Star Trek Into Darkness – A HO Film Review

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch
Directed by JJ Abrams

Imagine that Star Trek is a car. You’ve had it for years, taken more than a few road trips in it, had a little innocent fun in the backseat, and it’s rarely if ever let you down. Oh, sure, occasionally a tire would go flat or the engine would overheat, but all in all it’s been a dependable ride that you love, not in spite of its flaws – but because of them. It’s the old reliable, always ready for one more drive to the library or the arcade, even if it isn’t as cool and shiny as it used to be.

But then imagine that some punk kid walked up your driveway one day and said, “Hey, mister, that’s a nice car ya got there. Looks a little neglected though. Want me to tune it up for ya?”

Your first instinct would be to get angry. Neglected? Who does this kid think he is? And what does he know about this old car of mine? He was probably born the same year this baby rolled off the assembly line. How dare he! But then you take a closer look, and you see the oiled stained rag stuffed into his overalls. A wrench with plenty of nicks in it sticks up from his back pocket, and his hands are rough, probably from lifting tires and bumpers for hours a day. He’s young, but maybe he does know a thing or two that could give your old car some pep. At this point, what could it hurt?

So you fish out the keys and toss them to him, saying, “Sure, kid, why not? But make sure you bring it back with a full tank.”

Now imagine that the car that kid brings back is kind of like the car you sent him off with, but the engine’s louder and the sunshine flares off the shiny new paint job brighter than it ever did before. You get inside it, and it feels familiar, but the scent of dust and sweat is gone, replaced with a crisp new-car smell you can barely remember it having before. It’s your car, the Star Trek logo right where you left it, but now it roars. Now it moves! You sacrificed some memories, but in return you got a sense of youth again. Is that better? I leave that for you to decide. It’s your car after all.

For this reviewer, I welcome the change that J.J. Abrams brought to the Star Trek universe. As much as I loved what had come before, after five different TV series and ten movies, things had gotten overloaded and creaky. Worse than that, it had gotten boring. J.J. Abrams and his crew, to their credit, did what few others would have had the guts to do – blow up everything we knew and start fresh. It was ballsy, but it was the right call, and I think young audiences who grow up with this as their Star Trek will reap the benefits of it. 2009’s Star Trek did exactly what all Star Trek stories are supposed to do – boldly go where no one had gone before.

But now we come to 2013 and Mr. Abrams’ next installment: Star Trek Into Darkness. Did he and his writers craft a worthy follow up, or did they succumb to the dreaded sophomore slump that so many other directors have fallen prey to? For me the answer is clear: Star Trek Into Darkness is not only the greatest Star Trek movie ever made, it’s also a loving homage to all that came before it. Whether you are a new fan or old, Star Trek Into Darkness will thrill you and amaze you with every lovingly crafted frame.

Now, here is where I’d normally talk about the story, but with STID (abbreviated for brevity’s sake) that’s hard because to do so with any depth would ruin the twists and surprises that the film has in store. For months there’s been speculation about who certain characters are or aren’t, what it means, and how it might play out. As a lover of well-told stories, I cannot abide spoiling anything. So, to keep things to their broadest strokes, STID is about a new threat to Star Fleet and what the young Captain Kirk and his crew must do to stop it. From the trailers you might think you know what’s really going on, but trust me – you don’t. On multiple occasions my mouth dropped open when a curve ball came my way that I didn’t even see getting thrown. Forget whatever it is you think you know or hope you know, and go into the movie with your only expectation being to have a good time. On that score you won’t be let down.

I will say this, though, for those who demand at least a small peek into what is in store for them. Above everything, this film is about love and friendship. There were some who said that 2009’s Star Trek was all lens flares and no heart. Friends, heart abounds in STID. There’s still plenty of lens flares, fear not, but every inch of this story is about the relationships these characters have, the love and pain and fear and hope they share with one another. And at the core of it you’ll find Kirk and Spock struggling to find their way to the great friendship we all know they’re destined to have.

There is so much to praise about this movie I barely know where to start. The acting, first of all, is top notch. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto embody their roles as though they were born to them, with Pine’s manic energy and Quinto’s icy stoicism perfectly reflecting the Shatner and Nimoy characters we’ve loved for decades. Smaller players like Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, and John Cho don’t let their forbearers down either. Even Alice Eve, a newcomer to the rebooted franchise, shines.

But, really, it’s Benedict Cumberbatch as the scheming John Harrison that steals the show. His voice alone is enough to make your knees quake in fear, but when he stands tall and proud on the screen you find it easy to believe that he could break the Enterprise in half with his bare hands. He is cold, cruel, and deadly, which is exactly what a good villain should be. But is he the only person menacing our well-meaning crew? Ah ah, spoilers.

To be honest, there really isn’t a complaint to be had. The special effects are amazing, Michael Giacchino’s score hits all the right notes, the writing is deft (the number of homages to the original series and movies is off the charts), and the pace is relentless. One criticism that so many movies get leveled with these days is that films are too long or stumble through moments of boredom. STID suffers neither of those issues. In fact, it’s almost too fast paced. You barely have a moment to absorb what’s just happened and breathe before you’re hurtled off toward another deadly emergency. There is no fat on this movie, despite its two hour and twelve minute running time.

So, do I think you should see Star Trek Into Darkness? Absotively! Don’t walk to the theater. Run! Get the best seat you can, settle in, and hold on for the ride of your life. This will most likely mark the last Star Trek film J.J. Abrams will helm, and he definitely set the bar high on his way out. I don’t know how the next movie can hope to compare, but I can’t wait to see them try. This ain’t your granddad’s Star Trek, and I’m betting he’s pretty darn jealous.

Rating: $10 / $10

PS: As I watched STID, one thought ran through my mind over and over again – if this is what J.J. Abrams can do with a franchise like Star Trek, then I am dying to see what he’d do with the likes of Star Wars. If STID is any indication, Episode VII is going to blow us all away.

Justin Macumber
The Hollywood Outsider Podcast