By Jonathan Kellam
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Rated PG-13
★★★ out of ★★★★
Starring:
Chris Pine – Captain Kirk
Zachary Quinto – Spock
Benedict Cumberbatch – John Harrison
Zoe Saldana – Lieutenant Uhura
Karl Urban – Bones McCoy
Alice Eve – Carol
Simon Pegg – Scotty
Peter Weller – Admiral Marcus
The sequel to 2009’s Star Trek and one of the year’s most anticipated movies has finally arrived and it meets most of its expectations…but not all. Star Trek Into Darkness starts on a high note with probably my favorite scene, which features the crew of the Enterprise on a mission to save a primitive humanoid species from a volcanic eruption. Unfortunately, Captain Kirk violates the prime directive of remaining unseen on this mission and he is subsequently relieved of command. While Kirk wallows in a bar, a terrorist bombs London and then attacks a meeting of Starfleet Command. The head of Starfleet, Admiral Marcus, reluctantly reinstates Kirk and sends the Enterprise on a mission to the Klingon homeworld to find and kill the terrorist.
Star Trek Into Darkness is fast-paced, beautifully shot, full of explosions, well acted, and, at times, even funny. I suppose it’s just about everything one could want in a big budget sci-fi summer blockbuster. I have to say, however, that I was a little disappointed in the simplicity of the plot. J.J. Abrams is the creator of Lost, one of the most captivating television shows in history, he is the director of the not only the best, but the most interesting of the Mission: Impossible movies, and he, of course, directed 2009’s Star Trek. He is known for creating intricate plots amid fast-paced action, but this film had a plot that would have better fit a 45-minute Star Trek: The Next Generation episode. Complaining that the plot of a Star Trek film seemed too much like a plot from a Star Trek television episode may sound silly, but I guess I just hoped for a little more depth out of a 2-hour extravaganza brought to us by J.J. Abrams.
I liked Chris Pine much more as Captain Kirk this time than I did in the last film. I never had a problem with his acting, but I thought they made him just a little too immature in the first Star Trek. This time around, his character truly begins to understand the weight of his responsibilities and acts a little less like a spoiled teenager whose taking his dad’s Porsche for a spin. Zachary Quinto is perfect as Spock. It’s great to see an LGBT actor playing a lead role as an action/sci-fi hero instead of the stereotypical role as the Best Friend in some run-of-the-mill romantic comedy. Benedict Cumberbatch plays what will probably be the summer’s most memorable villain as the enigmatic terrorist, John Harrison. Trust me, we are going to be seeing much more of him. The rest of the Enterprise crew had significantly reduced roles from the first movie, which is a shame because it’s a very talented group.
All in all, Star Trek Into Darkness is a fun sci-fi adventure and a worthy follow-up to its predecessor. I had issues with the story and a few other minor details, but the visual effects are outstanding, the characters are likeable and it is ultimately a very entertaining movie. Admittedly, by the time the credits were rolling I was already excited for the next one. Let’s just hope in the meantime they come up with a better story.
