I'm trying not to bicker, so hopefully I don't come off that way. As many of you know, I personally loved the movie. Even more so though, I'm glad that Star Trek has made its way back into the public conciousness, rather than dying in obscurity(as far as the general public is concerned anyways). Did the movie have plot holes? Yes. Did it have impossibilities? Yes. So did The Wrath of Khan. Do we bash The Wrath of Khan? No. This movie shouldn't have been any different, but it is. Why? The same reasons Newman suggested. Most fans, yes even myself, would've been more comfortable with this movie if it had been a BSG-style complete reboot rather than an in-canon alternate universe reboot. The main thing is that the success might renew interest in a Post-TNG era series or something similar, in addition to the new crew's adventures.
To the Gaila question, she was assigned to the Farragut. Unless the Farragut was hit last and the crew made it to escape pods, then she probably died. Sad, but true. But in line with the fact that women who fall in love with Jim Kirk usually regret it. ;)
