One Year Later: Star Trek Into Darkness

I second this.

 

My thoughts on Star Trek Into Darkness are there. The relationship with Kirk and Spock is not well-defined and, therefore, the movie fails in terms of characterization when it is the centerpiece of the movie. As for the "nods," I was referring to ripping off Star Trek movies from the past for lines at key moments of the movie ("Doctor, the needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few," "KHAAAAAN!!!," etc.). Ultimately, it offends me because this movie doesn't deliver a new interpretation, it's more like the same music played by a different band. If I am drawing the comparison at the theater between Kirk and Spock's death scenes, I don't need to be beat over the head with it. It begs for comparisons that wreaks of using previous continuity (very popular material, btw) to sell tickets and make it "feel" like a Star Trek movie.

I said "it's not continuity errors" and suddenly I have to defend continuity errors? No. I am not nit-picking at this movie's size of the Enterprise or what the Klingons look like in the 23rd Century. I don't care. They got me--new Trek for a new Generation. Hence, the reason I am dissatisfied with the "nods."

As for Kirk's dress down by Pike, it fails to make any impact on the chain of command, or ultimately, have any consequences for Kirk. He is Captain of the ship, demoted to Cadet, Promoted to Commander, and Captain of the ship in, I believe, 12 minutes of the movie. That's a flimsy attempt and horrible plotting.

Just for the record, "taking it too seriously" in the X-Men movies, hasn't stopped me from enjoying X-Men, X2, and Days of Future Past. These movies are just bad movies. I'm not offended that JJ Abrams is directing it. I didn't know what to expect when he was hired. I actually was excited for '09. It caused me to re-sample all Star Trek when my fandom had taken a 10-year hiatus.

 

I have the opposite response... I actally like it MORE now than a year ago...the whole Khan part and TWOK rip-offs.really put a damper on my enjoyment...

But now REALLY appreciate the TRULY alien world in the beginning of the movie.

And though Bruce Greenwood was in for only like 7 minutes...he showed between this and '09 why his loss would be MEANINGFUL to Kirk. (Should I start a separate Greenwood-Pike appreciation thread?)

ANd we see Pike's influence the way Kirk treats Sulu in giving him temporary command.

And in my second run noticed that the bar where Scotty went...there was one person in the background who was dressed like Caitlin Dar (from ST V), and another with sunglasses like Geordi's VISOR....any I missed there?

 

I keep thinking this is about the refit/repaired Enterprise setting off on a Five Year Mission in 2260

 

The people who hate it are very vocal about it.

 

STID grows on me every time I watch. Nibiru and it's consequences (albeit the latter were limited) lent credibility to the film. I try not to get too wrapped around the Marcus/Khan motivation axle, although after reading many a post, I do find myself scratching my head a bit.

EDIT: Neither ST09 nor STID have done much in the way of slowing down and explaining things to the audience. I'm okay with that.

 

If people (not just fans) didn't turn up to the movies or buy the merchandise, they just wouldn't make any more Star Trek movies. They'd just pop out an extra Transformers movie.

I agree. Spock seems not to understand friendship in the first half of the movie. I can't understand why at the end he's so upset about Kirk's death. There was nothing throughout the movie to endear Kirk to Spock so I didn't get the rage at the end.
In TOS you always knew that Spock was friends with Kirk. They should hve just had them friends at the beginning of STID IMO and then the reporting incident at Nibiru would have had more impact on their relationship.

Anyway One Year later my verdict is I still like Star Trek Into Darkness but keep hoping the next movie will be more like TOS (but in a good way).

 

okay that is a little bit too harsh

 

Yes, a Bruce Greenwood-Pike thread would be a lot of fun. Personally, I think that Greenwood's Pike is the role model for young Kirk of the type of captain we want Kirk to be, and know that he can become in the future.

For Star Trek Into Darkness, after one year, I still enjoy it a lot. It starts off in a situation that could have just been a stand alone episode in TOS or any other series. It branches off to explore the consequences of Kirk's actions, something that he was often shielded from in TOS. His relationship with Spock is strained because of how the two of them see it.

The action pieces are a bit repetitive, but overall good fun. I like the idea of Starfleet, or parts of it, going darker because they fear another attack. It is very much a social commentary appropriate for our time.

The main thing that keeps me going back is Kirk's character arc. The writers could have stayed away from the controversy of his rapid promotion but instead use it as a way to describe how immature Kirk is in his new role. His story is his willingness to die for the sake of his crew, for the sake of the rules that he argues against, for the sake nothing more than doing the right thing. In the end, he is a better man for it, and possibly closer to TOS Kirk than he was before.

Despite the fast pace, I did enjoy each character getting their moments, but Scotty was more enjoyable for me this time. Uhura also did a great job in dealing with the Klingons as well as a more emotional heartbeat to the film. It is interesting to see the contrast between her and Spock in terms of a relationship.

Peter Weller and Benedict Cumberbatch are excellent as villains. I think that having Cumberbatch be Khan was kind of a mistake, because they could have done more with the darker side of Starfleet. But, his performance is fantastic and Khan is truly villainous in terms of a willingness to use and kill anyone.

Admiral Marcus is a great character, and I like him a lot as a villain. There are echoes of Admiral Cartwright and Admiral Leyton, in Undiscovered Country and DS9 respectively, in his character and motivation. He starts out as filling the mentor role only for us to discover that he uses Kirk just like Khan uses Harewood in the beginning.

Overall, it is a lot of fun, with some interesting moments that are worth discussing.