Reel Reviews: Star Trek-Into Darkness

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Reel Reviews

 

Fair Warning! I'm not a Trekkie, but I know some of it's more famous things such as red shirts getting killed first and I have watched some of the movies such as Wrath of Khan but this still means I will not be adding a review for the source. And for this review, Spoiler Alert!

Movie: Star Trek Into Darkness

Release Date: May 16th 2013

Director: JJ Abrams

Cast: Chris Pine as Captain/Commander James T. Kirk, Zachary Quinto as First Officer Spock, Benedict Cumberbatch as Commander John Harrison/Khan Noonien Singh, Zoe Saldana as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, Karl Urban as Dr. Leonard 'Bone' McCoy, John Cho as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, Alice Eve as Dr. Carol Marcus, Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov, Simon Pegg as Lieutenant Commander Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott, Bruce Greenwood as Admiral Pike and Peter Weller as Starfleet Admiral Alexander Marcus

Genre: Science Fiction

Score: 7.9/10

Pros:-Mind blowing Visual Effects

        -Respects the source material

        -On a deeper level, the parallel universe changes make sense

        -More dramatic touch and better interactions of and arcs for characters

        -Splendid performances from the leads

        -Doze of exciting and viable twists preventing the movie from becoming dull

        -A satisfactory balance of comedy and darker moments

Cons:-Can alienate casual viewers, due to its source heavy narrative

         -Uneven story pacing

         -Poorly written female characters

         -Deus Ex Machina ending  

         -A few poor performances and also badly performed death scenes

         -Confusing action and motives

         -Director doesn't take advantage of the alternate universe set from the previous film, film is re-tread of older events

Best Scene: The emotional scene between Kirk and Spock, as Kirk lays dying.

Best Performance: Benedict Cumberbatch as John Harrison/Khan

Best Dialogue: 'You're my Friend'-Spock, to a dying Kirk. This is a paraphrase of the quote

Coolest TV show reference: The look on Chekov's face when Kirk promotes him to chief engineer and prompts him to wear the dreaded red shirt. In the TV show, the first characters to die were those that wore red shirts.

From below SPOILER WARNING!!!

 

Story

The Enterprise is in trouble, a former agent of theirs-John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch)-has gone rogue and has begun by bombing London and soon their headquarters in San Fransisco. Unfortunately Harrison makes it personal, now he will have to answer to Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and his crew. But can Kirk prove to be the leader he was born to be and what Darkness is it that looms over the Enterprise and John Harrison? 

The story is quite interesting, it seems now days with each summer blockbuster movie we will be hit with multiple twists and turns. The new Star Trek film is no different, it amps up in action and bulges with secrecy. One problem with this is that it also creates gaping plot holes in the film (something I have never taken seriosuly but STID has made me realize about). 

The best thing the writers do is pay tribute to the original series, this movie is crammed with splendid winks towards long time Star Trek fans. It will satisfy them depending on how well Trekkies can take the nods in a parallel universe scenario (Set-up from the previous film). 

This is where the narrative really hits hard, the established alternate reality is not taken advantage of. Writers Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof are so busy appeasing the original series fans that they barely tried to radically change the destinies of the Enterprise. They keep to the comfort zone by practically adapting Wrath of Khan (from the original TV shows film series) and just sort of adjusting the deeper level of the alternate reality. This way even original fans, especially those who loved Wrath of Khan will feel let down.

One other issue is the pacing of the film. The film begins in a lush planet with a volcano about to erupt, it's fun to watch and engaging to the viewer. Soon enough the narrative takes a nosedive, it plods along and keeps repeating a few things (Kirk losing, gaining command) and then through the second half ramps up to too quick levels, which make some viewers miss the information alongside the action. Not to mention the Deus Ex Machina climax to the film.

Onto the dialogues; they are smashing. Like with the story, there is a nod to established canon and also a certain touch of corniness to its delivery. The nod and wink apporach really gives a comedic vibe to a plot that has Darkness in the title. The best however come from the dramatic scenes and add weight to the characters.

Speaking of characters; the leads are written superbly, their character arcs add some weight beyond the usual banter both Kirk and Spock had in the previous film. Kirk is really given space to grow in this film, in the first film we saw how he got the command chair, here we see how Kirk earns this chair and the respect of his crew. It was good to see that the writers kept Kirk's original ego and narcissism as well as recklessness from the first film intact and allowed this film to establish the baby steps towards his heroic deeds in the end. 

Spock is also expanded upon, with his struggles between logic and emotion. The coming to understanding his friendship with Kirk and love for Uhura is spectacular. Unfortunately one of those narrative threads gets shortchanged in favor of the other (I hope I don't have to tell you which one, hint; the series has always been about Kirk and Spock). It's he like with the first film, who is actually the focus for the latter half of the portions including the climatic action scene. 

Khan here is made very sympathetic yet vicious, the twists really add layers to the character and make the audience invested in his own vendetta but also abruptly reminds us that he is the villain of the piece. With Khan there is the secondary villain of Admiral Marcus, this one actually is subtext to the controlling and warring nature of powerful men in powerful positions but blinded ambitions. Unfortunately due to pacing and time constraints he becomes nothing more than a mustache twirling trope. 

The other secondary characters each get something larger to be a part of, Dr McCoy is usually his phrase spouting self and is set to diffuse a bomb, Sulu lets out his inner bad-ass when he is temporarily named Captain, we worry for Chekov as he has donned the red shirt and Scotty really gets to be a comedic hero. 

Unfortunately the female characters are written poorly. Alice Eve's Marcus is really just a vehicle for the plot to move forward, and the writers really just keep her as a future love interest for Kirk while only leaving her as eye candy once she strips to her bra and panties. 

One gyp I had with the original film was the elevation of Uhura over McCoy as a lead character (since I knew from sources that McCoy was the main character in the show) especially considering how splendid and likeable Karl Urban is as an actor. I understand that this was a step forward in making a racial/gender minority like Uhura, which is a good move. Unfortunately if you are going to write the character as just a stereotypical girlfriend then this is a poorly thought out move. All Uhura-apart from a last minute plot hole ridden save-does is nag or understand Spock as a boyfriend. It is borderline annoying to see two films (Iron Man 3 and Star Trek Into Darkness) in the space of two weeks with vast amounts of difference in the way they handle their female characters.   

Overall the story adds a lot of value where needed but fails in portions, the film is entertaining but it's not for its narrative, the way many people might see it.  

Score: 5.7/10

Direction

 

In some form JJ Abrams is the star of the show, he adds intrigue to proceedings. While he cannot prevent the script form lagging in the middle portions, he makes sure to keep the audience invested through the action and the exposition between characters. He keeps the films heart beating.

Abrams understands the core drive of the film as Kirk and Spock's love/hate relationship. He highlights their friendship and delivers with the dramatic finale punch. Though after that point and before it there are obvious hints to the films ending that pops the emotional bubble most fans had kept themselves in. 

He also isn't fully able to grasp the camera work, with the pace of the story the film also runs haywire. Motives are not clearly underlined or at least audience aren't given enough to the explanation as to why a villain or the heroes enact certain deeds. This also spills over to some of the fast paced action, that at times goes from keeping the viewers at the edge of their seats to flinging them overboard. 

The big issue is that unlike his previous venture in Star Trek, Abrams takes the opposite route and adapts way too much from the original TV series and also doesn't consider taking advantage of his established parallel universe. It was something since 2009 I have lauded him for, Abrams made the smart move of creating an alternate reality with the Star Trek reboot so as to bring in new fans and prevent source butchering complaints from Trekkies. But here he plays it to safe for those same Trekkies and risks losing the casual viewer. 

The third dimension is aptly used, I watched this in better 3D than I did Iron Man 3 but I have to say Abrams knows the cues and visual positions that will make use of the technology in spectacular fashion. I would urge people to go check this in IMAX (which I wish I could have) but if not spend the extra bucks for 3D. 

Abrams really adds depth to his film and answers our biggest question; yes he is ready and primed to take over the Star Wars movie franchise.

Score:7.6/10

Performances

The performances vary and mostly depending on the situation. First off to the secondary cast.

Bruce Greenwood returns in another shortened role. His Pike is as harsh as he is fatherly to Kirk, Bruce once again nails the noble veteran characteristics of the Admiral and gives some early emotional weight for Kirk's own character narrative. Peter Weller as Admiral Marcus is splendid and relishes some of the cold misguided villainy, unfortunately the script lets him down as a one dimensional character. Anton Yelchin sells you with his expressions of fear when promoted with a red shirt. John Chu exudes some of that kick ass style he had from the previous film, he doesn't get a chance to handle a sword but he does just as fine with his mouth.

Neither helped by the writing or her screen time; Alice Eve isn't so great. She doesn't even come of as smart during her bits where she is supposed to activate the missiles and be doctor during the mission. Simon Pegg gets an extended role and his own sub-plot as Scotty but his comedic timing is a bit wobbly. 

Karl Urban is spectacular, his dialogue delivery seems unnatural at the start but eventually he gets into the groove with his character. As an actor, Urban is one of the few who actually captures the full essence of his predecessor ( DeForrest Kelly from the original show) and has fun while doing it. Watch him when he interacts with a tough Sulu and during the end where he points the outright nature of Kirk in overlooking his and Uhura's contribution of saving him in favor of bromancing/thanking Spock.

Zoe Saldana is another revelation as Uhura, she has a much more natural and fun chemistry with Zachary Quinto. The only problem is that there is a point where the nagging girlfriend shtick becomes too much, still she performs amicably with the material she is given.  

Quinto who was the best part of the original film and a splitting image of original Spock (Leonard Nimoy) treads some new ground with the balance of logic and emotion. He is his great and sometimes comedic self during the earlier portion of the film and he carries the dramatic beats in the latter half with ease. This is a talented actor who deserves more recognition in the coming years. Zachary once again hits the perfect rhythm that makes Spock the heart and soul of Star Trek and emulates original series actor Leonard Nimoy from time to time. 

The story really helps Chris Pine. Pine who has languished in some middling movies since the first Star Trek proves why he is such a capable young star, alongside the cocky attitude Pine also gets the added dimension of dramatic leadership and sacrifice. Kirk comes onto his own in this film as a character and Pine really takes him there with a dazzling performance. He hits all the right notes during the comedic banter, the action and most importantly the emotion heavy dialogue.

There was much speculation made around the role that rising British thespian Benedict Cumberbatch would portray, one thing was certain though; he would give a masterstroke of a showing. Let me spell it out for the Trekkies; Cumberbatch plays Khan Noonien Singh. He does this admirably, he hits the right note of coldness and sympathy with his dialogue delivery. Cumberbatch is superb through the dramatic scenes and his body language exudes the strength and ferocity that Khan has. This is just another brilliant piece of work that will place Cumberbatch as the most successful and popular actor of the year (watch for him as Smaug/Necromancer in the next Hobbit film this year and in possible Oscar nominated films; August: Osage County, 12 Years A Slave and The Fifth Estate). 

A slew of some incredible performance really elevates this film.

Score: 8.5/10

Score

The sound is stunning, there is a need for some really good effects when lasers and blasts occur right and left. These sounds are rendered easy on the ears.

The title song from the previous film is used here and it sounds as heroic and rousing as before. Even silence during the in space jumping scene is spectacularly done.

Score: 8.7/10    

                             

VFX

Till this day the Star Trek reboot film's special effects hold up. This film has some mind blowing effects. The viewer is sucked in thanks to the dazzling use of the 3D effects especially during the famous warp speed scenes. 

The opening shot of the volcano and the lush red planet is amazing, you will not be disappointed by the buffet of exotic bits that make the futuristic London look realistic yet epic and the Klingon homeworld of Kronos menacing. 

I cannot put the wonder of the films visuals into words, just awe inspiring.

Score: 9.1/10

Adjusted the scoring to the new 0.1 system.


For the record I would have given the first Star Trek film an 8.8 still I urge you to go watch this movie (I've done it twice) and...



...Live long and Prosper

Aneesh Raikundalia