Star Trek Into Darkness
A review, spoilers ahead.
STID
I have a lot of feels about this. First and foremost, I didn’t hate it. A lot of fans did but I found too many reasons to like it to overcome the initial criticism. Ultimately, it had heart and that’s hard to forget.
It is not a perfect movie, but few ST movies are. I liked TWOK and Voyage Home much more but side-by-side, they compare well. It doesn’t compare well with 2009 Reboot, which for me was a far better movie. The plot was tighter, the characterizations clearer, the writing occasionally slipping into greatness.
This movie has some issues that don’t make it unwatchable but do make a critical conclusion obvious.
I asked my 7-year-old friend what she thought about this movie. She is not brilliant but is a wise 7 year old. She loved it. I asked her why and she responded that Jim was sad. I asked her why. She said he was afraid. Again, why was he afraid? Because he was dying alone. Somehow, JJ got this right. If it could move a 7 year old, it should move the rest of us. The heart of the franchise is intact.
I am a grown up and understand the pathos, the history, the money invested in this. She is a child and what she came away with was a game changer. Jim hurt. He was in pain. Death is a big issue. JJ wins.
Marketing aside, this is a good movie on its merits. Jim finds adulthood. Spock finds his humanity. Uhura finds power within herself. Scotty never looses his morality. Sulu can be tested and will win. Chekov will be tested and ultimately can do anything. Bones is the glue that holds them all together.
The moment when Khan’s true face is revealed is exquisite and is done so carefully and delicately we as the audience are ashamed for a brief moment that we cannot embrace his insanity and morality.
JJ wins again.
But there are glaring moments. Spock running through SF without a smudge or hair out of place, (yes, we get it but it was ridiculous compared with his filthy agony after the destruction of Vulcan, where the dirt of the dying planet broke our hearts) The fight on Quo’Nos was hollow which looked much like a game, not the heart-rending anguish of the fight on the Narada.
At the end of the day, I am annoyed that this wasn’t a better movie because it could and should have been. I agree with the critics that said it was written lazily. I was not as infuriated by the reverse TWOK as others have been but it did seem a bit of a cheat, though redeemed in large part by some excellent acting on Pine and Quinto’s part.
I will see it again. I will certainly own it at some point. I doubt I will watch it as many times as other Star Trek movies but it will get it’s due.
My final thought is how the hell did Simon Pegg steal this movie so thoroughly from everyone including Cumberbatch? Good God. What a fine actor he turned into and when did that happen?
STID
I have a lot of feels about this. First and foremost, I didn’t hate it. A lot of fans did but I found too many reasons to like it to overcome the initial criticism. Ultimately, it had heart and that’s hard to forget.
It is not a perfect movie, but few ST movies are. I liked TWOK and Voyage Home much more but side-by-side, they compare well. It doesn’t compare well with 2009 Reboot, which for me was a far better movie. The plot was tighter, the characterizations clearer, the writing occasionally slipping into greatness.
This movie has some issues that don’t make it unwatchable but do make a critical conclusion obvious.
I asked my 7-year-old friend what she thought about this movie. She is not brilliant but is a wise 7 year old. She loved it. I asked her why and she responded that Jim was sad. I asked her why. She said he was afraid. Again, why was he afraid? Because he was dying alone. Somehow, JJ got this right. If it could move a 7 year old, it should move the rest of us. The heart of the franchise is intact.
I am a grown up and understand the pathos, the history, the money invested in this. She is a child and what she came away with was a game changer. Jim hurt. He was in pain. Death is a big issue. JJ wins.
Marketing aside, this is a good movie on its merits. Jim finds adulthood. Spock finds his humanity. Uhura finds power within herself. Scotty never looses his morality. Sulu can be tested and will win. Chekov will be tested and ultimately can do anything. Bones is the glue that holds them all together.
The moment when Khan’s true face is revealed is exquisite and is done so carefully and delicately we as the audience are ashamed for a brief moment that we cannot embrace his insanity and morality.
JJ wins again.
But there are glaring moments. Spock running through SF without a smudge or hair out of place, (yes, we get it but it was ridiculous compared with his filthy agony after the destruction of Vulcan, where the dirt of the dying planet broke our hearts) The fight on Quo’Nos was hollow which looked much like a game, not the heart-rending anguish of the fight on the Narada.
At the end of the day, I am annoyed that this wasn’t a better movie because it could and should have been. I agree with the critics that said it was written lazily. I was not as infuriated by the reverse TWOK as others have been but it did seem a bit of a cheat, though redeemed in large part by some excellent acting on Pine and Quinto’s part.
I will see it again. I will certainly own it at some point. I doubt I will watch it as many times as other Star Trek movies but it will get it’s due.
My final thought is how the hell did Simon Pegg steal this movie so thoroughly from everyone including Cumberbatch? Good God. What a fine actor he turned into and when did that happen?