Bungie Jumping Sci-Fi, Unfortunately...

Rating: 2/10 (17 May 2013)

If my headline wouldn't have contained a spoiler, I would have titled this review: "Pussy Kligons, Ineffective Khan". The spoiler being that no one is to know that Khan is the villain until the second half of the movie, and most Sci-fi fans knew the identity of the enemy from the previews. Judging this film on the poor characterization of two of the best villains in Sci-fi history, however, would be giving a half-billion dollar production a pass.
No, this is a film that likes Kligons for their looks, and Khan for his action moves. How closely the Federation's actions are to the Kligons is never debated. What the implications of the Genetics War were to a new war mongering society were also swept under the rug. But again, that's back to old Star Trek...
What does this film have to offer to the Sci-Fi genre? Not much. Most of the scenes revolve around hair raising events, and how risky they are to the human body - such as the volcano sequence in the first part of the film. This is a good beginning. Too many times, all films show these daring do stunts that no human can survive. But instead of delving into a situation in which science is used to upgrade the human body, the filmmakers instead just bring in Khan as the answer. Never do any of the War capable Federation members ask if this creation could save federation soldiers lives as they fight however many wars they fight. They just think this will be a great distraction for Kligons?
(Also, this alternate universe was supposed to have been created 28 years prior to this film, whereas the Botany Bay - Khan's ship - was supposed to have set sail about 280 years prior, and was to be in unexplored space. The film never mentions how the Federation was supposed to have picked up his ship.)
It's obvious the film maker doesn't have any feel for these stories. It might have been interesting to blow up Vulcan, or make Kirk a problem child, but science fiction actually has to have some science dilemma. Remake Die Hard, Walking Tall or The Bourne series. Leave the heady Sci-Fi stuff alone.