Star Trek: Into Darkness – A Hopefully Spoiler-Free Review
Reviewed By Marie Parsons
The second movie is a marvelous, excitingly energetic, balm
to both Star Trek fans and general movie-goers. J.J. Abrams got that right.
This time he takes the Enterprise crew (and perhaps the viewing audience as
well) into darkness at many levels. They learn something about their beloved
Federation. They learn something about facing grave loss. They learn something
about the darkness of complete and utter vengeance. Viewers may also ponder about what kinds of
choices they may ever make, whether or not those choices lead them into
darkness.
When we last saw Kirk and his crew, he was jauntily, cockily
(all-Kirk) taking over the helm of the Enterprise. No mention was made then of
any five-year mission-McCoy was simply told to “buckle up.” When ST: Into
Darkness opens, the Enterprise is nowhere to be seen, but Kirk and McCoy (the
good doctor of all people?) are racing through a strange reddish forest on the
planet Nibiru, being chased by apparently primitive Nibiruans. We eventually
learn that Kirk has determined to save this planet, which seems doomed to a
natural disaster, and Spock, who has an integral part in the planet’s
salvation. This decision brings about some
interesting conversation between Kirk and Spock later on.
Back at StarFleet, Kirk faces the consequences of his
interference. In London, a despairing couple faces the loss of their daughter. The
father makes a deadly bargain, orchestrating an explosion, in order save his
daughter’s life. This introduces viewers
to the mysterious John Harrison. The explosion brings together the senior
officers of the Federation to discuss matters. Kirk alone realizes, too late,
that this meeting is truly the trap. He is
then ordered to take the Enterprise to find and hunt down John Harrison.
Kirk tracks Harrison to the home world of a race familiar to
Star Trek fans. A small landing party searches a supposedly abandoned (i.e. no
indigenous population) province, but is accosted by scouting ships. When a large armed group of the aliens
threatens the landing party, Uhura gets to use her linguistic skills, but
fails. Before things get really ugly, Harrison appears and takes out every
alien. He then surrenders, after learning an interesting bit of information.
It is after his surrender that we begin to see the making of
the Captain Kirk (and even the Spock) we all have come to know. Harrison is a coldly serpentine fellow, and
he knows precisely the words to darken Kirk’s soul. But in this case, the
darkness is a seasoning. Neither Kirk nor Spock yet realized the elements of
their personalities so vital to both their friendship and their own ability to
accomplish. Harrison provides the
catalystic agent both need.
Most of the characters do what they always do. McCoy quips
and makes sarcastic remarks. Scotty whines but is his usual engineering genius
self. Uhura has some brilliant moments,
and one, quite amusing, conversation between her and Spock reminds us that this
indeed is a rebooted Star Trek universe.
Chekhov does an engaging turn as he has to head engineering in Scott’s
absence. Sulu gets to feel what it is
like temporarily in the captain’s chair.
The movie contains a lot of action, and general movie-goers will enjoy
the tightness of the story, the tense drama and the fast pace.
The balm to Star Trek fans is of course the Kirk and Spock
story. To watch these two work through that they can be friends, no detriment
to either, is a joy and an inspiration that original Trek viewers never really
got to enjoy at its fullest.
But the core that makes that story work is John Harrison. A
more perfect villain may never again face any universe. Perfect, in that he
could be so incredibly heroic. Perfect, in that he encompasses sheer physical
force. Perfect, in his cold ability to see things as they are. Perfect, in his
utter confidence that he is not villain, but right. Viewers might find themselves briefly
pondering a “what if Harrison could become friends with Kirk and Spock? What
kind of universe would that make.”
To say much more would be to give too much away. This is a
movie that any and every Star Trek fan should see. This is a movie that movie-goers should see.
Go into the Darkness, and leave completely satisfied.
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