Devolution into Darkness

Rating: 5/10 (21 December 2013)

It is interesting how a concept finally evolves, or devolves, to adapt to changing times. The original Star Trek TV series was built on the premise that humans would solve their problems at home and then explore the universe, that racial equality, lack of need for monetary currencies, and the US and Russians being buddies would be the norm. It also dissected a human mind's emoting-reasoning-deciding process into the open, making each a separate character in the McCoy-Spock-Kirk trio. It was sheer joy to watch Kirk listen to his emotions and to his logic, and then act decisively. Star Trek was ahead of its time (as the best sf is), a cultural spearhead of the mid-60s to 90s.
Abrams clearly does not understand any of this, and serves up a particularly mindless action and special effects concoction, in keeping with the times. In previous installments, the Khan antagonist's motivation was conquest of the universe, or revenge against Kirk. Here it seems to be revenge against a secondary character whose motives are revealed in passing towards the end of the film! And the secondary character is a high-up in the Federation, so much for humanity solving its problems and exploring the universe. The talents of Benedict Cumberbatch (think of a film like "The Imitation Game"!) are sadly wasted here.
The movie treads no new ground, everything from aerial car chases, to the buddy-I-can-see-but-not-touch death scene has been done better elsewhere, either in previous installments of the franchise, or in other films.
Sadly, the film does not bring Star Trek to a new generation of moviegoers. It brings sf/action du jour, borrowing a few names and the general shape of a starship from Roddenberry's vision, but nothing else, to a new generation of moviegoers.