Summer Review #2 -- Star Trek Into Darkness

Rebooting a franchise as popular as Star Trek was likely a task similar to mastering Klingon -- time-consuming and nearly impossible. Filmmaker J.J. Abrams took on the job and came out swinging, with his 2009 reboot being one of the most innovative reimaginings in a while. Four years later, Star Trek Into Darkness is released and it is a delight. The masterful film boasts the three S's of blockbuster cinema -- it is smart, slick and all around spectacular. In other words, it left me with a smile that I was not able to wipe off my face for a week.

After rogue Starfleet officer John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) orchestrates a terrorist attack on London, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and his crew get permission to chase after him to a hostile planet. As they get to know their enemy better and as many truths come to light, they learn that the threat is greater than they thought...

What strikes the viewer instantly is the film's scope. The beauty of Abrams' Star Trek series is that each entry dives immediately into the sprawling fun, taking us to unknown worlds as soon as the events start unfolding. The opening sequence is stunning, both as a plot point and in the technical sense, and the excitement only grows from there. Gorgeous effects and stunts do not dominate the tale, though; they are merely one terrific part of this summer treat and its numerous surprises. This is one of those blockbusters that were made for IMAX 3D, so make sure you see it in this format.

The screenplay by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof is one of the best scripts for a genre film in recent years. The writing injects humor and universal themes like family and friendship into the characterizations and relationships, all the while coloring the story with visuals and twists that are a joy to behold. I also loved the introduction to (slight spoiler alert) the Klingons. With their lack of verbosity and abundance of frightening weaponry, the infamous warriors are incredibly menacing and I look forward to seeing more of them in future installments. In general, Abrams and his team have achieved a tricky task in giving the fans complex stories involving beloved characters, as well as giving newbies an entertaining experience that piques interest in Gene Roddenberry's mythology. 

The cast is well chosen and, this time around, the leads are exploring new dimensions. As the brash and hotheaded Kirk, Pine was a revelation in the 2009 film, and here he uses Kirk's audacity in his quest to save the only family he has. Zachary Quinto is wonderful as the logically minded Spock, whose expression of feelings is more powerful than his crewmates could ever imagine. As the murderous and multilayered villain of the piece, Cumberbatch is fantastic. He uses his smooth, imperial voice as the ultimate harbinger of doom and obviously relishes the physicality of the role. This kind of part suits him to a T and I do hope that he gets to play another intriguing action or science fiction character in the future. The lone weak link is Alice Eve's scientist and, to be fair, it is not the actress's fault. Her character is never given much to do and often seems redundant. Finally, Bruce Greenwood and Peter Weller offer solemn and elegant supporting turns as senior Starfleet officers.

Star Trek Into Darkness is escapism at its finest and smartest. Its story of loyalty, betrayal and protecting the sacred resonates with everyone on a different level, making it a wondrous and timeless film. There should be more marvels like this one playing at the multiplex. Oh, and that smile on my face? It reappeared while I was writing this review and it is not going away anytime soon.

10/10