Casey's Movie Mania: STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS (2013)

Rating: 10/10 (11 May 2013)

Brimming with enough excitement, wit and engaging character-driven drama, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS is a summer-movie masterpiece and one of the best sequels ever made in recent years.
J.J Abrams' 2009 reboot had certainly gave a much-needed boost to a brand new STAR TREK franchise. Even though that movie was flawed, it had its genuine moments. But now J.J. Abrams and his returning crew have outdone themselves with a much-improved sequel of STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS.
Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof's screenplay with the recurring theme of friendship, responsibility and unity is as vibrant as ever. Its well-paced structure is a breathlessly cinematic experience from start till finish. Characters development are ace and all the returning cast are pitch-perfect, especially the striking friendship between Chris Pine's Kirk and Zachary Quinto's Spock. Up-and-coming Benedict Cumberbatch gives one of the most memorable screen villains in recent memory as the mysterious John Harrison. He's certainly a great actor to look out for in the future, with his hypnotic screen presence and terrific speech pattern that reminds me of the great Alan Rickman (best known for his Snape role in HARRY POTTER series and as Hans Gruber in DIE HARD). Action sequences are significantly improved from the first movie as they are more coherent and genuinely entertaining. J.J. Abrams' direction is meticulous as he makes every frame counts.
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