Star Trek Into Darkness
Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zoe Saldana
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and the crew of the Starship Enterprise embark on a journey of revenge. After a rogue Starfleet member John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) attacks a general assembly, Kirk is sent to kill him with new photon torpedoes by Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller). They fly to the Klingon world of Kronos, where Harrison is hiding out. Instead of carrying out the order, due to the persuasive nature of Spok (Zachary Quinto), Kirk decides to go to Kronos to apprehend Harrison alive.
Taking Harrison captive on the Enterprise, the crew learns that there's more to the story than a simple attack, and the true nature of Harrison, his true identity, and purpose.
This is only the second "Star Trek" move I've ever seen (the first one obviously being the reboot in 2009), and I found the film to be one of the best action films I've seen in awhile. It was pretty much non-stop from beginning to end, and it was one of those rare films I wished would've lasted longer.
Many people are dissing the film because of the "weak plot" and "over-the-top action," and to those I say, "have you SEEN a 'Star Trek' movie before?" I've never seen any of the older films, but I do know from reading about them that most "Star Trek" movies aren't Oscar-worthy pieces of cinematic history - they're just enjoyable sci-fi action films with deep characterization and dazzling worlds and effects. It was never meant to be some prolific deeply introspective film - it's a summer action blockbuster.
That being said, the acting in the film was highly commendable. Benedict Cumberbatch is a rare gem of an actor who steals any scene he's in, just with his own characteristic charisma let alone his brilliant voice. He reminds me of a new Daniel Day-Lewis actor who I'm sure will go on to make some amazing films.
Also high on the performance scale was Zachary Quinto's performance as Spock, who takes the character to deeper levels (including a tough heart-breaking scene near the end) that pulls him out of his Vulcan emotional-less world and gives him a heart and a purpose, even if he still follows the rules.
Chris Pine, well, he did good. He was completely overshadowed by Cumberbatch and Quinto, but he was still able to hold his own for the most part.
What I really enjoyed about the film is the obvious comradery between the actors. The quips, one-liners and even the emotionally charged parts of the film were heightened because you can feel that the actors really enjoyed working with each other. Some films try to use this comedic relief but fail because the actors don't get along on set, but with "Into Darkness," you can tell that they're really enjoying each other and what they're doing, which makes the audience also enjoy what is happening on screen.
Rating: A
Comments
Post a Comment