Review of Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) by William D — 25 Aug 2014

I have to admit that I have never watched Star Trek in my life. That was, until one of my best friends introduced me to J.J. Abrams's smash hit 2009 reboot one night...and I was quite overwhelmed which was extraordinary given that I thought you would have to been a committed "Trekkie" to understand it but thankfully, it was welcoming for newcomers as well. I may not have seen it before up until then but that doesn't mean I didn't know of it. I knew who Mr Spock and Captain Kirk were (another friend had them on her old computer screensaver), the theme tune to the Next Generation and what the SS Enterprise looked like if it was staring at me in the face. Anyway, after refreshing my mind with the first film (the 11th in total since the 1979 original Motion Picture), I decided to take a trip on board the Enterprise for Star Trek: Into Darkness.

Gene Roddenberry's 1966 series spawned several spin-offs as well as merchandise and memorabilia, all those toys, games, novels and comics, all throughout a run of almost 50 years. However, 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis flopped and nothing became of the franchise since. No wonder one of the crew of the 2009 re-imagining thought Abrams was insane when they originally heard him talk about the project over the phone if he was touch such an iconic show given he was more of a fan of Star Wars than Star Trek. Nevertheless, J.J. rose to the challenge and presented us with a strangely loving tribute with a pleasing cast, knowing little quips and references to the entire ST canon, a smart little cameo from Leonard Nimoy and a marvellous rendition of the classic original theme tune over the closing credits from composer Michael Giacchino (who composed the lovely score for Up and the cracking arrangement for The Incredibles).

Into Darkness doesn't quite have the heart and attention Abrams gave to make his predecessor a crowd and fan-pleaser and there is darkness to behold, but not too dark to make it too bleak, more on the lines of Empire Strikes Back than on Temple of Doom-style overload. The storyline is also simpler for those who couldn't follow all the warping through black holes and time-jumping and the script is filled with great wisecracks. Also, Abrams cuts down on the more shocking stuff and dirty talk, something he went a little too far with last time, Kirk's funny reaction when coming face-to-face with Nimoy aside.

Abrams's nifty enthusiasm to give his scenes life with the help of lighting and lens flares keeps on blossoming and he lets the shots of the Enterprise and on the Bridge breathe as well as sparkle. The interior feels studio-based in the style of the '60s show but obviously it's been enhanced and enlivened to give it that 21st century look. J.J.'s snappy direction keeps the pace flowing, especially in the swift final showdown between good and evil using fisticuffs where every punch and kick is carried out in quick succession flawlessly. Even the scenes of dialogue don't feel long-winded.

As usual, the traditional formula runs as follows: Enterprise crew going on a perilous mission into deep space? Check. One member disobeys the rules to save the Captain? Check. That particular member is given a rollicking by Kirk, Spock or Captain Pike? Check. Avatar-imitating 3D effects? Check, although they give the film atmosphere, whether it's for a scene in the crevice of an erupting volcano while Spock (Zachary Quinto, Sylar from TV's Heroes) hangs on for dear life standing on ash or genuinely photo-realistic crumbling debris of a collapsing ancient Klingon building. The 3D also helps to create tension during a gunship - or spacecraft, whatever you like to call it - terrorist attack which ultimately results in the death of a major character, something Trekkies probably won't take kindly to. Another one may or may possibly not bite the (space) dust but it would be callous of me to say who.

A Return of the Jedi-mimicking but more juiced-up opening chase sequence where Kirk (Chris Pine) is running from a race of creatures like Trek's own Ewoks on a remote jungle planet starts the whole movie off. Then, like Doctor Who during the Russell T. Davies era, the next twenty minutes of Darkness is Earth-bound although this is space-age, futuristic London (and San Francisco) I'm talking about whereas the Doctor and Rose jumped to and from the present and future eras of the Queen's hometown. Noel Clarke, who played Rose's girlfriend Mickey, makes a brief appearance as Thomas Harewood, a Starfleet employee whose daughter is sick although they're dropped out for the rest of the two-hour plus running time afterwards. What was the point of them being there, exactly?

Another similar problem arises: Avatar's Zoe Saldana, both sexy either black or blue, plays Lieutenant Uhura with the right kind of feistiness and is a strong character but she's taken aside to make way for new crew member, scientist Carol Marcus (Alice Eve). It's great to have any new addition to Trek's list of heroes but it's just a pity that Marcus isn't that particularly interesting a character and Eve almost derails the film by her weak performance and poor delivery of lines. She simply can't act her way out a wet paper bag. It's as if J.J. has chosen wetness over spunk.

If Saldana is left in the dark, the terrific Simon Pegg is brought into the light and as the determined Scotty, always ready to lend a hand or a homing beam, and as the comic relief of both J.J.'s Treks, this one and the last, he is given a bigger task to give you more bang for your buck even if his Scottish accent is a little unconvincing and he's out for most of it. But he's worth every second he's on screen.

Together, Quinto and Pine make a super double act, whether they're locking horns or giving each other lip or cheeky banter. As Spock, Quinto and looks and acts as though he's the spawn of Nimoy and you can feel his frustration when trying to keep a stiff upper lip as emotions and Vulcans, or half-Vulcan in his case, do not mix. Pine, meanwhile, continues to bring that engaging roguish charm which is fitting for Kirk. But the star turn, apart from Pegg, is Benedict Cumberlatch as Khan. Instead of trying to do what actors playing villains tend to do nowadays which is try to play them unhinged a la Heath Ledger, a trend that's starting to go a little stale, Cumberlatch is deranged but all the better for it as he's disturbingly funny.

Into Darkness is a fantastic successor to J.J. Abrams's first Trek and a grand 12th film in the ST franchise. The spirit isn't quite there. Perhaps Abrams forgot to include it all in what seems a rush to bring a great actioner to cinemas for the summer, which is what he's gone and done. He's tackling Star Wars next but if he was to do more Spock and Kirk in the future, the next Trek may be titled Return of the J.J.!