STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS - Grading & Discussion [SPOILERS]

[RAMA]

LATimes chimes in with a good review:

So many things are done right that even with the bombast, "Into Darkness" is the best of this summer's biggies thus far. It's a great deal of brash fun, and it should satisfy all those basic Trekkie cravings.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...into-darkness-review-20130516,0,7503821.story

30 more reviews since last night, only TWO negative. Its at 87% fresh, with 144 reviews.

 

[mos6507]

The critics are not universally praising this thing.

Wired magazine just chimed in.

I love how you people find the few reviews that didn't fully enjoy the movie and go SEEE SEE?!! WE'RE RIGHT! It's hilarious.

Are you reading the same thread I am? It's not just reviewers. Plenty of rank and file posters are reporting in now to say they didn't like the movie. And while we're at it, would you like to address any of the legitimate complaints the Wired review had with it? That reviewer actually said he liked the 2009 film, which most anti-JJ people here didn't. So it's hard to accuse the guy of having an axe to grind.

 

[flemm]

ST:TUC is a mediocre movie at best, and certainly not a tenth of what this film is. That it's a favorite with so many Trek fans is one more good reason for the studio to have stopped pandering to the faithful so much and embrace the possibility of real success.

There's a lot of "pandering" to established fans in the movie, I'm not sure what you mean.

The movie has a lot of strong points. It's possible to recognize that and still dislike/criticize parts of it. Also, some people might just dislike it, it's not some sort of masterpiece.

It's interesting you mention Paradise Lost. The story to STID had the foundations of a great Paradise Lost-esque story r.e. conspiracy within the Federation.

Yes, part of the story is basically lifted from that episode, though it's not really developed very well. But Marcus is supposed to be exploiting/responding to the Klingon threat in much the same way the Changeling threat functions in Paradise Lost. And he awakens/recruits Khan with that in mind at some point.

 

[hamudm]

No.

ST:TUC is a mediocre movie at best, and certainly not a tenth of what this film is. That it's a favorite with so many Trek fans is one more good reason for the studio to have stopped pandering to the faithful so much and embrace the possibility of real success.

This is one of those sarcastic posts right?

 

[Seska]

Have only been waiting to see Star Trek 12 since I was wee, and just saw it yesterday at the fan sneaks.

I grade it a solid A. Renegade admiral, decaying orbit, loss of gravity, KHAAAAN, Section 31, etc., etc., really made this flick RADIMUS PRIME. Extra glad the next one isn't going to be Star Trek 13: The Search for NuKirk. If you don't dig this movie, you must really HATE the Trek.

I would have rated it higher, but for ripping off so many lines and bits of story from Trek of the past, and because doing away with Christine Chapel is just as jacked up as blowing up Vulcan or killing Amanda Grayson.

 

[Duct]

In ST09 New Kirk & Old Spock meet. Old Spock helps New Kirk.

In this film they should have had New Spock & Old Kirk meet. Old Kirk should have been the one that popped up on the monitor and told him about Khan. I thought I read somewhere that they wanted a Shatner cameo in this movie but they couldn’t find a legit way to shoe horn him in. Seems like this would have been as good a reason as any. I thought the Nimoy scene felt kind of shoe horned in.

Great movie though. Loved it minus a few cheesy parts.

 

[Tom Servo]

The critics are not universally praising this thing.

Wired magazine just chimed in.

I love how you people find the few reviews that didn't fully enjoy the movie and go SEEE SEE?!! WE'RE RIGHT! It's hilarious.

Are you reading the same thread I am? It's not just reviewers. Plenty of rank and file posters are reporting in now to say they didn't like the movie. And while we're at it, would you like to address any of the legitimate complaints the Wired review had with it? That reviewer actually said he liked the 2009 film, which most anti-JJ people here didn't. So it's hard to accuse the guy of having an axe to grind.

Well judging from the Rotten Tomatoes reviews, and the polling here, it seems that the majority of people liked it a lot. And some people who didn't love the 2009 film, really liked this one. So it goes both ways.

What was the point of that post? Seriously, especially with the line of it's not getting universal praise. Well I'd say that 87%-90% of critics enjoying it is pretty damn good. You didn't like the 2009 film, and you're probably not gonna like this one, so you attach yourself to every reviewer that says they didn't like it as if to justify your opinion. It's YOUR opinion, and yours alone, and its fine to have, but stop trying to project it like its going to be an overall consensus of this film, because according to the statistics, you're in the minority. It's just being a turd in the punchbowl, especially when you haven't seen the film yet and are just going off of what other people have said.

 

[ConRefit79]

"If you have ADD and love lens flaring then Star Trek Into Decadence is for you."

 

[Anika Hanson]

I enjoyed it. I'm not going to nitpick it because I accept JJ Abram's version of Star Trek because:

The franchise needs a reboot if it is to continue

These films are not aimed at old Trek fans. They want a new audience because they want to make money. So the brain dead action movie approach is right

The success of these films is vital to any future TV series/films of 'prime trek'

Once I was able to understand this, I was able to accept Nu Star Trek and enjoy it for what it is. It's not the Star Trek I grew up with and love. In my mind it's a different Star Trek. 'My' star trek is still out there and will live on in part becuase of this Nu Trek. It's still alive in the prime books and I live in hope that we will see another TV series or movie.

 

[flemm]

What was the point of that post?

For all movies of this type you see this sort of back and forth. On comic book movie sites, also, for example. People become invested in the movie's success or failure, critical reception, etc. So then it becomes almost like rooting for or against a sports team, or something along those lines.

I mean, whatever. It's just part of how fandom works, I guess, especially now that discussion forums like this are so prevalent, and fans have strong opinions about what they want to see in these established franchises.

 

[tomalak301]

One thing I will give the movie credit for, it's that I watched the film in 3D on the XD (Cinemark) screen and wasn't bothered by the Lens Flare. It felt more like a subdued Super 8 type lens flare rather than Star Trek 2009 Lens Flare. That was much appreciated.

 

[Richard III]

Question - when they arrive at Kronos we can see what appears to be an exploded moon in close proximity. Is this a result of:

a) Nero's attack against the Klingons in ST09;

b) Overmining, caused by fear in the wake of Vulcan's destruction, causing Praxis' environment disaster to come 30 years early;

c) Canon cock ups by the writers causing Praxis' environment disaster to come 30 years early.

 

[Titus Andronicus]

Here's another review of the film from Alyssa Rosenberg. She's a bit lukewarm on the movie, but does give it credit for exploring some current issues:

http://thinkprogress.org/alyssa/2013/05/16/2020601/star-trek-into-darkness-extrajudicial-killing/


I will say this though: perhaps more could have been done with the Klingons, making it clear just how bad relations had become between them and the Federation. There's a line by Admiral Marcus where he mentions them taking two planets, but it's quickly glossed over. The end of the movie seemed to forget about that....but then again it was a year later, after the events of the bulk of the film.

 

[shatastrophic]

The movie is absolute horseshit. Its Starship Troopers with quick gags and little to no explanation. Its not the Star Trek I grew up with. I got exactly what I expected, I loved it. But lets call out the elephant in the room and state that this is in no way even relatable to what came before beyond the names, and costumes...ok the ship looks similiar too. That might sound like alot at first but TOS was actually so much more.

I started watching the original series and the motion picture when I was 5 in 1981 and for some reason I fell in love with it. I don't know if I would like this Trek or get hooked on Trek if this movie, or the 09 movie, were my first venture.

As Spock Prime states, "With that being said"...Since Im already a Trek Fan, anything to do with it (except fan fic of any kind) I'll watch. I was first in line at the first showing in my area last night and because I knew it was Starship Troopers, and because of the names and costumes I absolutely loved it!

 

[Amasov]

I just hope the third movie will be a movie with some originality whereby the crew will be on their own to explore, instead of relying on plots and villains from the Trek movies of the past..

In the 3rd movie, Kruge will try to steal the secrets of transwarp beaming and magic blood.

Hahaha! I'm thinking though since this is an indirect remake of TWOK, imagine a remake of The Voyage Home with a touch of JJ Abrams..hmmm...

You just gave me a chance to showcase a Photoshop I made a few years ago.

 

[Kruezerman]

^ *nerdgasm*

 

[M'Sharak]

The critics are not universally praising this thing.

Wired magazine just chimed in.

I love how you people find the few reviews that didn't fully enjoy the movie and go SEEE SEE?!! WE'RE RIGHT! It's hilarious.

Are you reading the same thread I am? It's not just reviewers. Plenty of rank and file posters are reporting in now to say they didn't like the movie. And while we're at it, would you like to address any of the legitimate complaints the Wired review had with it? That reviewer actually said he liked the 2009 film, which most anti-JJ people here didn't. So it's hard to accuse the guy of having an axe to grind.

The Wired reviewer does say that there's a lot to like about this movie. The bottom line of the review seems to be that he expected certain things and didn't get them.

For disposable summertime cinema, it’s certainly enjoyable, but you come away with the sense could have been so much more than that. File under “Missed Opportunities,” and look forward to the next one.

He doesn't call it bad - it's just not what he wished it would be.

No.

ST:TUC is a mediocre movie at best, and certainly not a tenth of what this film is. That it's a favorite with so many Trek fans is one more good reason for the studio to have stopped pandering to the faithful so much and embrace the possibility of real success.

This is one of those sarcastic posts right?

I'd hope that his was the more serious post (TUC was a disappointment, IMO) and that the "is EVERYONE ON DRUGS?!" post was the merely sarcastic one, given with tongue firmly in cheek.

"If you have ADD and love lens flaring then Star Trek Into Decadence is for you."

Source?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

"If you have ADD and love lens flaring then Star Trek Into Decadence is for you."

You haven't seen the movie. Most folks here have. So given that you have no idea what the movie is like...what are you laughing at?

 

[Irishman]

Wow. They had me convinced in the leadup to the film that he WASN'T Khan, and I fell for the whole Harrison, Section 31 "cover story" hook, line and sinker.

When they revealed him to be Khan, I had a sinking feeling, because I was having a moment of "holy shit, where are they gonna go with THIS now??"

But, I got pulled back in very quickly. I am still on the fence on the whole reversing the last scene of Twok, where Kirk dies. But I knew right away that they were going to be able to use Khan's miracle blood to bring him back (even before the tribble started purring).

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I'm honestly not trying to be a dick here and I am glad everyone seems to be enjoying the movie... But is EVERYONE ON DRUGS?!

Okay, I give up - what are you honestly trying to be?

But lets call out the elephant in the room and state that this is in no way even relatable to what came before beyond the names, and costumes...ok the ship looks similiar too.

I couldn't disagree more.

Abrams's two movies are more evocative of Star Trek as I watched it on NBC than any of the previous TOS-based films featuring the original cast.