Amph JJ Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness

Well, this was a film I've been excited for the last couple of months. Lots of speculation, fantastic trailers and the promise of something bigger than the first film back in 2009 with possible links to the original movies.

Is Benedict Cumberbatch playing Khan?
Do we have Tribbles in the film?
Will one of the USS Enterprise crew die?
Is it a remake of 'Wrath Of Khan'?
Are the Kingons back?
Do we have lots of lens flare?

All these questions were answered and more, and I'm glad I didn't read spoiler reviews so everything was fresh and exciting on presentation. I'll have to watch it again to take it all in, as this review is going to be tricky with so much going through my head, and I will not divulge any spoilers.

From a blistering opening pre-title sequence like the first film, we are thrown right back into the company of our crew who have obviously used the time to develop their skills and become a real team. Kirk (Chris Pine), "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban), Sulu (John Cho), Chekov (Anton Yelchin), "Scotty" (Simon Pegg), Uhura (Zoe Saldana, and Spock (Zachary Quinto) are all on top form and even more like their original incarnations. It's great to see and hear them together and adds a real sense of unity to the film.

With stronger tones of real-life events, it's not long before a terrorist bomb is detonated in a busy London city, which lasts only a few secons but looks haunting and sounds scarily real. Enter John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), a former Starfleet special-ops officer with a score to settle with the top brass, namely Starfleet Admiral Marcus (RoboCop Peter Weller). As with most narratives, innocent lives are lost and lines are crossed and eventually it falls to Captain Kirk and his crew to seek out Harrison and bring him in before more lives are lost.

From the eerie plantet Kronos where a brilliant action sequence takes placs, straight through to a good middle portion of the film set in and around the Enterprise and deep space, leading to a rather subdue finale back on Earth, the film doesn't let you go. It throws shocks, laughs and memorable character development, mostly from Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Sulu and Harrison (or so I felt anyway). The crew still learn lessons along the way and how to interact with eachother when the pressure is on, but that's part of the charm of taking the journey into darkness with them.

It reminded me of the poker sequence in 'Casino Royale' during the sequences in the Enterprise as they focused on the crew working together to battle the enemy whilst keeping the ship operational and didn't need to do anything else except that, and was a really good sequence focusing on something that may sound boring on paper but is full of tension, emotion and action on screen.

The only negative I had was the ending sequences, it was sort of a bit of a dampner. It was great to watch and see and hear, but I felt I wanted more conclusive moments about characters and situations. As I say it could just leave moments open for a sequel, or it may be a clever way to end things on a calmer tone than the rest of the film, I can't be sure, but the lead up was getting bigger and bigger and just felt it could have done with a little more....

With sexy support from Alice Eve as weapons expert Carol Marcus, it's a far greater cast than the first film, and it's the easiest thing to say that Cumberbatch makes Eric Bana's Nero from the first film totally forgettable. He's a one-man army, he's clever, he's brutal and he's evil. He reels you in along with Kirk and the crew and then suddenly lets rip and doesn't let you go until the end. A truly epic performance with the best villainous voice heard on screen for years!

With moments that you really don't see coming, that makes the experience even better as you travel across the stars with a Starship family you care for and want to succeed, and with room open for a third film, I really hope they make it so because this builds on what worked from the first film, amplifies it and really hits you hard with thrills, visually stunning seqences (the falling Starfleet ships to Earth is scarily realistic) and exceptional characters and story.



And darthcaedus...yes, it's true, and works very well without making a huge impact on the film.

 

I've got mixed feelings about the film. Overall I thought it was a very enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours. It continues very much in the same vein as XI, so if you didn't like that then you most likely won't like XII. There's nothing new in there that will really change your mind and there's stuff in there that will make you like it even less.

It's quite derivative. It borrows heavily from the previous Trek films and whilst it does apply new twists to that, for me it cheapened the whole thing.

Spoiler

As has been mentioned, Harrison is Khan. Curiously he never actually calls himself Khan Noonien Singh. Maybe because such an ethnic name would seem jarring for a guy who is most obviously a pasty, posh speaking Brit. The only time his full name is used is in a conversation between the two Spocks.

One thing that was enjoyable for me was the level of misdirection in the trailers.

Spoiler

I at least was lead to believe that it was the Enterprise that crashes into San Francisco Bay, when in fact it's the Vengeance. Also, the ship isn't HarriKhan's in the first place. It's Section 31's new toy that gets taken over by him.

For me the highlight of the film was Benedict Cumberbatch, who is excellent throughout. That voice .

Other things I liked:

Spoiler

Seeing Qo'noS (spelt Kronos in the film) and Praxis was fun. I like the slightly redesigned Klingons. The look sleeker somehow.

Seeing Kirk grow to deserve his command by being forced with hard decisions and grappling with his conscience. That Spock was often the one to remind him of that also served to amplify their steadily growing friendship that is confirmed by the end was a real treat.

The death of Admiral Pike. Not so much that he died (Bruce Greenwood is brilliant after all), but because of what it means to Kirk. He was his father figure and mentor and really adds a personal touch to his hunt for HarriKhan that was needed without having Space Seed as a set up.

Spock and Uhura's relationship. I was highly skeptical of this at first, but the scene in the shuttle on Qo'noS really sold it to me.

There are a few other things, but I think I need a second viewing to get a clear impression in my mind.

I'm not sure what that rumour was, but:

Spoiler

There is indeed a dead tribble and it gets injected with Khan's blood. It then comes back to life which gives Bones the idea to use him to bring Kirk back to life.

 

Spoiler

Tribble Jesus!

 

Spoiler

I feel I should clarify that when I say "him" I am in fact referring to Khan, not the Tribble .

One other thing I thought in the film:

Spoiler

I fully expected those advanced torpedoes to be Genesis devices. Especially with Carol Marcus involve. When they were on a planetoid with no apparent life with one I expected it to go off. It would've made sense as well, with Section 31 attempting to trick Kirk into firing one on Qo'noS.

 

You share a lot of my thoughts Mustafar66, and the trailer misdirection you say was brilliant, took me by surprise too.

I am just gutted they cut Cumberbatch's "You think your world is safe..." quote from the trailer, that would have been so good to hear and see.

But his voice!? It's epic - I don't know how he got it so well without sounding like a pastiche of Darth Maul or something...!

 

Eric Bana's Nero from XI was already totally forgettable.

 

I didn't like it as much as the first film. Mustafar_66's post covers most of what I felt about the film, though I didn't think Cumberbatch was so incredible in the role - he was kind of creepy and inhuman, but that's pretty much Cumberbatch anyway.

I do think the best thing about the film is how Abrams & co kept the shape of the plot so well disguised in the trailers; the worst for me was the film getting cute with the callbacks to other films, one of which I found laugh-out-loud funny when it wasn't supposed to be.

For people who have already watched the film:

Spoiler

Why did Bones need Khan's blood when he had had all that superhuman blood in cold-storage? Was it simply that he didn't know how to get it defrosted without spoiling it? Because if it can deal with hard radiation, i would have thought it could cope with a bit of a temperature change.

 

Spoiler

Do they explain why Khan's blood has such power? Or are we supposed to accept that genetic engineering = magic?

 

Spoiler

He ate the Genesis Device

 

I wondered that myself. Would've been far easier, not to mention less dangerous.

Spoiler

Isn't there a line from Bones about how his blood has ridiculous regenerative capabilities?

 

Spoiler

Unfortunately I didn't notice any explanation at all. So genetic engineering does indeed = magic.

 

Spoiler

There is a throwaway line from Bones about the weird properties of the platelets in his blood, which I would put on par with nano-tech type healing. As to needing Khan's blood, scientifically you would not assume that all of the soldiers had the same ability. Given that Khan was said to be the leader, and as Bones had been there for the conversation with Nimoy-Spock then there would exist the chance that the properties were limited to Khan himself. There would be no way to know for sure if any other soldier's blood would have the same effect, so why would you chance it given how long it took the tribble to revive?

Overall I really enjoyed the film. The twists on past events were interesting and kept things fresh, and I loved Cumberbatch's performance here.

I also got a bit caught out with the trailer, which is a good thing. It sets you up for some of what happens without giving anything away.

 

Oh dammit all to hell, I was all set to avoid this one like the plague with all the spoilers I've been hearing and then I spoil myself

Spoiler

About Nimoy, indeed being in this one as well.

Paraborg is too good and figuring out how to take my money, dammit!

 

Before I answer, once again, DO NOT CLICK if you want to enjoy the film.

Spoiler

Yes. Funnily enough it was the most predictable moment of the movie because the blood sample/drug Khan developed to a certain extent was a major plot element.

 

Spoiler

I don't know what the rumour is but there is a tribble in the film.

 

Peter Bradshaw Guardian Review. He says Quinto is the best thing in this franchise and should stick around, Cumberbatch is very good but comes across as a bit dull.

Spoiler

Is he actually ever called Khan at any point in the movie? I was told by someone who has seen it that Khan is not in it so I assume he is just called a different name but obviously based on Montalban's character.

 

I actually don't like Quinto's Spock. Nimoy played the character as cool, detached, and with a strong touch of irony in his performance; Quinto's Spock is a clueless stiff.

Spoiler: Riche

He's called Khan. I assume your friend was simply trying to keep the surprise for you. But at this stage it's a wasted effort.

 

Quinto has a clearer emotional conflict though, I've not watched TOS for a long time but I don't recall Nimoy's Spock in the movies ever being particularly emotional except when he got angry at Bones or when he "died". Plus this Spock has a girlfriend, you can't really have a relationship with someone who is just a slab of ice so you'd think Uhura would have ditched him by now if that were the case.

Quinto losing control and being up Kirk in the last movie was a different side to Spock I was not that used to.

I'm undecided whether to see this today or Monday, not sure I have time today

 

It's already out? Yikes. Seems like a dumb move unless they think everyone's already seen Iron Man ...

 

It's out in the UK.

 

Must remind work to play Star Trekkin' by The Firm.

 

So does it end on a cliffhanger, and/or set up a possible third movie? Or does it wrap up nicely?

 

Yep, it's out here in the UK. BBC News gave it a pretty good review on their film segment tonight. My local cinema has a 10:50 AM showing on Monday so I think I will go then. I've got to be up early and the showing should be bereft of urchins since they should be in school.

 

Spoiler

Tribble of Nazareth
The Last Temptation of Tribble Christ