Star Trek: Into Darkness Review (Spoilers

Star Trek: Into Darkness is everything a summer movie should be. Action packed, funny, solid story and plot. The last two are only slightly lacking in the movie. Roger Ebert said a good movie is one you could watch multiple times. Into Darkness is one I will be able to watch over and over again.

The best aspect of the movie is the character interaction. Quinto and Pine, as Spock and Kirk, are great together. They play off each other as well as, if not better than, Nimoy and Shatner. (Trekkies can gasp and call blasphemy all they want, but it is what I believe). Karl Urban is perfect as McCoy. Capturing the essence of the character Kelley perfected. Nothing seems forced with any of the charecters. This is what makes the movie work. The bangs and explosions are nice and fun to have, especially the scene with Kirk and Kahn racing through open space in nothing but environmental suites, but without the great cast and Abrams ability to direct them the movie would have been a flop.  

Cumberbatch is magnificent in as Kahn, if you are upset after reading this too bad it is Monday after movie came out and I warned for spoilers, and the writing has been on the wall for months. He had the steely coldness the part deserved. He oozed meticulous cunning and ruthlessness.  If I had to pick a highlight of the film it is him as a villain. The first movie did not have a strong villain. Eric Bana as Nero was a flop, and the one major void from the first film.

This is what gives me great hope for Abrams directing the new Star Wars movies. The fact he can create a great popcorn flick with special effects, great dialogue and  character interaction, something Lucas was not able to do in the prequels, will be a sigh of a relief for all Star Wars fans.

The story is a little lacking and there are plot holes, the same as in the first from 2009. These can be overlooked, and again with the great acting you do not notice them until the end.  The whole being stopped in the middle of space by a strange warp malfunction is one such whole. How did the admiral get someone to sabotage the Enterprise so quickly? Why did Scottie not notice this before he left the ship? It was too convenient for Scottie to resign over the torpedo issue. These are minor issues, and can be overlooked. The first movie in 09 had these flaws as well. What it did not have was a good villain or the budding friendship between Spock and Kirk because they were at odds with each other during the first film.  I have many reviews stating they do not know if this movie was as good as the 09 movie. I disagree, I think Into Darkness outclassed it by a few degrees.  Anyone can enjoy this action packed Sci-Fi movie. I even think many Trekkies will like it.