It’s been four years, but after an impressive re-launch of the “Star Trek” franchise, director J.J. Abrams returns with the much anticipated and oddly titled “Star Trek Into Darkness”. Thankfully, for the most part, it’s a fun ride. Add to that greatness, are the star trek gifts which is now available – that includes action figures, books, movies, toys, games and many more!
After a deadly explosion on Earth, James Kirk (Chris Pine) and his crew are sent by a superior (Peter Weller) on a revenge mission to the edges of the “neutral zone”. His assignment; eliminate the villainous mastermind (Benedict Cumberbatch) who is now hiding on a remote planet in Klingon territory. Kirk is told that it must be done without being detected by the fleshy headed mutants, who may see any advance as an act of war. Of course, Kirk can’t follow orders. Before long, the protagonist encounters Klingons, unveils a larger conspiracy and discovers the true identity of his original target.
By now, the able cast members have completely settled in to their roles. A few gags fall flat, mostly involving Kirk bedding numerous female aliens (it’s been more than forty years since the original series and that element now seems outdated). However, much of the camaraderie and bickering between Kirk and McCoy (Karl Urban), as well as tension between the oddball couple of Spock (Zachary Quinto) and Uhura (Zoe Saldana) lead to many laughs. And as usual, Scotty (Simon Pegg) steals nearly every scene with a great observation. Cumberbatch also makes for an appropriately chilly villain, to the point where he almost seems underutilized by the conspiracy subplot.
The “bromance” angle between Kirk and Spock is heavily utilized, with the two often discussing friendship. This is fine, but it culminates in a scene late in the film that attempts to recreate one from a previous “Trek” film. Somehow, it has little of the emotional impact this time around – perhaps because we’ve seen it before or maybe, as bizarre as it might be to suggest, the previous Kirk and Spock knocked the moment out of the park the first time around. Whatever the reason, Abrams would have been wiser to do something completely different with this dramatic thread and make it his own.
Additionally, the attempts made to decry violence and revenge as morally wrong are excellent sentiment, but there is at least one instance in which a character reacts in a completely contradictory manner to his humanistic ideals. Apparently, the same morals do not need to be enforced when dealing with nameless crewmembers.
Still, these are very brief and minor inconsistencies dwarfed by the impressive action scenes. Highlights include a thrilling sequence featuring two space-bound characters being hurtled through a debris field in space and another bit in which the leads must scurry through a ship that is spinning in freefall towards the Earth, necessitating the need to race along walls and ceilings. It’s all expertly executed and exciting to watch.
In the end, it may not have a big emotional impact and may not always play true to some of the well intentioned morals it espouses. Still, the hyperactive pace and character interplay pushes any problems out of the mind quickly. It isn’t perfect, but “Star Trek Into Darkness” does succeed at transporting viewers on an enjoyable voyage.