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Director J.J. Abrams's second venture into the cosmos aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, 2013's Star Trek: Into Darkness is a smoother, more engaging experience than its predecessor, and it shows that there is still plenty of mileage left in the decades-old franchise. This is a follow-up that lives up to and surpasses the movie that spawned it, retaining the 2009 film's sense of energy and excitement but upping the ante with a stronger villain and a more interesting narrative. The most impressive thing about Into Darkness is that it's an entertaining blockbuster both for Star Trek fans and the uninitiated. Indeed, there's fan service aplenty, and Trek fans should find the film an absolute godsend. Non-Trekkies, meanwhile, will find this sequel to be an exhilarating, involving sci-fi action extravaganza. You can't ask for much more than that.
After a Starfleet mission goes awry and Spock (Zachary Quinto) reports the wrongdoings, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) is relieved of his command, but the expulsion does not last long. Rogue Starfleet agent John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) begins staging devastating terrorist attacks around London, resulting in the deaths of civilians and several Starfleet employees. Reinstated as the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, Kirk and his crew are tasked with seeking out and killing Harrison, which takes them to the Klingon world of Kronos. However, the mission provokes unease amongst the crew. Engineer Scotty (Simon Pegg) does not trust the torpedos supplied by Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller), while a mysterious new crew member (Alice Eve) piques Spock's interest.
Written by Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, Into Darkness is smarter than the average summer blockbuster, showing a keen interest in sophisticated dialogue and themes. While the mechanics of the plot are sometimes too vague, and more explication would be appreciated, this is only a mild hindrance. Pretty much everything else about Into Darkness is a raging success: it's a relentless action-adventure filled with bombings, chases, hand-to-hand combat, space battles and shootouts. Yet, the in-between stuff is also strong, and there's a particularly notable heartfelt scene in the third act that packs so much of a punch directly because of how intense the past two hours have been. This is a surprisingly character-rich film, giving the central characters a distinguished presence and purpose, though Alice Eve's role is a tad underwritten (and her underwear scene is every bit as gratuitous as the trailer suggests). Furthermore, the dialogue is a consistent joy, with sharp one-liners and moments of satisfying humour that feel surprisingly organic amid the heavy drama and excitement.
Abrams inserts an unusual sense of genuine peril into the proceedings, with unexpected character deaths and a lingering feeling that some of the protagonists might not survive. It gives the movie an added edge and makes the action sequences all the more stimulating. Star Trek: Into Darkness is a handsome picture, as well - it is full of well-staged set pieces and carries a brisk pace that keeps the film continually entertaining. Daniel Mindel's cinematography is lavish and competent, while the score by Michael Giacchino amplifies the sense of intensity during the thrilling action scenes. As to be expected from a big-budget blockbuster, the production values are astonishing, and the CGI borders dangerously close to photorealism from time to time. As a matter of fact, especially during the finale, it's hard to tell what's live-action and what's digital. That said, though, Abrams cannot overcome one of the primary missteps of the last movie: his directorial tendencies - with frenetic cinematography, a hyper-polished look and the goddamn lens flares - are too much at times, which can be distracting.
All the leading players from the 2009 film return for duty here, but it's newcomer Cumberbatch who steals the show as John Harrison, the tale's antagonist. He's genuinely terrifying here, but the brilliance of Cumberbatch's performance is how multi-layered and manipulative he is. At times, Harrison does not even seem like a villain due to how placid and charming he is. When he strikes, though, he's one of the most menacing bad guys you will ever see. Meanwhile, the returning faces are also great, with Pine upping his game and Quinto remaining superb as Spock. The two are a great screen pair, and their interactions are frequently compelling. Also standing out is Pegg, who handles the comic relief exceptionally well, while Karl Urban makes for a scene-stealing Bones. Another notable newcomer is former RoboCop star Peter Weller (who was actually in a couple of episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise), turning in an engaging performance as Admiral Marcus.
Into Darkness is presented in 3D, a decision made by the studio heads at Paramount rather than Abrams. Hence, money rather than artistry motivated the choice to go 3D. The last film was fine in plain old 2D, automatically making the extra dimension seem redundant. Nevertheless, the conversion is solid, with several impressive shots and scenes that look natively 3D. Still, the experience plays more smoothly in 2D, mainly due to Abrams's shaky-cam trademark that sometimes makes the glasses tough on the eyes.
Ultimately, Star Trek: Into Darkness solidifies a franchise reborn. 2009's Star Trek instilled a lot of promise for the future, and this sequel does not disappoint. It's been four years since the last film, and Into Darkness was initially slated for a summer 2012 release date, so it's marvellous to finally see this new adventure come to fruition. It's a hugely appealing and thrilling action film that should reel in a new generation of Trek fans and appease the veteran Trekkies.
8.4/10
