LOCATION: US
Technical assessment: 3.5
Moral assessment: 3
MTRCB Rating: PG13
CINEMA Rating: V14
It
is 2259 and Captain James Kirk (Chris Pine) and his crew are on a mission to
observe Planet Nibiru but find that they have to save this pre-warp society from
volcanic eruption. The life of First Officer Spock (Zachary Quinto) is
endangered and Kirk disobeys the United Federation of Planets’ Prime
Directive in order to save him. Called back to earth, Kirk loses
his seat as commander of the USS Enterprise, which goes back to Admiral
Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), and parts with Spock. At the same time,
Starfleet agent John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) bombs an installation in
London and declares war. After an attack on the Starfleet Headquarters in San
Francisco, Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller), Pike's superior, reinstates Kirk to
capture Harrison, and bring him to justice. Though USS Enterprise is a
spaceship for exploration, not war, its crew is thrust into a mission of life and death. Will it survive Harrison’s one-man-army, the threat and inevitable
tensions among its ranks?
Star Trek into Darkness follows JJ Abrams first Star Trek (2009) with aplomb. Trekkers
(or Trekkies) will find much to like and remember of the Star Trek franchise.
But even if you are not a fan, there is a lot going for this 12th
installment. The cinematography and production design transports you to another
universe, with some CGIs so convincing you’d want to take cover from your seat.
The action is almost non-stop with clever narrative twists; dialogue is
engaging and fun (that is, if you get the in-jokes) and the musical score heightens
the excitement. The shiny lens flares in some scenes do not work, nor do the
obvious plot holes. Trek loyalists would also say it is more an
action/adventure movie than sci-fi. But regardless, what shines here are the
characters who play the role that match their predecessors, and eventually
making it their own. Quinto shines as the Vulcan Spock and Cumberbatch portrays
the fully optimized human with such depth and ambiguity.
“The needs of the many
outweigh the needs of the few.” These words uttered and exemplified at the
beginning of Star Trek into Darkness
follow Gene Roddenberry’s Trek and
its principles. One of its major themes is what place, if any, feelings have in
guiding actions. Are personal loyalty and the safety of others above military
regulation? Another theme is leadership. What makes a true leader? Star Trek into Darkness shows a flawed leader
who listens to his guts and his team. Obedience is not only towards the
superior but also to one’s inner voice that comes from God. Friendship and
teamwork is indispensable in any enterprise, be it a fight against a common
enemy or working on a project. An enemy can also take
different forms. Befriending the enemy does not always mean surrender; it can
lead to a win-win solution.
It is the emotional bonds between the Enterprise
crew, their family dynamics, and how they come to each other’s help which set
this film apart. Because of the
intense and frequent violence and emotional stress, some vulgar language, and a
brief scene implying sex, CINEMA rates this film A14.
