Occasion: Geek night

Anticipation: Medium

Overall rating: 

Star Trek Into Darkness is a buddy movie about two seemingly miss-matched friends, who’s opposing instincts help them to save the world.

Chris Pine is James Tiberius Kirk, a loose canon, who makes decisions based on impulse; on gut feeling and passion. His best friend, Spock (Zachary Quinto), a logical and apparently emotionless half human-half Vulcan, still suffering the pain of the destruction of his home planet, awkwardly tries to prove to his colleagues that he has feelings by beating up unpopular superhuman, Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch).

For Star Trek devotees the re-imagining of the series brings meme-able moments (“KHAAAAAAN!!!”), as well as a glimpse at the new generation of Klingons. But this film is really about satisfying a whole new audience: there are no more polystyrene sets, no more ill-fitted skivvies (although I did chuckle at the wetsuits) and no more camp pseudo scientific conversations. Instead, there is breathtaking suspense, some beautifully rendered action sequences and powerful acting by Cumberbatch, the film’s chief villain and quite frankly, overall star.

—–SPOILER ALERT——

Star Trek Into Darkness is anything but dark: on a literal level, Abrams’ lens flares are everywhere, even in the most unlikely scenes. When Kirk dies we feel an unmistakable Hollywood assurance (sorry, spoiler) that he will somehow live. Uhura (Zoe Saldana) feels token, a showy way to prove girls can use phasers too, despite the fact that science fiction is a genre full of strong female characters.

But I enjoyed Star Trek. It is fun, exciting and the exchanges between Kirk and Spock are witty and entertaining. It is a slick, well produced action film that will leave most audiences tingling with excitement as they leave the theatre.

Movie vitals:

Star Trek Into Darkness

Directed by J.J. Abrams

Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, John Cho, Anton Yelchin and Zoe Saldana