3 Short Paragraphs: Star Trek Into Darkness

2013, JJ Abrams (Mission Impossible 3, Super 8) -- cinema

I have been hoping to watch this movie again, via a *shudder* downloaded cam, before I review it. There are emotions in my watching that I felt I had to address before I wrote anything down. Alas, they are all unwatchable from my standards, so lets just get this on paper. It should be easy -- its a Star Trek movie and I was a very big fan of the first, lense flairs and all. And the back of the brain feeling was that I enjoyed it while watching it, but I noticed that it did not stand up to actually thinking about it. Too many things arose in lunch table conversations that made it sound like I did not like it. But, as I said, let's get that on paper.

The new movie picks up some unknown amount of time after the first, Kirk is still captain of the Enterprise and still pissing people off. And this time he goes one step too far, saving a low tech level planet from destruction by a giant volcano.  Yes, he violates the Prime Directive and knowing Kirk, probably had sex with one of the white skinned primitives to boot. They take away the Enterprise from him but as if on cue, a terrorist attacks the Federation Council (Starfleet Council? Not sure) and Kirk is immediately sent to take down Sherlock, I mean John Harrison I mean KHAN !!! Yes, this movie, despite months of denials, ends up being a loose remake of The Wrath of Khan meets the episode of the original series where they introduce him. Or maybe that happened to another Star Fleet officer -- who knows.

I guess that is what annoyed me so much. I didn't mind at all that they rebooted Khan, but did they (jeez, do I have SPOILER ALERT you?) have to recreate memorable scenes from the original movie? My eyes were rolling so much, I couldn't let go and enjoy the kickass Spock letting his anger free on Khan, after the man slaughters thousands by slamming the dreadnought into San Francisco. Again, I was somewhat sensitive to the mass body account, still absorbing the destruction of the Enterprise for the sake of Kirk's selfish revenge.  This is why I have to see the movie again, to remember what I actually enjoyed about it, like Klingons and twins with tails and any scene with Cumberbatch in it.