STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS directed by J.J. Abrams, written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof, with Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, John Cho, Benedict Cumberbatch and Bruce Greenwood. A Paramount Pictures release. 132 minutes. Now playing. For venues and showtimes, see listings. Rating: NNNN
No spoilers here, but Star Trek Into Darkness goes exactly where I thought it would – and still feels completely satisfying.
After a devastating attack on Starfleet, headstrong Kirk (Chris Pine) and the crew of the Enterprise are tasked with terminating a resourceful traitor (Benedict Cumberbatch), only to have the mission get murky once they actually find him.
Back in the centre seat, J.J. Abrams continues the sly reworking of the Trek timeline begun in his 2009 reboot. Putting a new spin on familiar characters and situations, he’s come up with something that manages to surprise and entertain on an epic IMAX 3D scale.
Abrams and his writers are still relying more on the second, third and fourth features than the TV show, but that’s appropriate for the cinematic canvas – and entirely correct, given our cultural investment in the characters. More, please, soon.
