Star Trek Into Darkness Review

As promised, I'm going back and reviewing the films I saw this summer. The second movie I went to see was the new Star Trek flick. I'm going to be perfectly honest with you; the only other Star Trek movie I've ever seen is J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot. I enjoyed it very much. However, I obviously do not have the same level of fondness for the mythos or the characters as I'm sure many of you do. Keep that in mind.

As I said, I was a big fan of 2009's Star Trek. I thought the cast did a great job, particularly Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. Of course, the visuals were stunning as well. Overall, it was just a fun movie. Now, just how accurate it was to the source material, I do not know. All I can say is that I thoroughly enjoyed watching it, and was hoping for a sequel. So, naturally, I went into Into Darkness with high expectations, especially with Pine, Quinto, and Abrams all returning. Not to mention the addition of Benedict Cumberbatch as the villain. And he, my friends, is what really makes this movie.

The performances are for the most part all really great, especially Cumberbatch. He is menacing, and steals every scene he's in. Pine, Quinto, Karl Urban, and Simon Pegg are notably good as well, but none of them stand up to Mr. Cumberbatch. Like I said, he steals the show.

If you were a fan of the frenetic action of Abrams' first Star Trek film, then you will enjoy yourself during Into Darkness. There's even more exhilarating action sequences in this than there was in the first. It really is electrifying. The visuals are remarkable as well, something that's becoming a given with J.J. Abrams movies.

Star Trek Into Darkness isn't all action and set pieces, though. It really takes the time to connect you with the characters and the story in the midst of all the spectacle. That's what makes it unique from any other old summer action flick.

I also found the film to be quite funny. There's plenty of comic relief to keep things light, and there are a few jokes that legitimately made me laugh very hard. When it comes down to it, it contains plenty of humor.

Now, there were a few things that irritated me. I won't give away any plot points, but there were a few that were blatant cop outs. Like, I just thought, "Could the writers not think of ANYTHING better than this?" It wasn't too bad, but it kind of took me out of the movie and the experience at the time.

Conclusion 

Star Trek Into Darkness is a dazzling sci-fi actioner that features a pleasantly villainous turn from Benedict Cumberbatch. Solid cast performances and riveting direction make it one of this summer's best movies. 

Rating: 8.5/10 

Age suggestion: 12+