Star Trek Into Darkness Review

Out of the darkness comes light.

Full, spoiler-free review by Isaac Handelman

With J.J. Abrams officially chosen as the helmer of Disney’s forthcoming Star Wars: Episode VII, Star Trek Into Darkness has some sky-high expectations to live up to. Not only must it prove to be a worthy follow-up to the stellar 2009 franchise reboot, but the film now has the hefty task of proving to legions of fans that Abrams was indeed the right choice to hold the reins to the two biggest science-fiction franchises in existence. Rarely do I get the pleasure of confirming that a film lives up to the hype, but Star Trek Into Darkness does. It is a grand, endlessly creative sequel that opens many exciting new doors for the rebooted franchise while paying serious homage to its source material.

And it didn’t take me long to deduce the film’s high quality. Darkness opens with an awe-inspiring action sequence that I won’t spoil here. Suffice to say, it’s a sensational start to a galaxy-spanning adventure. Instead of slowing down for exposition in the scenes that follow, some of Into Darkness’s best material comes directly following the pre-title sequence. After being re-acquainted with Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto) and the Enterprise crew, we’re promptly introduced to John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), a Star Fleet employee with menacing intentions. His introduction is absolutely chilling, as we immediately see the twisted lengths to which the man is willing to go to fulfill his mysterious vendetta against Star Fleet. Before long, Kirk and his companions are off on pursuit of Harrison to make the man see justice for his actions. 

Performances are great all around, but Cumberbatch steals the show as John Harrison

Despite its exciting start, the film does take a few puzzling (and frustrating) detours that involve undoing certain elements that the first film worked extremely hard to establish. Soon enough, the narrative gets back on track, though, and its early missteps are easily forgivable, though they are minor annoyances.

During some of its more extravagant battle sequences, Into Darkness seems to forget about all collateral damage occurring. Swaths of innocent bystanders die without a single acknowledgement from any characters, and yet whenever a major character meets his or her demise the entire supporting cast, extras included, stops to mourn. It can get a tad ridiculous as the casualties pile up, but at the same time it’s fortunate that the film doesn’t waste too much time dwindling on details not pertinent to the main plot.

And speaking of the plot, it’s unpredictable and enthralling, and takes an especially unexpected twist around the half-way point that ends up tying the film heavily into events of the original series. Numerous parallels exist between Into Darkness and its source show, and the film somehow manages to pay direct homage to the original Star Trek while maintaining its own clear and engaging vision. 

 

Not too many new faces show up for Into Darkness, but that’s okay, because the single most notable casting addition is also possibly the best part of the entire film. Benedict Cumberbatch is absolutely fantastic as shady central antagonist John Harrison. His actions are horrific and his motivations are unclear for the film’s first half, resulting in an enticing tale of intrigue during this first section.  The film as a whole doesn't quite manage to maintain this incredibly high quality standard through to the end, but Cumberbatch is consistently menacing, mysterious and occasionally even endearing, hitting each note flawlessly and crafting one of science-fiction cinema’s all-time great villains. Harrison's memorable demeanor is assisted considerably by some stylish costuming that effectively amplifies his onscreen presence.

One of Into Darkness' many visually stunning scenes

Of course, none of that is to downplay the performances of the Enterprise crew. Chris Pine’s impulsive, rebellious Kirk is as likable as ever, Quinto’s Spock is spot on and has some great comedic moments, Simon Pegg is hilarious as Scotty, and the rest of the crew fits into their respective roles with ease. 

Unsurprisingly, Into Darkness hits the ball out of the park when it comes to crafting high-caliber action sequences. The film's space battles are gorgeous and intense, and the film contains a few more grounded (literally) action scenes that still contain plenty of science-fiction spectacle and set-piece moments. Of course, none of that would be possible without some fantastic production design, which Into Darkness has in spades; whether the crew is traversing ruined alien worlds, stunning space forests or simply walking through futuristic Earth cities, the set design consistently provides something to marvel at.

Star Trek Into Darkness is visually stunning, dark and clever. Its cast is fantastic, its narrative enthralling, its action exhilarating, its mysteries intriguing, and it sets a dark, brooding tone while still maintaining the series’ trademark sense of adventure and fun. It’s rare that a sequel manages to get so much right in the face of sky-high expectations, but Star Trek Into Darkness does just that. It’s bound to please fans of the original series as well as those who were introduced to the franchise through the 2009 film. The film is not without a few stumbles; it's high on glazed-over collateral damage, inconsistent in momentum and contains a few instances of notably ham-fisted dialogue. None of this is enough to seriously harm the fantastic entertainment that the film offers up, though. By its close, Into Darkness promises to go where no one has gone before, and if the high quality of this film is any indication, that’s an attainable goal.