Star Trek Into Darkness

Cast of Characters:
Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu - John Cho
Commander John Harrison - Benedict Cumberbatch
Dr. Carol Marcus - Alice Eve
Rear Admiral Christopher Pike - Bruce Greenwood
Lieutenant Commander Montgomery “Scotty” Scott - Simon Pegg
Commander/Captain James T. Kirk - Chris Pine
First Officer Spock - Zachary Quinto
Lieutenant Nyota Uhura - Zoe Saldana
Lieutenant Commander Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy - Karl Urban
Starfleet Admiral Alexander Marcus - Peter Weller
Ensign Pavel Chekov - Anton Yelchin

Director - J. J. Abrams
Screenplay - Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman & Damon Lindelof
Based upon Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence

      Spock, Scotty, Uhura, Sulu, Chekov, Bones, and Captain Kirk are all back in one of the most anticipated summer blockbuster sequels this year. Does director J. J. Abrams succeed or will he fall prey to the sophomore slump with his second entry belonging to one of the most beloved sci-fi franchises of all-time?

     Star Trek Into Darkness opens with the crew of the USS Enterprise on a mission to the planet Nibiru in order to observe a primitive civilization. When the life of First Officer Spock (Zachary Quinto) becomes jeopardized, Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) violates the Prime Directive by exposing the ship to the civilization. This results in Captain Kirk's demotion, with the Enterprise's command being turned over to Admiral Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood).

      The demotion turns out to be short-lived though following a bombing in London. At Starfleet Command, they discover the bombing was caused by former Starfleet Agent Commander John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch). Following another terrorist attack by Harrison, Starfleet Command finds outs Harrison has fled to the Klingon homeworld of Kronos. Captain Kirk, now reinstated, has been given orders by Starfleet Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller) to take his crew of the Enterprise to Kronos in order to track Harrison down and kill him. They also ordered to be as discreet as possible as to not bring about all out war against the Klingon race.

      2009's Star Trek was a huge hit both critically and financially and one I really enjoyed. While I don't consider myself a "Trekker", I still love the Star Trek films as well as the original television series, and what made J. J. Abram's first entry in this series so effective was that it was neither a sequel or a remake. Much like Christopher Nolan's Batman series in relation to Tim Burton's and the original television series, J. J. Abram's Star Trek was a new and different take on the iconic film and television series dating back almost fifty years. Like its predecessor, Star Trek Into Darkness delivers once again. Obviously, the visuals and special effects are eye-popping. You'd expect nothing less from not only a Star Trek entry, but a J. J. Abrams film in general. The casting is spot-on. Chris Pine is once again solid as Captain Kirk, playing him with a "to hell with authority" maverick sensibility we all know Kirk to have. Zachary Quinto is particularly strong as Spock, adding a little bit more of an emotional touch this time around to the normally emotionless Vulcan known for dictating his decision making to what can only be "logical". John Cho as Sulu, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Bruce Greenwood as Admiral Pike, Anton Yelchin as Chekov, and Karl Urban as Bones all turn in solid supporting work. Simon Pegg as Chief Engineer Scotty is so perfectly cast it's sick in the role once owned by the late James Doohan, and Peter Weller (that's right, Robo-Cop) also shows up in a small yet dependable role. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the villain in an eloquent style that at times may seem over the top, but that's not to say he isn't an effective Star Trek baddie. Despite, this film - like it's 2009 predecessor - being what you could consider a reboot, director J. J. Abrams (a die-hard Star Trek fan himself) still shows an immense respect to the original series offering us a number of nods to the Star Trek films of the past.

      While not perfect, this is still an entertaining thrill ride that in no way disappoints. The action sequences are exhilarating. The visuals are mind blowing. The performances are great, and J. J. Abrams shows once again why he's become such a staple within the sci-fi genre. Plus, midway through the film, there is a twist (that I will not give away in the slightest) that got quite a few people in the theater to gasp a little. I give Star Trek Into Darkness a B+ (★★★½).

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