I say “yes” and here’s why. A good movie is a good movie regardless. When I go to a theater, I’m not there to worship at the altar of insert film franchise here; I want to be freaking entertained. Be transported (no pun intended) to some place beyond my ho-hum life. I want fun and I don’t care if it’s provided by “Star Trek” or Steven Spielberg. By those rules, does the latest “Trek” installment make the cut?

Darn tootin’!

Let me start out by saying that I’m no slobbering fan when it comes to “Star Trek.” Wait . . . let me rephrase, I’m no longer a slobbering fan when it comes to “Star Trek.” I have never shown up at a social function in a Federation dress uniform, but I was pretty dedicated to the phenomenon for awhile. I religiously followed the shows, read all the tie-in books, went to the conventions, etc. That all changed in the summer of 1989 with the premiere of “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.”

Oy, did that movie blow! It ruined my taste for the series much like food poisoning would kill your appetite for Mexican food. Thankfully, they never let Captain Kirk direct another movie and the franchise slowly rebounded. Even so, I’ve been hesitant about returning to the fold. After a night spewing the remains of your taco platter, you’re not too eager to return to the local Burrito Barn, if you know what I mean.

The cast is reliable, led by the regal Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard.

“The Next Generation” movies haven’t been too bad, but they feel like two-hour installments of the series rather than feature films. They have potential, but few have really achieved hardcore big screen fun. I think this series has long needed a hard kick in the creative pants. Maybe these flicks are so bland because the same creative people are behind both vehicles and they need fresh blood? Good TV doesn’t always translate into good movies.

Everyone praises “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” as the best “Trek” movie and why is that? Maybe because a director and screenwriter treated the subject like a sci-fi adventure instead of one of TV’s sacred cows? Taking a cue from that flick, the power brokers behind this franchise tapped director Stuart Baird (“U.S. Marshals” and “Executive Decision”) and screenwriter John Logan (“Gladiator”) to lead the crew of the Enterprise on their latest mission. Granted, Baird is no cinematic wunderkind, but it’s a start. He crafts a good action scene and both he and Logan have brought some fresh energy to the series.

I think “Star Trek: Nemesis” may still be a little too hard for non-fans to follow, but it’s an enjoyable ride nonetheless. If non-Trekkers can get past all the talk about Romulans, positronic brains and Betazed wedding customs, they’ll be treated to some dynamite action sequences and killer special effects. The cast is reliable and as always, led by the regal Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard. This guy has always kicked the acting up a notch in these flicks and he doesn’t disappoint in this one either. Stewart even gets a few light-hearted moments this time out and the script’s humor flows easy and unforced.

Marina Sirtis also gets a chance to shine - and even flash a little sex appeal - as everyone's favorite ship's counselor, Deanna Troi.

The film’s story involves the Enterprise on a diplomatic mission to the Romulan Empire. Since I know most of you are already well-versed in “Trek” lore, I’m not going to waste space going into who are the Romulans and their role in this world. If you’re confused, email me and we can discuss it in depth. More than likely, however, there are more than a few of you out there that can seriously kick my butt regarding this subject. Okay, back to the movie.

Once on the Romulan homeworld, Picard and crew are confronted by Shinzon, a charismatic leader who has taken control of the Romulan Senate and initiated this meeting with the Federation. Shinzon is not Romulan nor is he Reman Ð the subjugated race from the Romulan’s brother world of Remus. The Remans have adopted Shinzon, who appears human, as one of their own and he has championed their cause. Shinzon says that an alliance between the Romulans and the Federation will help his poor Reman brothers and benefit everyone in the process.

Of course, Shinzon’s ultimate motives are much more sinister and he is soon revealed to be the nemesis of the film’s title with a plan to destroy humanity and rule the universe. Shinzon is ably played by Tom Hardy (“Black Hawk Down” and HBO’s “Band of Brothers” mini-series) and he’s one of the stronger “Trek” villains. These movies always work better when there’s a well-defined bad guy for our heroes to battle. Case in point, the earlier mentioned “Wrath of Khan” and also the TNG entry, “First Contact.”

Shinzon may not be as brutal and bad-ass as the Borg in “First Contact,” but he’s dark and deadly and a suitable foil for Picard. Shinzon’s the enemy, but his relationship with Picard is not always adversarial. Their conflict is more complex than the traditional “white hat/black hat” dynamic. Hardy is supported in his evil doing by Ron Perlman (“Blade II” and “The Island of Lost Children”) as the Reman Viceroy. If you ever want to slather a big guy in makeup and still get a decent performance out of him, Perlman’s your man.

If you ever want to slather a big guy in makeup and still get a decent performance out of him, Perlman's your man.

The Enterprise sets out to warn the Federation of Shinzon’s evil plan and is pursued across the Neutral Zone in a series of battles that make for great viewing. The filmmakers haven’t scrimped on the special effects and we get several standout sequences, including a shuttlecraft racing through the interior of a ship and a showdown between the Enterprise, Shinzon and several Romulan warships. Shinzon’s ship itself is probably the creepiest spacecraft to ever hit warp speed.

Baird and Logan also take risks with the characters – a decision that has reinvigorated the entire cast, most notably Brent Spiner (Data) and Jonathan Frakes (Riker). The filmmakers successfully use the audience’s affection for this crew to squeeze a little extra drama out of tense scenes. You watch moments of Data and Riker in peril and – perhaps for the first time in this series’ history – you wonder if they’re actually going to survive. For example, a scene with Riker chasing a Reman baddie through the catacombs of the Enterprise turns into a real nail-biter.

Marina Sirtis also gets a chance to shine Ð and even flash a little sex appeal Ð as everyone’s favorite ship’s counselor, Deanna Troi. She’s quite integral to the plotline and finally gets to do something besides looking doe-eyed and mumbling, “I feel great satisfaction, Captain.” LeVar Burton as Chief Engineer Geordi, Gates McFadden as Dr. Crusher and Michael Dorn as Klingon Security Chief Worf are all up to the task, but spend most of the movie sitting on the bench.

The filmmakers take risks with the characters, which has reinvigorated the entire cast, especially Brent Spiner as Data.

Even so, Baird and Logan seem to do justice to this cast. They’ve also spiced up the roster by including the fetching Dina Meyer (“Starship Troopers” and the short-lived “Birds of Prey” TV series) as a Romulan commander, but she also gets precious little screen time. Then again, there are only so many golden moments you can work into a two-hour film with an ensemble this big.

While “Star Trek Nemesis” owes more than a passing creative debt to “Wrath of Khan,” it’s still an entertaining yarn and one of the best entries in this franchise. It delivers everything you’d want from a “Trek” movie: noble heroes, spectacular space battles, and Deanna Troi in a nightie. It will serve the fans well and if a few non-fans happen to sneak into the theater, they’ll probably also get a kick out of it. The movie’s more pleasurable than tongue kissing a Denebian Slime Devil or watching “Star Trek V.”