Star Trek Into Darkness

Stars: 8 / 10

Thoroughly entertaining. As a Trekkie, I'm tickled by all the little inside-jokes and nods to the original series, peppered throughout the film. Close enough to the original story to feel familiar, but different enough to surprise. Action, adventure, outer space, a clever villain, humour, top-grade special effects, beautiful lighting, quality set design, a decent score, and a hint of sexiness. What's not to love?

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1408101/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Director: J.J. Abrams
Year: 2013
Main Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana; Karl Urban, Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Weller, Simon Pegg, Alice Eve, John Cho

Trailer

Extended Review:

Funnier and more spectacular than the first Star Trek reboot, I liked this one even better than the first. The opening sequence was probably my favourite in the film (makes me chuckle, just thinking about it.)

"Into Darkness" gives us more aliens (yay), more Scotty (yay), more interior views of The Enterprise, great big disaster effects, lots of pretty outer space sequences, and a really intense bad guy (yay again). The little twist at the end totally surprised me, and yes, I will admit it, I cried a little. (eeep!)

Benedict Cumberbatch does Kahn beautifully. He's a total departure from Ricardo Montalban
(who played the role in the original series/films), and although I liked Montalban's Kahn, I must say that Cumerbatch NAILS it -- the cold genius is sharper here, and gleams like a blade.

My only real complaints about this film are the beat-em-up fight sequences. Although it was not visually graphic, the meaty sounds of fists mashing into bodies started to get grotesque, and after awhile, I was unable to suspend my disbelief that anyone could take a beating that bad and still manage to get up and walk away, let alone punch back. But, I know, it's a fantasy-action film, so I take it as it is.

Personal bonus points for Zachary Quinto, as Spock, who not only plays a brilliant homage to Nimoy's original character, but also brings unique elements of his own (and omg, he's delicious eye-candy...!) An additional bonus point for a strong Uhura (played by Zoe Saldana).

And as for the little "Millenium Falcon" nod that Abrams snuck in there: oh, you cheeky monkey!

*** Star Rating Scale ***

How films are judged:

I rate films within their respective genres, and always consider the era in which they were made, judging a film on its own merits, as well as in contrast to others (within their genre.)

Though I try to be fair and balanced, a certain amount of personal bias does figure into the scores (of course.)

Stars : 0 - 10

0 : Unwatchable. This film is an unwatchable abomination. Consider it one of the worst movies that never should have been made. Whoever released it is a sadist. If I couldn't suffer through the whole thing, it's an instant 0.

1 : Garbage. Burn it and bury it! Unless you are being paid a King's ransom, this movie is never worth watching. Somehow, I managed to suffer through it, but there is nothing worthwhile about this movie. Nothing. Unless you are a glutton for punishment, don't waste your time.

2: Awful. This film is a stinkbomb. Hold your nose and run the other way! There was at least one scene or major element of the film that I liked, but overall, it's best used as fertilizer.

3: Bad. Mostly this movie is Awful, but there was at least one or two scenes that I liked, perhaps one actor's performance was well done, or some effort worth nodding to. It's still tripe, though.

4: Tolerable. It wasn't the worst movie, it even had a few ok scenes/qualities, but it had a lot of stink, too. This film is nothing special. I have no interest in ever seeing it again. Meh.

5: OK. I didn't love, nor hate it, outright. A take-it-or-leave-it film, but has some redeeming qualities. Typically it's not something I would want to own, but I suppose would watch it again, at least once.

6: Good. I liked it. It was entertaining and enjoyable, even if there were some major goofs or wonky bits, overall, it's a decent movie. Not much of a prize winner, it won't redefine it's genre, it won't change your life, but something in this film makes it worth watching. I would certainly recommend it to someone who loves its specific genre.

7: Distinctive. This film stands out amongst its peers. Something about this movie has greatness. There was some imperfection, but overall, this film was really well made. This film is memorable, and sticks with you. I recommend it, and it's something that I would definitely want to own.

8: Fantastic. An instant favourite. This film is exceptionally good! It's impressive, unique and beautifully produced, it raises the bar. A memorable film that stirs the mind and the emotions. You have to shake it off after you see it, because it teleports you into its world. You may find yourself thinking about it days, even months, afterwards. I highly recommend it, and it's certainly something I would want to own.

9: Practically Perfect. I love this film! It's rare to find a gem like this. Treasure it. Practically perfect in every way, you'll never tire of it, and every time you see it, it shines like diamonds. This unforgetable film will change the way you look at all others. Depending on the type of film, it may even influence your life. I definitely recommend it, and you can bet your bippy that I own it, in a special edition, whenever possible.

10: Perfection.

FAQ

Why do you write reviews?
-- I love film, and I like to share.

Why minimal reviews?
-- I like to review in a way that cuts to the heart of the matter.

I'm not going to give you a long-winded synopsis of the film, because trailers, official film websites, and IMDB already do that. I will tell you, in a nutshell, what's the premise of the film, and what I liked or didn't like about it.

Birth of the Blog:
I tweet about movies after I watch them, and thus, the idea of a blog with my minimal movie reviews was born. I wanted to collect my reviews in one easy-to-access place, as well as have the option to give an Expanded Review for some of the films.

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/BonnieSparkles

Why so many thrillers and horror movies?
-- I like the genres, so I watch a lot of them.

Where you do live?
-- central France

How/where do you watch these movies?
-- Online, mostly. Some I borrow from the library, some I own on disc, and some I saw in the theatre.

Have you studied film making?
-- Not in a professional sense, no. I took one "history of film" course at uni, I've read a handful of screenplays, books about how to write screenplays, and inumerable books and articles on film making and the history of films. I've watched thousands of films, as well as countless documentaries and interviews with/about film makers.

Star Trek Into Darkness

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