©-DR-STARTREK : INTO DARKNESS de Scott Hicks (2013) p15 par tellurikwaves blog (75 Paris)

We watched ' Star Trek - Into the Darkness this afternoon (May 9th 2013).I am not going to reveal specific details because this film is so new that I am aware that many people still have not had the opportunity to watch it, and I do not wish to ruin their experience.Having read the points raised in the 'maddog' review I just wanted to say that we found it to be a truly absorbing and brilliant film, and our views are so diametrically opposed to 'maddog' that I genuinely wonder if he/or she actually watched the same film - or slept through it and took a wild guess as to its quality.

Star Trek - Into the Darkness is mainly a fast paced action film interspersed with scenes of human interest which facilitates the deeper development of the main characters and their inter-relationships. The phrase 'bonding under fire seems appropriate.

I would urge people not to be dissuaded from watching this film because a reviewer cannot see the link between Gene Roddenberry's much vaunted ideals and therefore trashes J.J. Abrams work. Let me just say that as I am in my 66th year, I have watched ALL the Star Trek series and films and can advise that this film combines a serious reflection of William Shatner's portrayal of James T. Kirk but also matures Chris Pine as the film progresses. As Roddenberry was closely involved with original Star Trek series I therefore believe that he would approve the direction that Abrams is taking the latest incarnation of Star Trek.

Star Trek - Into the Darkness is aptly named. It is rich in plot detail and exciting to watch. It will have many people sitting on the edge of their seats, willing those embroiled in battle to succeed. Even the villain (stunningly portrayed by Benedict Cumberpatch) warrants a certain amount of sympathy from all fair minded people.My advice - Go, Watch - and be thrilled by a brilliant film. We will go and see it again!!Our thanks to all those involved in bringing this to our screen - great job!
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As someone who has grown up with the franchise, watched every show and every movie (I've watched the entire DS9 series at least twice!), suffered through characters/actors who I didn't care for (Tasha Yar, seriously?), I realize we all have opinions about what makes Gene Roddenberry's vision so lasting.That being said? I LOVED this movie. I even capitalized it I loved it so much. The play between the characters, the more human version of Spock, the absolutely delightful "Scotty" (although his sidekick is one of those throwaway characters I dislike) as well as a much better crafted plot this time made for a completely enjoyable movie.

The action is intense, the friendship deepened between the characters, the twists and turns are a bit predictable at times, but that is reminiscent of the franchise as a whole. I am already excited for the next movie. I tremendously respected and appreciated the ties in this movie to the elements that make Star Trek great - strong story line, deep connection to the characters and a philosophical element. In some of the older Star Trek episodes the moral/philosophical element can be oppressively heavy handed. No so in the new Trek movie.

The ideas of friendship, family and humanity are woven through this movie with subtly and I will outright admit I more than teared up during the climactic scene in the engine room. EVEN though I had already figured out what was going to happen, I have already come to care about, respect and enjoy the new actors in their iconic roles.

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So yes, ten out of ten. And let the haters, hate. Those who can not embrace change can go sit and watch old Star Trek reruns and bemoan the 'good old days' and spout off all the reasons why 'Star Trek ain't what it used to be'!!!!I, on the other hand, will boldly go and embrace the new with a continued reverence for the old. This movie makes it possible to love both.

While I gradually came to accept 2009's Star Trek as mindless fun, I remember sitting in the theater when I first saw it and just getting this sinking feeling, like a balloon with the air slowly being released. My reaction was the complete opposite this time around. Into Darkness surpasses its predecessor by leaps and bounds. This is a movie that should appeal as much to most Trekkies as it will to general audiences just looking for a cinematic thrill ride.

JJ Abram's inaugural foray into this franchise kind of seemed to leave loyal fans in the dust in the rush to attract a wider demographic. Even before Abrams, I'm pretty sure there were complaints that Trek movies had become too much about space battles and the like and had gotten away from going boldly where no one has gone before. I feel like the writers of Into Darkness must have taken some of those criticisms to heart and set out to address them in what I think is a fairly clever way.

The people behind this film got to have their cake and eat it too: they made the most action-packed Star Trek movie ever, but at the end of the day, it's also a reaffirmation of the core ideals of Star Trek and is a lot more reverential to the canon. Having said that, however, the question still remains whether it's possible to craft a movie that is actually about seeking out new life and new civilizations rather than simply paying lip service to that concept.Of course, not all Trekkies will agree with my assessment, but it's impossible to please everyone and fanboys are notoriously difficult to please. In my opinion, though, it's one of the best films I've seen this year.

As a long term trek fan, who has been a HUGE fan of all things this franchise has to offer, and knows a fair amount of the extra background this movie is great. Its great for regular non fans too. I will not spoil it but the story is a very good movie, contemporary and of its time without being irreverent to the prime universe. In fact there are so many nods to the original series it seems that JJ actually must listen to fans of the genre.No spoilers here, but even if you have seen the trailers there will be surprises for all but the most analytical fans.

11/10.

The previous Star Trek movie is a tough one to beat. It was close to perfection (lens flares and all). So this movie had a tough up-hill battle ahead of it. I am happy to report that the writing, direction, cinematography and acting were all at least as good as the last one.

Cumberbatch is brilliant. I won't divulge any spoilers, but I will say that the throw back to the earlier movies is very very clever and well executed. It is hard to find fault with this movie, particularly as it had very big shoes to fill. But it does so brilliant and effortlessly. The added depth we see in the characters of Kirk and Spock is icing on an already delicious cake! Well done JJ, producers, actors, writers and musicians. This is one of the very few movies I have ever given full marks, and deservedly so.

With 2009's Star Trek, director J. J. Abrams had set a course for the future of the series with a film that thoroughly invigorated what was, up to that point, largely seen as a flagging franchise. Love it or hate it, Star Trek '09 made the series accessible to the masses and perhaps the sexy young cast, the action sequences and the lens flares were just a way of helping the movie-going public at large let down their collective guards and learn to appreciate this cornerstone of science fiction through new eyes.

Following a misadventurous opening sequence set on the planet Nibiru, Kirk and company return to Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco, where the higher-ups are none too happy about the recklessness they displayed on Nibiru. This is interrupted by a new threat: an unstoppable one-man terror cell who goes by the name of "John Harrison" (Cumberbatch). Kirk leads the crew of the Enterprise in pursuit of Harrison, armed with 72 photon torpedoes and with newbie Dr Carol Marcus (Eve), daughter of Starfleet head Admiral Marcus (Weller), on board. Chief Engineer Scotty (Pegg) is suspicious of the contents of said weapons but his concern is initially unheeded. What follows is a dangerous quest that takes our heroes to the Klingon homeworld of Kronos, leading them to the discovery of the torpedoes' secret payload and the truth behind John Harrison's beef with Starfleet.

Now, this is how you make a summer blockbuster. A tentpole sci- fi action flick doesn't have to be two hours of mind-numbing, cacophonous dross. Abrams, along with writers Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof and the countless others involved have brought us a film that is fresh, relentlessly exciting and overflowing with white-knuckle action, and none of this at the expense of a compelling story or well-drawn characters. From the very first minute, this reviewer was yanked right into this fantastical world. Abrams all but announces "buckle up, because it's going to be one hell of a ride" – and what a ride Star Trek Into Darkness is.

The Star Trek series has a magnificent legacy and has had an immeasurable impact on the genre, and to chuck all that away for all flash and no substance would be something of a crime. That's not the case here. Sure, there seems to be barely a minute to stop and catch one's breath, but that's probably preferable to a film that drags on and on any day of the week. The film has no shortage of pizazz in the form of stunning visual effects work, witty banter and edge-of-your seat near misses galore. Despite having "darkness" in its title, this flick is far from dour or depressing. References, homages and shout-outs are skilfully weaved into the fabric of the story and some may disagree, but this reviewer feels this iteration of Trek actually is very respectful of what went before – just not slavishly so.

In this movie, Captain Kirk truly comes into his own as leader of a starship crew and father to his men, Pine further proving there's more to him than just his handsome mug. Sure, Kirk's still the brash, womanising guy we all love (we catch him in bed with two be-tailed alien sisters) but there is character growth to be had. The ever-uneasy friendship between Kirk and Spock also gets a fair amount of play, and there are some great moments between the two, ranging from casual brickbats to a pretty dramatic bit near the end of the film. Quinto conveys Spock's struggle to get in touch with his human side, his resistance to emotion driving a wedge between him and Uhura, but never hits us over the head with this.

Just as in the earlier film, everyone gets a chance to strut his or her stuff – for example, Sulu even gets to be acting captain. Simon Pegg as Scotty and Karl Urban as Bones in particular stand out in this one, both bringing different brands of comic relief to the proceedings while functioning as far more than merely "the funny guys". Bones mentions that he once performed a Caesarean on a Gorn and delivered octuplets. It's a funny bit that's also a nice nod to the original series. Speaking of alien species, there's a tribble which turns out to be integral to the plot. This is also brilliant.

Of course, the attention is square on Benedict Cumberbatch as the villain of the piece. Suffice it to say that fangirls of his will not be disappointed. The guy is a riveting actor, one who knows when to chew just the right amount of scenery in order to not come off as silly. There has been a spate of more "intellectual" villains in blockbuster movies as of late, but Cumberbatch does enough to differentiate himself from the bunch and Harrison isn't just all brains and no brawn – he single-handedly takes on a Klingon patrol in one action sequence.

Star Trek Into Darkness is such a thrill that this reviewer left the theatre kind of breathless, but also really pumped. It's a big, big movie, but not the kind that's an extravagant insult to the intellects of audiences everywhere. Abrams has crafted a sequel that ups the game and elicits cheers, laughter, goosebumps, excited fist-pumping and even a tear or two at all the right moments. And isn't that warp effect just so sparklingly beautiful?

Written for F*** Magazine

Star Trek Into Darkness was one of the greatest Star Trek movies ever made.The story was awesome,the soundtrack sounded heavenly, and the acting was great.The original characters were even better in this film. Benedict Cumberbatch who played "Khan" was one of the best villains in the whole Star Trek franchise. I thought Admiral Alexander Marcus was Peter Weller's best role and I really liked Carol Marcus.I'm glad that she became a member of the crew.The action scenes were so thrilling with great fight scenes. The spaceships looked amazing and the way they traveled through space,in and out of warp, was incredible.This movie was great from start to finish!!!

I am 60 years of age and grew up watching and eventually designing and creating objects first seen on the original"STAR TREK SERIES" as an engineer.The actors-actresses are brilliant as well as the writers and story lines that are being created...The actor Spock of the original Star Trek (we all know his name)was very kind I believe, to give us old folks a transition to the idea of this new story line ....That is an alternative time line for all of us "treks" to look forward to new stores with characters and actors whom do an excellent job closing the gap between the original Star Trek...Thank You all

J.J. Abrams's first Star Trek picture managed to take the familiar characters that die hard fans have relished for decades and bring them back to life with greatness, as well as present a new twist in the Star Trek universe. With "Star Trek Into Darkness," can Abrams and his team of writers make a sequel that is as good, perhaps even better than its predecessor? The answer is yes. This success is not necessarily just from the reappearance of all the characters from the previous film. Nor is it even from the photo-realistic visual effects and action sequences. Rather, it is revealed from its clever story and one of the best Star Trek villains ever brought back to the big screen...Kahn.

The film picks up a year after the events from the prequel. Kirk has botched a mission and is demoted from his position as captain. When a series of events follow suit, including mass destruction and a death of a close friend, Kirk is put back in the captain's chair and sent on a mission to capture Kahn, the man responsible. But like with all J.J. Abram films and TV shows, there is more to it than you would ever anticipate. What is so good about this Stark Trek, is that it is quite unpredictable. Characters die sudden and unexpectedly. The story makes twist and turns, elements that are enough to put me on the edge of my seat at times. There is never a dull moment in this film. What is also so good is the amount of references tied in from other Stark Trek films. Not trying to give much away, but there is a scene re-adapted more or less from "Wrath of Kahn." It is a beautiful and poignant scene that many past Star Trek fans will find amusing and touching.

English actor Benedict Cumberbatch takes the mantle as Kahn. For those of you who remember Ricardo Montalban in Wrath of Kahn, an old man with bad make up and a fake chest and biceps, well, Kahn is not like this anymore. His intelligence and strength are strong enough to make him more than a formidable enemy for Kirk and the Starship Enterprise's crew. His performance, loaded with blank facial expressions and lifeless eyes almost remind me of a young Anthony Hopkins playing Hannibal Lector. It would be interesting to see the two play a game of chess.J.J. Abrams has out done himself again with his new installment of his Star Trek series. It is blockbuster success in terms of fun, entertainment, action, humor, story, and above all a great villain. You can't go wrong in seeing "Star Trek Into Darkness."

I'm a devoted Star Trek fan and have seen almost every episode of every series, all seasons, plus all Star Trek movies, multiple times. This movie was absolutely enthralling and was just as good as JJ Abrams' last one. (I believe Abrams has produced the best of all Star Trek movies.) Do yourself a favor and go see this in IMAX 3D, and you won't be disappointed. You've never seen space like this before! This movie ties into the other ST movies just beautifully, in ways that completely impressed me. It is great to see the origin of the friendship between Kirk and Spock.

Before seeing this movie, I read a less-than-stellar review by Anthony Quinn of the UK's Independent, which had me a little worried. Could genius Abrams actually flop? I could not disagree more with his review. His criticism was that it was too much to have two intellectuals on screen, Spock and Kahn, but this was not a problem whatsoever, and it certainly was never a problem in the ST: Wrath of Kahn.Can't wait for many more out of this team.

CINEMA :Les blessures narcissiques d'une vie par procuration

©-DR-STARTREK : INTO DARKNESS de Scott Hicks (2013) p15

Watch it and ignore the critics!