Review: Star Trek: Into Darkness

(Before I continue, I should point out that I'm not a Trekkie by any means. These two films are the only ventures I’ve made into the Star Trek universe, and everything else I know is from hearsay and pop culture conversation. So I can’t comment on how this movie references (or rehashes) material from the show or previous movies. I know some Trekkies aren’t happy with how the material was handled in this movie, but the first movie set up a parallel timeline that gives these movies the freedom to rehash and rework the mythology. I think this was a creative and frankly brilliant way to free the filmmakers from past stories, allowing them to focus on the essence of these characters and tell their own stories. As for me, I have no preconceived notion about what these movies should or should not be. I really can only take these movies at face value.)

In his second outing with the crew of the USS Enterprise, J.J. Abrams proves once again that he is a master storyteller. With Star Trek: Into Darkness, he has created an exhilarating plot and engaging story tied together with an ensemble of strong but flawed characters who overcome personal obstacles to save the day (and the planet... and possibly the universe).

The movie opens in the midst of the action, a high-pressure mission that has the whole crew racing against time to save an uncontacted race of beings from destruction by an erupting volcano. As plans go awry, the lead characters stay true to their nature: Spock holds to regulations and protocol while Kirk breaks the rules to save the life of his first officer. The scene sets up the character development that will follow, with Kirk learning about responsibility and Spock learning to let his emotions guide his actions.

If you think this sounds familiar to the story of the first film, you'd be right. In fact, as enjoyable as this movie was, it wasn't quite as strong as the first one. We already saw an impetuous Kirk learn responsibility and a logical Spock learn to let go of reason, and it was new and fresh the first time around. (Actually, I'm not sure that Kirk had any growth as a character; the opening scene had him acting boldly to save one of his crew, which is the same sort of thing he does at the end. Spock, on the other hand, definitely learns to let go and run with his emotions.)

Moreover, some key plot points seemed forced or arbitrary. Early on, Scotty resigns his post over an illogical argument over the fuel in the cargo, as if the chemical composition of the cargo will somehow have an impact on the operations of the ship’s reactor (the weight, maybe, but type of fuel?). This frees Scotty for some action later on, but it didn’t make sense and therefore felt forced. Later in the film, Spock makes a call (communication?) that provides an opportunity for a nice cameo, but it also feels like Spock is cheating; rather than figure things out and learn on his own, he turns to a shortcut for the answers. And Benedict Cumberbatch’s evil villain puts something he’s trying to protect inside a weapon he built. What? Why would you put your most prized possession inside an explosive device? Of course his performance is so compelling I didn’t think much of it at first, but later in the film I was able to reflect on this inconsistency. Between the recycled character arcs and the illogical twists in the plot, I didn’t leave with the same feeling of awe that I had from the first film.

Nevertheless, this is still a fun, engaging ride. The ensemble of actors is a wealth of talent and chemistry, particularly newcomer Cumberbatch, who plays a deliciously devious Starfleet employee hell bent on destroying Starfleet. (His voice and enunciation alone had me mesmerized.) And in true ensemble fashion, all the supporting characters get an upgrade and something more exciting to do: Chekhov gets a promotion, Uhura gets some action in the field, Scotty gets his own mission, Bones is called into action more than once, and Sulu even gets to sit in the captain’s chair. Most importantly, Abrams knows how to set the right pace and keep the stakes high while throwing in the right amount of camaraderie and quippy humor. Star Trek: Into Darkness may not be as fresh as its predecessor, but it is a knock-out adventure that's sure to leave you wanting another voyage on the USS Enterprise.