Star Trek Into Darkness

While visiting Seattle on vacation, I was able to meet cousin Calvin and his wife. We decided to check out the new “Star Trek” movie at the IMAX cinema in Lincoln Square, one of the several shopping areas in Bellevue, where I once worked. He was able to get tickets through a friend. I leapt at the chance to see the latest “Star Trek” movie, being a long time fan of the series and all of its different incarnations. I was not disappointed.

The IMAX screen was rather large. I felt like a toddler looking at a giant movie screen for the first time. I had seen an IMAX movie before, which was a rather dizzying display of motion picture. This was also special that it was in 3-D. So once again, I had to don rather uncomfortable glasses to watch the movie. They provided glasses that would make Urkel’s pair look kinda small. They also looked like they were washed in some sort of dishwasher.

After finding seats in the crowded theater, we donned our glasses to take in J.J. Abrams’ latest spectacle. I wasn’t disappointed with the movie until well after I had absorbed what I had seen. I was a tiny bit disappointed, as they used a few staples and lynch pins of the Original Series to retell how those events would now unfold in this alternate reality. I was hoping for some full blown original stories that would be fresh and invigorating, but alas, I was deprived of that. Still, I have to admit, “Star Trek Into Darkness,” is a smart, rather well thought out sequel to the 2009 “Star Trek.”

The crew of the USS Enterprise, led by Captain James Kirk (Chris Pine), is on an away mission to save a primitive species from an erupting volcano. He and Dr. McCoy (Karl Urban) provide a form of diversion that would allow a shuttle crewed by Sulu (John Cho) and Uhura (Zoe Salanda) to drop off Spock (Zachary Quinto) into the volcano and detonate a device that would render the volcano inert.

Escaping the tribe, Kirk and McCoy returned to a submerged USS Enterprise, which was awaiting the away team to return. Having already violated the Prime Directive of non-interference with a developing civilization, the crew perform a rescue operation to a trapped Spock, managing to whisk him to safety just as the device explodes, instantly freezing the molten lava spewing forth from the volcano.

Upon returning to Starfleet on Earth, Kirk is relieved of his command for violating the Prime Directive. Admiral Pike (Bruce Greenwood) resumes command of the Enterprise. He also makes Kirk his First Officer, still believing that Kirk would make a fine captain with some refinement and more experience.

While the Enterprise crew stands down during the change of command, we switch scenes to where a set of parents are visiting a sick child. Despite the great advances in medicine, the child lay dying. A mysterious man makes a proposal to save the child’s life.

The child is saves as the mysterious man provides her with a small amount of his blood. Her vital signs improve greatly. The father agrees to perform what he was asked to do. He enters what appears to be a vast vault somewhere in future London. He reports for duty like normal, only when he sits at his desk, he sets off an explosion that destroys the vault.

This triggers a high alert status at Starfleet, gathering the available commanding officers for a meeting to capture the identified terrorist, a former Starfleet officer named John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch). Kirk narrowly figures out what Harrison’s next move was- to attack the commanding officers of Starfleet. Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) was able to survive the assassination attempt, but Pike was not.

This leads to a manhunt for John Harrison, where Kirk volunteers to take command of the Enterprise and track Harrison, who had escaped to Q’uonos, the home planet of the Klingons. Already threatening war with the Federation of Planets, this was the last place Starfleet could go. Arming the Enterprise with 72 specially designed torpedoes, they set off for the Neutral Zone to infiltrate the planet. Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and McCoy discuss the mission and its ethics, while Chief Engineer Scott (Simon Pegg) resigns commission over not being permitted to inspect the new ordinance.  Chekov (Anton Yelchin) is sent to replace him as Chief Engineer.

Using a confiscated smuggling ship, Kirk, Spock, and Uhura travel to Q’uonos to track John Harrison’s location. They are spotted by a Klingon patrol and must evade them in order to capture Harrison. Eventually they are cornered by the Klingons and forced to land.

In an astonishing change of events, Harrison takes on the Klingon patrol group single handedly, wiping out the troops with little effort. He abruptly surrenders upon learning that there are 72 warheads specifically targeted at him. He is taken on board the Enterprise and held in the brig. He reveals his true identity and his involvement with Admiral Marcus, who has been the focus of his attacks. We also learn that the 72 torpedoes were in fact his crew, cryogenically frozen in chambers disguised as such to be brought on board the Enterprise.

Admiral Marcus intercepts the Enterprise in the Vengeance, a Dreadnought class ship, aware that Kirk and his crew had captured Harrison. Kirk refuses to hand over Harrison to Admiral Marcus, as he is aware of his plans of starting a war with the Klingons with Harrison’s help. The Enterprise warps away towards Earth, but is outmatched by the Vengeance’s superior power. With the Enterprise crippled, Kirk offers Admiral Marcus the lives of Harrison and the 72 frozen ones in exchange for the life of his crew. The Admiral refuses the offer and has the Vengeance’s weapons trained on the Enterprise.

Anymore explanation of the storyline would spoil the movie and many of its little gems- nods to the Original Series, the suspenseful battle between a hot-headed captain and a war mongering Admiral, and how the mysterious figure of John Harrison plays both sides in order to get what he wants. This is not a suspenseful battle at sea, where one captain squares off with another. This is a beat down of one captain by another for his own sinister means. It also deals with the enemy from within, as the character of John Harrison plays both sides to get what he wants- the freedom of his crew.

As far as I’m concerned, Benedict Cumberbatch steals every scene that he is in. His John Harrison is absolutely ruthless under a guise of poise and serenity. His intensity is subtle, just under the surface of that serene façade. I made myself familiar with Cumberbatch’s work in the hit BBC series “Sherlock,” and found it to be intense, focused, with just the right amount of pastiche. He is brilliant as the mysterious villain.

I am also glad to see Peter Weller in a film, as I have not seen him in much of anything since his turn in “Naked Lunch.” His turn as Admiral Marcus reminds me of Ed Harris’s villain from “The Rock,” where he seemed to have the best intention for his men and what he wanted to accomplish. Weller proves to be fit for the role with just the right amount of charisma to be a leader, and the intensity to be that militant wagering that war is the better solution. I wanted more of him in the movie, even more scenes with him manipulating events his way would have been great.

The overall story was promising until some of the secrets were revealed. It was quite entertaining at the time with all the suspense and action. The movie kind of lets you down a bit at the end, kind of rehashing a bit from the Original Series. While it was a unique view with some role reversal going on, it failed in the fact that it was something we have seen before and wished there was some originality. Even having some of the key pieces be of original material would also be a welcome change.

Still, this movie was loaded with thrills and suspense. It was witty, sharply paced, and rife with acknowledgements to the Original Series. I only wished it used more original figures in the story and not had to rely on those elements. It was a great character piece where we get to see the ‘new’ Enterprise crew continue to form their family. I hope that their new five year mission would bring fresh new stories without the chains of the Original Series. I want to see the ‘new adventures’ of the Starship Enterprise. This is the launch pad for that, and it was great.