I’ve never been what some would consider a big “Star Trek” fan. Of the original series, I’ve only seen a few episodes and of the films featuring the original cast I’ve only seen the first three – “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” “Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan” and “Star Trek: The Search for Spock.” I admire these three films. But in 2009, I became intrigued when I saw JJ Abrams’s re-imagining of fabled Enterprise mission and crew.Now, Abrams is presenting audiences with the second film of this new franchise and it is something to behold. If I didn’t like “Star Trek” enough to be considered a fan before, count me in.
This new film finds Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and Mr. Spock (Zachary Quinto) on the outs as through a series of events Spock has gone behind Kirk’s back and told of the captain’s reckless behavior. While their friendship seems permanently damaged, the two must find a way to reconcile their differences when Starfleet is attacked by a terrorist named John Harrison (Benedict Cummerbatch) who seems more like a ghost than he does a man.
Harrison is certainly more than he appears and the Enterprise crew find themselves on the receiving end of much abuse when they fall into possession of a new brand of weapon.
Abrams has crafted a science-fiction, action masterpiece here with twists and turns to keep the audience guessing and on the edge of their seats. It makes this “Star Wars” fan very happy to know that another science-fiction franchise is in very good hands.
The cast is uniformly very good. Chris Pine is back and heroic as ever as the bold and now more reckless Captain Kirk. Zachary Quinto is wisely given more material as Spock – Spock is easily one of the best characters in the film. Benedict Cummerbatch is the real gem of this movie. He has a voice that slightly whispers with every syllable uttered, “I’m bad news.” I first saw Cummerbatch in Tomas Alfredson’s “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” as the kindhearted and earnest assistant to Gary Oldman’s George Smiley. He’s certainly come a long way since then.
Abrams has crafted great action into a smart script as well. There is a scene in this movie where the Enterprise crew travels to the planet of the Klingons. When they arrive, the actors are standing on a real set doing real stunt work. The special effects never stretch beyond the phaser blasts. It’s a terrific scene because Abrams knows how to mix the practical with the fantastical.
That’s what “Star Trek Into Darkness” is at its core: practical story telling with fantastical elements, all guided by the hand of a spectacular director with an excellent crew on board.
RATING: A
By Brian Laughran
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