Exciting. Offers a Lot for Both New and Old Fans

Rating: 9/10 (15 May 2013)

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If you had told me four years ago that I'd be anticipating a Star Trek release more than anything, I'd tell you to check yourself into a mental ward. But J.J. Abrams and company produced a fresh, exciting experience with the 2009 reboot. Somehow Star Trek became synonymous with a hip and cool crowd. Now with the sequel, we've been teased by a number of things, including footage of a heavily damaged ship crashing into Earth, a chase sequence amidst futuristic skyscrapers, and the promise of a devilishly menacing villain (Benedict Cumberbatch). And the best part? That's just the start of what I have to praise about this superior sequel.
The trailers for Into Darkness have done a great job at showing footage without giving any major plot points away. Ultimately all you need to know can be inferred from these previews: Benedict Cumberbatch is up to some stuff that's going to make things VERY tense for our heroes. After a fun-filled opening to get us reacquainted with the Enterprise, the movie takes quite a few serious turns to keep us on our toes. As a non-Trekkie, I'll be the first to say that there are points which will lose the more oblivious viewers. For those who are even casually versed, however, there's a fair amount of fan service to be enjoyed. Really the core plot brings in more Trekkie lore than anything, while the story itself deals with the strengths and pitfalls of our main characters.
But don't worry, we're still given plenty of punchy comic relief--thanks to a glorious screenplay--and some especially enthralling action. One particular sequence had me gaping in sheer awe as the exact words "I'm seeing this again in IMAX!" plopped right into my head (I saw a regular 3D showing). It's not just the bright, detailed and colorful visuals that drive these scenes, but also the crisp, hard-hitting audio. Into Darkness is a film you watch with the best possible set-up, all thanks to an escalating sense of urgency. To put it in perspective, think of a new, futuristic and sci-fi way of watching the Titanic sink.
Even more reason the danger grips so hard is because we honestly feel for the characters. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto might have young faces, but they quickly convince you that they're beyond their appearances. Both are all over the emotional board, never skipping a beat for neither deliveries nor expressions. Then there's Benedict Cumberbatch, whose identity is best left unveiled in the film itself. It's as if all the problems with Eric Bana as Nero were taken and used as reinforcement for this new adversary. There's a combination of wit and bluntness to each of his typically threatening lines, lending command and immediacy to every scene he's in.
About all that slows Star Trek Into Darkness down is the aforementioned possibility of losing certain audience members, along with an anti-climactic ending. One moment the film is still running in the high gears and the next it's down to an idle park. That said, there's so much fun, excitement and edginess that most people will happily set the smaller issues aside. You're not going to get a better, more crowd-pleasing popcorn film than this for the rest of the year.