Exhilarating fun in the final frontier

Rating: 9/10 (24 May 2013)

In the universe created by J.J. Abrams, the cultures of the past Trek genre define the actions the characters take against contemporary adversities and issues. Adroitly, he satisfies both the Trekkie in us as well as the ignorant big summer movie-goer. With his action-packed, thrilling homage to the series, Abrams takes The Enterprise boldly to where no man has gone before. 'Star Trek Into Darkness' is an immensely enjoyable summer movie that yet has the brain and heart for those who expect a journey onto the final frontier.
James Kirk (Chris Pine) continues to be driven by his motivated instinct while being the rough-edged, rule defying Captain of Starship Enterprise. Against all his righteousness, he is always challenged by Spock (Zachary Quinto)'s logical and bookish persuasions that lead to some tongue-in-cheek conflict. After saving an endangered species from an impending volcanic eruption, Enterprise returns home to Star Fleet headquarters to the news of a terror attack on their London offices. The Mastermind is a rogue officer John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) who subsequently attacks the emergency meeting of Officers. Thus begins the game of chess where Kirk and his crew have to outsmart, outmaneuver and outmatch Harrison and bring him to justice. But in their journey, they will encounter betrayal, vulnerability, a test of nerves and some Klingons. Scotty (Simon Pegg) has quit because he doesn't trust the torpedoes aboard the ship, Chekov is challenged with the ship's mechanical failures, Spock and Uhura (Zoe Saldana) are having a troubled relationship, Bones (Karl Urban) is ever tensed about Kirk's health and the mission's health and Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) has cruel intentions for the Enterprise. In this scenario, Kirk will have to make some bold decisions while considering Spock's logical and moral notions if they have to overcome the unstoppable super-soldier and emerge unscathed from such adversity.
Abrams' team of writers have a topical script that sets contemporary threats in a futuristic wartime. Action explodes in a frenzy as the script propels at warp speed, thus providing wholesome entertainment. Meanwhile, the strengths and idiosyncrasies of the Enterprise crew members are well exposed to lay the foundation for this franchise to expand. Chekov's charming lines such as 'Captain on the bridge!' set a new tone while Scotty's brilliance in the ship's engine room assures us of its longevity. Sulu is competent and finds occasional comfort in the Captain's chair and Bones adds a more humane and caring element. Uhura's audacity and dedication to the fleet are laudable whereas the new girl Carol (Alice Eve) looks to be a promising eye candy if nothing else. Thus, the supporting cast have chunkier roles with more emphasis on laying the foundation for their characters while justifying their purpose on the bridge. Quinto excels as Spock, whose half human-half Vulcan sensibilities can often times be perceived as cold heartedness. His matter-of-fact mannerisms are not always well received by Kirk or Uhura but as he exposes his reasoning, we witness Quinto's excellence in embodying the character. His fist fight with Harrison in the climax is ridiculously old schoolish compared to what we witness throughout the movie but that blame rests upon Abrams only. Chris Pine carries the burden of credibility very well. As the Captain, he may be reckless but he portrays focus, composure and wit in every situation. Pine depicts the multitude of emotions convincingly and establishes his presence in the company of Quinto and Cumberbatch.
Benedict Cumberbatch proves why he is such a prized actor. Arguably the best Sherlock ever, Benedict has the power to express emotions in mild and serious situations in exemplary manner. It takes a long time to figure out if Harrison is truly evil or is he a pawn in a bigger war and therefore, his multi-dimensional character offered variety and depth for Benedict to portray and he did it brilliantly. As a mastermind who becomes a force to reckon with for the entire Star Fleet, Benedict leaves us admiring evil.
J.J. Abrams has perhaps made the funniest and wittiest Star Trek and has also directed it into darkness. The evil is far superior for an ordinary captain and his crew to counter and it does take each of the characters to break away from their mould to overcome this threat. Abrams has brought the characters together as a team that we can get accustomed to while building those bonds through often quirky dialogue exchanges or heated confrontations. On the other hand, he depicts Starship Enterprise in all its grandeur in the scenes when it emerges from the ocean, as it frequently goes into warp and as it suffers damage in battles. Just like that, he connects the audience to the ship and its crew for the many journeys that are in store. Abrams did not redefine a genre here. Instead, he opened up a genre to the general movie-goer by keeping it entertaining enough for a big summer movie. Hardcore trekkies may find few flaws in the story-line but they will appreciate the subtle references to the plots and characters of the previous films and TV shows. The visual effects team will leave the creators of 'Oblivion' applauding for them at the award ceremonies with the stunning work in creating the future San Francisco and London while depicting other worlds and the beauty of space as Enterprise leaves its Warp trails.
Into Darkness is a solid followup to 2009's 'Star Trek' and it paves the way for journeys into the final frontier with Starship Enterprise while satisfying geeks and alluring mere mortals. With a talented team of writers who assisted in 'Lost', a visual effects team that sets a pretty high bar and some dedicated, versatile actors who could enliven their characters, J.J. Abrams provides a rich, vivid and thrilling escape into space that has loads of entertainment to be a summer blockbuster. Beam yourself down to the nearest theater....

9.102 on a scale of 1-10.