Movie Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

Starring Alice Eve, Anton Yelchin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Bruce Greenwood, Chris Pine , Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana

Star rating: ****

There are not many films or TV series which have gained the cult following like Star Trek has and i am afraid that i am one of those trekkies. Be it the sense of belonging or the space adventure aspect that draws me in, i have always been a huge fan. The first Star Trek film established the Kirk and Spock bromance and helped sell Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto as these two iconic characters. JJ Abrams was selling the Star Trek team to a whole new audience and fan base and also had the difficult task of keeping the devoted trekkies. Star Trek Into Darkness was meant to be the confident older brother of the first film, building on the re-energised sense of Trek mania.

This film plunges the audience into chaotic madness where Captain James T Kirk (Chris Pine) is on the run from an indigenous species as Spock (Zachary Quinto) is beemed down to planet's surface to prevent a volcano from erupting. When it looks like Enterprise will be losing Spock, Kirk flouts Starfleet's regulations by allowing the natives to see the Starship rising from the ocean to rescue Spock. When back on Earth, Kirk omits the incident from his records but Spock shops him to the authorities in his stubborness to follow regulations. Kirk is stripped of his command and demoted to first officer under the hand of his mentor (Bruce Greenwood). However after an attack on Starfleet comes from within, Kirk is called back into action to battle a new enemy, a mysterious man named Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch).

The Star Trek has always been about the relationship between Kirk and Spock and this is a strong theme in this film. As Spock realises that the two are indeed friends, it is interesting to see the two work together and apart throughout the film. Pine and Quinto play this to their advantage and are perfect to play the two characters and have some great one liners. Cumberbatch is brilliant as Khan and his serious expressions make him the brooding villian, heartless and ruthless to attain his goals. The film is well made and scenes are brilliantly executed. Karl Urban is great as Bones and comes into his own as the medical officer and partner in crime for Kirk. Scotty aka Simon Pegg brings some laughs from the audience and he is a great character in this film. This is a must see for all Trekkies, it is a refresh on the old story but is just as entertaining.