After a self-inflicted hiatus from this blog, I decided to revisit the whole film-review blogging business and try a slightly different approach – otherwise I might burn out.
In short, I am going to write shorter articles that will (fingers crossed) be published more regularly.
So, to start off with:
Star Trek Into Darkness
I had high hopes for the second outing for director J.J. Abrams and the next generation of Star Trek crew (see what I did there?) and in preparation, no spoilers were read and no proactive effort was made to try and find out more during production. The result is being able to enjoy what is essentially an (lack of a lesser word) appropriate sequel for Star Trek 2.0.
Bad points? It’s not exactly original – those who have seen it will understand; the plot itself is quite predictable, and as the similarities crop up, there is a feeling of anticipation as to how and when certain elements will occur. With a much-anticipated sequel, not to mention his official involvement in the forthcoming Star Wars films, Abrams could have done taken more of a risk rather than stick to the tried-and-tested formula. In addition to this, there are certain moments in the film that should be considered significant (i.e. the foundation of the relationship between Kirk and future flame Carol Marcus (Alice Eve); seeing revamped Klingons on-screen), which end up seemingly overshadowed by interactions and scenes that are just plain indulgent (that underwear scene and the bickering between Spock and Uhura).
Good points? The good cop/bad cop camaraderie between Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) is watchable, outshining the performances of the supporting crew members. Additional credit is due to Benedict Cumberbatch as ruthless renegade Starfleet officer John Harrison and the casting of Robocop‘s Peter Weller as Admiral Marcus just brought a sense of personal nostaglia. The production design is also quite impressive, making a visual feast for the eyes – even with all the lens-flare.
Overall, Star Trek Into Darkness is an enjoyable and occasionally thrilling film; I just wished it offered slightly more than looking pretty.
Thanks for reading.
Musings of Guitargalchina 