Note: I'm trying to remain as spoiler-free as possible. But reviewing this movie is difficult without at least insinuating potential "spoiler" material. Proceed with caution.
I am not a long-running Star Trek fan. I've never watched the show in any of its iterations nor any of the movies. I made an exception for J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot, and I didn't regret that decision. The 2009 Star Trek was a fitfully entertaining space opera yarn that succeeded in its goal of breathing new life into a series that, by all accounts, had lost its way. Obviously, a four-year wait between movies is long enough that it allows modest expectations to grow large and high expectations to grow enormous (not to the level of Star Wars or Harry Potter proportions, but close). As for me, I approach a Star Trek movie the same way I settle in to watch a superhero flick; I'm hoping for a good time at the movies without the annoyance of all those comparisons to the past or the source material (with one exception; more on that later). You might say I'm easy to please that way, and Star Trek Into Darkness mostly delivers the goods.
The movie wastes no time jumping into the heart of the action, where Captain James Kirk (Chris Pine) and Dr. Bones McCoy (Karl Urban) are outrunning warriors from a primitive society. The Enterprise is on a mission to save a planet from an erupting volcano, and in the process, Kirk makes a rash decision to violate a "Prime Directive" in order to save his first officer, Spock (Zachary Quinto), from certain death. In spite of his life being saved, the emotionless, by-the-book Spock nonetheless writes up Kirk in his official report. This results in The Enterprise being given back to Admiral Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) and Kirk eventually demoted to First Officer. Meanwhile, Commander John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) goes rogue, executes several terrorist attacks, and flees to the Klingon homeworld of Kronos. Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) reluctantly gives Kirk command of his ship back and orders him to track down Harrison and bring him to justice. But the mission is far from as straightforward as it initially appears.
At 140 minutes, Star Trek Into Darkness is lengthy, but the movie's pace is so relentless that it's hard to imagine anyone fidgeting in their seats. The narrative doesn't rely on a single, shocking twist, but instead gradually unveils surprises throughout. I wouldn't go so far as to call this thinking-person's science fiction, but it's always engaging. Even though I'm by no means a Star Trek die-hard, I can safely say that long-time fans will have more than a few goosebump moments. Those moments are driven not just by the numerous shootouts (whether land or space-based) but by the gradual revealing of Harrison's motivations. In the end, I suppose Abrams couldn't resist making a Star Trek reboot without presenting his vision of one of the most famous of all plotlines. Yes, even I was aware of that one.
Much has been made of how this Star Trek, unabashedly a member of the "space opera" brand of sci-fi, is beginning to resemble its chief genre movie rival. Whether that's a change for the better or worse is something Trekkies/Trekkers can decide; I really have no idea. Ultimately, the studio simply had to adapt to audiences' tastes. What I can authoritatively comment on is that these action sequences are suitably intense, suspenseful, and easy to follow. The special effects and production design are not only state-of-the-art, they're immersive. Those who attend a movie like this for shootouts and explosions will certainly savor their money's worth, but the movie is thankfully never dumb or short on logic. With a character like Spock involved, how could it be?
Speaking of Spock, his verbal tussles with Kirk and Uhera (Zoe Saldana) are a highlight. This is primarily a serious science fiction movie (and it does a superb job delving into the reasons for Spock choosing to ignore emotions), but there's plenty of room for witticisms and laughs. Much like the Iron Man films, Star Trek Into Darkness contains plenty of sparkling dialogue for the casual or non-fan to sink his/her teeth into. The difference here is that while Iron Man 3 was dominated largely by one performer, this movie provides everyone multiple opportunities to shine. It's befitting of a team effort, where even the supporting players like Scotty (a manically hilarious Simon Pegg) make memorable contributions. And it's hard to imagine a villain making a better impression this year than Benedict Cumberbatch's Harrison. His voice and presence are awesome to behold.
Unfortunately, it's impossible to discuss Star Trek Into Darkness without confronting the climax. The final action sequence, involving little more than a glorified fist-fight atop a moving vehicle, is a tad anti-climactic and certainly not the culmination of all that precedes it. The near-nonstop adrenaline rush that the movie delivers prior to this moment comes to a screeching halt when the filmmakers essentially write themselves into a corner. What's more, it also takes the movie's most emotionally poignant moment (complete with the scream of a familiar line that even I recognized) and renders it moot. I understand the need for that moment not to play out as it appears because the studio desires a long-running franchise, but still, it reeks of cheating. It's reminiscent of The Hunger Games, where a darkly fascinating conundrum is hinted at before being yanked away at the last moment.
The lackluster ending is easily forgivable, however. Like a good road trip, sometimes the journey leaves a greater impact than the destination. The movie's final scene, which literally promises a long voyage with potentially better adventures to come, is guaranteed to slap a wide grin on even the grumpiest viewer's face. These characters are a joy to spend time with for 2+ hours, and hopefully the wait for their next outing will be shorter than four years. A stronger ending would've made Star Trek Into Darkness an instant Top 10 contender for yours truly, but even as is, it's a thrilling summer blockbuster with heart and soul to spare.
And no, I'm not going to end this review with a certain signature catchphrase, as many have done. That would be too easy.
Rating: *** out of ****
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