from the midwest?
Why jam that down people's throats when it doesn't fit the reality of the script of the first movie. Much much too obvious a lame and liberal and gratuitous insertion of schlocky bologna which made most everyone cringe with the obvious attempt by the director to be ultra liberal. Thats nice, thats lovely but so totally unnecessary and staged that liberals were puking in the audience.

EDITED: Please do not post spoilers.

Great Villain portrayal, one of the most brutal best since Francis Dolarhyde in Red Dragon, Tommy Udo in the orgiginal Kiss of Death played by Richard Widmark.

1. Who was the man in the wheelchair, named Ellis? How was he related to Tommy Lee Jones' character?

2. Who finally got the money?
3. Was Brolin's wife killed too, by the way the killer looked at his boots coming out of the door?

Strictly for young children. I had high hopes after viewing the previews and posters, longing for some Lord of the Ring high tech FX and sets. Very disappointing and unless you have a 5 year old child to bring it misses the mark by a mile.

A few moments in the film were beautiful, the end scene with the actress from Avalon, and the scene with the flower fairies were done well.

Having a Goblin dressed up as a pirate reduced it all to a 5 year old level and lost most of the audience immediately.
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Seperate Note:
Each in theater experience seems to be getting worse and worse with movie attendance down due to people being fed up with the talking during the move and misbehavior in the audience ruining each movie.

Theater owners have got to provide better movie security instead of an usher walking in once every hour for 15 seconds. It is getting to the point that they have to be much more vigilant to prevent all the noise coming into the theater itself. Almost impossible to concentrate on any film.

People behave as if they are in their own living room. Home entertainment centers will close theaters if the in house movie theater security does not improve.

It reminded me of the old Frank Frazetta movie "Fire and Ice," where the actors perform and animation is used over the shot to give it life, it was a Barbarian fantasy meets Polar Express technique. I was expecting another Lord of the Rings and got Polar Express animantion. However, it was done very well except for the choice of how Grendel looks, It looked like an Ent that fell into a vat of taffy and it was as hard to believe Crispin Glover was behind that character as it was to believe Gary Oldman was Mason Verger in Hannibal. Still and all Angelina J was just great in her character. One thing was strange, Grendel was 15 feet tall in battle and after the battle as Beowulf was kicking him out of the door Grendel mistakenly was drawn down to regular height, wierd. Ray Winstone seems like another version of Sean Bean in delivery and received a gift of a good build through animation only.