J.J. Abrams sets his phasers to stunning

Rating: 7/10 (14 May 2013)

In 2009, J.J. Abrams successfully reinvigorated a flailing franchise in a manner that few saw coming. 'Star Trek' was an unexpected triumph and one of the best films of 2009. However, can lighting strike twice? Well, 'Star Trek Into Darkness' is superb evidence that it can, because not only is it a great movie, but also one of those rare cases where the sequel betters the already good predecessor.
The film finds Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and the Enterprise crew begin to fracture as their most powerful enemy yet, a terrorist within Starfleet, John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) declares a one-man war on the organisation. After a number of terrorist attacks, Kirk decides to embark on a manhunt to stop this ruthless villain.
'Star Trek Into Darkness' opens with a blistering action sequence that sees the Kirk and 'Bones' McCoy (Karl Urban) fleeing from a tribe of fierce natives, while Spock (Zachary Quinto) descends into an erupting volcano. Brilliantly, the pace doesn't let up, it rattles along at the speed of a freight train (or more appropriately, a starship at warp speed). If anything, this sci-fi sequel confirms J.J. Abrams as a master of pacing – no scene is too long, too short or drags in any way. The action setpieces – from a gunfight in a maze of ruins to a chase through San Francisco – are truly breathtaking.
But with so much action, is much space allotted for the ensemble cast? The answer, thankfully, is yes. The Kirk/Spock dynamic (passionate hot- head and impassionate man of logic) has always been at the very core of Star Trek's appeal and here, it is at its very best. Much of this is down to top-notch performances from Pine and Quinto, who continue to work wonderfully together, and also separately. The other cast members all get their moments to shine, whether it's Scotty (Simon Pegg) drunk or Bones' cracking one liners ("Jim, you don't leave a heist when the runaway car has a flat tire!")
A shining standout though, is Benedict Cumberbatch as the villainous Harrison. In the previous Trek instalment, Eric Bana's Nero made for a solid, if unremarkable foe; however such is not the case with Harrison. Cumberbatch is a formidably intimidating villain, made all the more menacing by his cold and calculating manner along with a sense of there being method to his madness.
One of the best things about 'Star Trek Into Darkness' is the perfect balance it strikes between being one for the fans and also a film that newcomers can readily enjoy. For the Trekkers, there are clever and often funny nods to the franchise (Tribbles! Gorns! Red Shirts!), but for people who've never seen anything Trek-related before, this is just as accessible – "The aim was to make a movie that could stand on its own terms", Abrams outlined. This is a non-stop thrill-ride of a movie with three-dimensional characters, humour, rug-pulls, heart and plenty of lens flare. This isn't just a great sequel or a great 'Star Trek' movie; this is a great movie fullstop. 'Star Wars VII' is in very safe hands indeed.