[FILM REVIEW] STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

2009’s Star Trek provided pretty much everything anyone could want from a reboot of a much loved piece of fiction, and the challenge for director JJ Abrams now is can he deliver pretty much everything anyone could want from a sequel? It’s a delicate balancing act having to provide a sense of the familiar with a sense of the unknown – having to build on what was great about the original without simply making another one. Sure there’d be few complaints if Star Trek Into Darkness simply represented ‘another Star Trek movie’, but has this sequel kicked on enough to boldly go where no Star Trek has gone before?

Into Darkness kicks off in much the same fashion as its predecessor with an exciting opening of action and drama, which serves both to kick off the main event and provide the audience with an insight into what the Enterprise gets up to between films. It excels at both and provides just a taste of the impressive action spectacle to come.

An impressive cage.

Spectacular action is what dominates Into Darkness, with such a lengthy array of set pieces and phaser shoot-outs that it can become ever so slightly tedious at points. There are times when you feel as though any interlude is simply filler before the next action sequence, and as a result it can sometimes grate. Having said that, the film is bookended by two fantastically grandiose set pieces that do well to impress considering how desensitised most have come to similarly large scale special effects ridden moments in other films.

Driving the action is the Enterprise’s pursuit of wanted terrorist ‘John Harrison’ (Benedict Cumberbatch), a man charged with attempting to provoke war between humanity and the infamous Klingon race through terrorism. The audience is given an early look into what Harrison is seemingly all about, and the potential for a politically charged war on terror in a sci-fi setting is one that genuinely excites, which is why the direction Into Darkness eventually takes, whilst still capable of providing an exciting finale, is a little disappointing. Nonetheless, Into Darkness’ plot still provides ample opportunity for adrenaline and excitement, it just feels a little like Star Trek Paint By Numbers at times, with a twist that doesn’t hold up as anything more than slightly contrived.

A spaceship. In space.

This sequel is at its best when Cumberbatch is in full-on villain mode, or when time is given to the ongoing growth in friendship between Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto). That relationship is what really defined Abrams’ first Trekkie effort, and it’s that bromance between the two leads that really provides the sequel with its heart and soul. The development of a true friendship between the two is excellently penned and at times rather touching, with the camaraderie between them elevated by excellent performances from Pine and Quinto. Unfortunately, the rest of the Enterprise crew aren’t given too much time or space to really develop as characters, with the focus instead given to the role of Cumberbatch, who represents a proper upgrade on the fairly generic villain we got with Nero in the first film.

Unfortunately it’s only in its villain whereby Into Darkness really feels like a step up from its predecessor. Whilst the existing characters are still well presented and the action is still exciting and impressive when it’s at its best, it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that Into Darkness isn’t really a film that’ll have you on the edge of your seat. It’s very well produced, it looks great, it’s well acted and it features some real stand-out moments as well as some terrific fan service for the Trekkies, but nothing really new. It does about as much as you’d expect from a Star Trek sequel, which is both good and slightly disappointing. They most certainly haven’t messed with the formula, and depending on your stance could be more than enough.

The new crew member.

For me, it was enough for me to enjoy my trip to the cinema, but it didn’t quite leave me pining (GEDDIT?!) for more in the same way the original did. Star Trek Into Darkness is a highly enjoyable ride and presents the audience with some truly dazzling action and some genuine excitement, all of which is fuelled by some fantastic performances from the main cast. What holds Into Darkness back from  greatness is the fact that even when it’s at its best it delivers no more than what was delivered in the original, and, Cumberbatch’s chilling villain aside, there’s a sense throughout that the sequel is playing it just a little bit safe, and you may find yourself playing spock the difference with past incarnations of the franchise.

Star Trek Into Darkness doesn’t really boldly go where no Star Trek film has gone before, but it’s still an enjoyable ride and a worthy enough successor to one of 2009’s best.

7/10

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