STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS - Grading & Discussion [SPOILERS]

[Titus Andronicus]

All I have to say so far is....very fascinating contrasts in viewpoints of the film so far! About what I expected.

I preordered tickets to see a midnight screening for the first time ever. Next Wednesday can't get here soon enough.

 

[throwback]

I feel the TOS films had a larger diversity of aliens than the TNG films. In five of the six films, there were crowd scenes with a large number of aliens. TNG films didn't have crowd scenes with aliens; the films were more narrower in their scope, with the attention focused on the ship.

I read the last review, and I think the writer brought up a genuine criticism. I have found that many of JJ Abrams productions have had underdeveloped characters. I watched the series Alcatraz, and I could never understand why the director went out of his way to alienate and isolate his team. The relationship didn't undergo a change - it was the same in the end as it was in the beginning. (When I watched the Vengeance taking out the prison, I was thinking that possible that Abrams was making a statement on this failed show.)

 

[M'Sharak]

just got back from seeing the film.

probably the best trek film ever. excellent story. lots of action. plenty of plot.
[...]
very very good!!

...
To sum up my review in one word: awesome. I liked this better than the first movie (which I thought was great). The dialogue was great, to the point and witty. The story seemed much tighter and more realistic.
[...]
So, this long-time Trek fan really enjoyed the movie...

That's two votes saying I'm probably going to like this quite a bit, once it finally gets to a theatre in my neighborhood.

 

[RAMA]

Keeping tabs on Twitter, Trekmovie, etc. So far reviews are running about 90% positive, 5% mediocre and 5% bad. We really couldn't ask for much better. About 25% of the reviews are calling it the best Trek film ever. Rotten Tomatoes is now at 86% fresh, up from 83% yesterday. .

RAMA

 

[Jono]

Liked it better than the last one and would give it C+/B-. Had a few logic issues but far less than the last one. The crew interaction was good, though I think the Spock/Uhura stuff was the weakest part of it. Looked good, decent action, nice salutes to old Trek. Overall a decent enough movie, not the best movie I've seen recently but probably the best sci-fi one I've seen so far this year.

 

[gottacook]

Great effects, neat production design, fine music – that's all this film has going for it.

Funny, this is how I'd describe Star Trek - The Motion Picture. Which could have been a lot better if its production hadn't been rushed to make a December 1979 launch date, whereas STID has had 4 whole years to prepare.

 

[Lance]

I gotta be real: discovering who the villain is after all, I do admit I was disappointed. With a whole new version of the Star Trek universe to play with, I was hoping for something more satisfying than Khan. I'd almost have rathered 'John Harrison', a brand new villain. Regardless of what is done with him I can't help feeling that falling back on Khan (or any specific former villain for that matter) was a creatively bankrupt move on Orci and Kutzman's part.

I've got my tickets already though and I'm going to see this on Saturday no matter what. I loved Trek 2009 and as long as the movie pulls me along on a fun adventure I won't really mind. But I do have to be honest. Discovering it was Khan all along feels like an anti-climax now.

 

[throwback]

Deleted post

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

saw the 10am session this morning - loved it. Might see it again tomorrow. Hopefully I'll find the time to see it on saturday when in Sydney.

 

[StarMan]

Just walked out of the theatre. Will write more later but - first reaction? Underwhelmed. That just didn't hit the mark for me at all. Certain scenes had their merit, granted. But overall... A bit disappointed. Wow. Was not expecting that reaction... Anyway that's just my first thoughts straight out of the door.

Hmmm.

edit: Another observation in terms of visuals. May be considered spoilerish ...

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Very impressive. The Klingon vessels looked magnificent - they really evoked a bird of prey. However, one interesting tidbit - if you're like me and dig a bit of space combat - you've seen it. The trailers contain about 90% + of all the action. So don't get your hopes up in that regard.

 

[mattman8907]

just out of curiosity how long did it take for the enterprise to be repaired after it got it's fanny whooped by the vengeance?

 

[Devon]

They should have it done... on Tuesday.

 

[beamMe]

just out of curiosity how long did it take for the enterprise to be repaired after it go it's fanny whooped by the vengeance?

One year.

 

[mattman8907]

They should have it done... on Tuesday.

i don't get it.

 

[StarMan]

just out of curiosity how long did it take for the enterprise to be repaired after it go it's fanny whooped by the vengeance?

After the dust settled we cut to Kirk addressing an audience gathered for the rechristening of The Enterprise.

Anyway, one or two musings in no particular order (SPOILERS!):

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Ok, so if you're reading these spoilers, there's a good chance you know Kirk 'dies' when he sacrifices himself to fix the power grid of the ship. It was just too much. The sequence really pulled me out of the movie with it's self-referential nature and the lines lifted from TWOK. Kirk and Spock had a bit of back and forth, before it concluded with (or to the effect of):

Kirk: "I saved you because I'd miss you." (referring to Spock's close call with a Volcano).

*Kirk dies*

and then this ... I was gobsmacked...

*Spock is upset... then a wave of fury hits him...*

Spock: "KHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNN!!!!!!"

*cut to shot of The Vengeance careening past the now stable Enterprise towards San Francisco.*

 

[beamMe]

I gotta be real: discovering who the villain is after all, I do admit I was disappointed. With a whole new version of the Star Trek universe to play with, I was hoping for something more satisfying than Khan. I'd almost have rathered 'John Harrison', a brand new villain. Regardless of what is done with him I can't help feeling that falling back on Khan (or any specific former villain for that matter) was a creatively bankrupt move on Orci and Kutzman's part.

Oh, but that's the nice thing about this universe's Khan: he isn't the villain - not really. He's still a genetically engineered superhuman with a special moral compass. But he's out to save his people - using really violent methods.

Admiral Marcus is the real villain in this film. If he'd succeeded with his plan to spark a war with the Klingons, the resulting death toll would have dwarfed the one caused by Khan.

 

[beamMe]

I appreciated how they addressed a number of points that bugged people about the first movie,

Especially by actually showing the NX-01 (model) and firmly establishing, without any doubt whatsoever, that Enterprise really is the last remnant of old Trek in this universe

(Oh, and old Spock. I liked Nimoy's cameo.)

 

[Oso Blanco]

Didn't the writers/producers say that they changed the character a bit when they moved from Benicio del Toro to Benedict Cumberbatch? I had hoped that they changed him from Khan to Joaquin or one of the other augments from Space Seed. Harrison relvealing himself as Khan really threw me out of the movie, there is absolutely nothing Khan-ish about him. I even could have lived with him being Data (that thought had actually crossed my mind), but Khan? No way!

 

[Oso Blanco]

Especially by actually showing the NX-01 (model) and firmly establishing, without any doubt whatsoever, that Enterprise really is the last remnant of old Trek in this universe

(Oh, and old Spock. I liked Nimoy's cameo.)

I didn't catch the NX-01, but what really bugged me is that there was a model of the Vengeance on his desk. Wasn't this ship supposed to be a super secret warship? On the other hand, the base where it was stationed didn't seem exactly hidden or even guarded.

Nimoy was the only true surprise in this movie, and a very welcome one at that!

 

[beamMe]

there is absolutely nothing Khan-ish about him.

A strong, charismatic, intelligent, sexy man with a superiority-complex and a tendency to use violence - yes, nothing like Khan at all.

[
I didn't catch the NX-01,

She was right next to the NX-Alpha/Beta model, very close to the Ring-ship.