It’s been quite a start to Hollywood’s movie summer so far…
IRON MAN 3 delivered at the box office. THE GREAT GATSBY over performed. And this week director J.J. Abrams heats up the box office action by taking Star Trek….Into DARKNESS.
A $100 million opening weekend isn’t out of the question.
Upfront here are some pointers I’d like to pass along.
Like that I’m not much of Star Trek fan, but I will tell you that Abrams delivers an exciting and explosive action-thriller. Even exceeding his 2009 reboot of the franchise.
And while I’m not going into the twist-and-turns storyline in this recounting of my evening at STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, let me instead offer a series of impressions of Captain Kirk‘s manhunt to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. Rule-breaking Kirk vs. an unstoppable force of terror that’s detonated the fleet and everything it stands for.
Vulcan logic set against a backdrop of chills, spills, spectacle and plenty of one-liners that keep the action from getting too heavy.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“…..That’s a first.”
What we’ve got here is an epic chess game of life and death in which love and friendships are torn apart and sacrifices usher forth for the only family Kirk has left—his crew.
Kirk and Spock‘s relationship in many ways drawing closer, while Spock toils with inner conflict and vulnerbility in his budding desire for Lt. Uhura.
A kiss is just a kiss—or IS IT?
“What have we learned?”
“….Never trust a Vulcan.”
It makes for quite a puzzling ride at times as I tried to enterpret the goings-on in front of me.
And I really was trying.
Was I reading more into it than really was expected? Probably.
So after a while I decided to just sit back and let Abrams’ spectacle do the thinking (and magic) for me. That’s when it really worked—tribute to Khan and all.
“Beam me up!”
“…Can you beam me DOWN?”
INTO DARKNESS’ mostly repeating cast is in top form throughout the movie’s two hours and twelve minutes running time.
Chris Pine as vulnerable Captain Kirk is terrific, only matched by Zachary Quinto‘s logical(?) Spock. Other nods to Karl Urban as Bones. Benedict Cumberbatch, rogue Starfleet officer John Harrison with Peter Weller playing the Starfleet admiral. And kudos also to Roulan Eric Bana and Zoe Saldana‘s Uhura.
One appearance coming late in the film had our screening audience breaking out in applause, but I’m won’t spoil that one for you.
As for the 3D presentation of the film?
Definitely above average and worth the up charge—even though it’s a post-production conversion to the third dimension.
Set designs are terrific and seeing both London and San Francisco in the 23rd century makes for quite the visuals.
STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS: More humanistic in ways while settling a personal score.
Welcome aboard the franchise for which I’m raising 3-1/2 out of 5 fingers.
(Reviewed at Cinemark Tinseltown, Merriam.)
JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES–Friday mornings at 6:40 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. on NewsRadio KMBZ Fm & Am / Also anytime on Time-Warner Cable’s K.C. ON DEMAND, Channel 411 / And throughout Nebraska on NEBRASKA ON DEMAND.
Saw it last night and totally agree with your review.
Oh please. Roddenberry created his own set of rules on how Star Trek should be handled. And every director, whether it was a TV show or movie, followed what Roddenberry set forward. It was Roddenberry’s idea of what Star Trek was that set it apart from Star Wars. It was a smarter more interesting view of the possible future. The events of the first film have altered the future of the Star Trek universe. Roddenberry said if something was changed in the past, that you had to fix it. It’s how he created nearly 50 years of continuity. Something that is rare for a franchise that spreads over TV and the big screen.. And Abrams ruined it.. Chris Pine is no Bill Shatner. He comes off more like a Tom Cruise wannabe. And all the other so called actors are doing no more than bad impersonations of the Star Trek crew.. I’m sorry, but JJ just took a smart and entertaining franchise and turned it into a dumb downed 3D Popcorn franchise that appeals to idiots who are amazed by loud explosions and bright lights.
Yeah, if you gut the geek from the trek is it not trek?