Star Trek Into Darkness - Review

Star Trek
Into Darkness
(2013 - May 16)
Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
2 hr 12 min

Rated: PG-13 Intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence. Read more
Grade: B+

Director: J.J. Abrams
Writers: Roberto Orci (written by), Alex Kurtzman (written by), Damon Lindelof,
(written by), Gene Roddenberry (television series "Star Trek")
Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch, See full cast and crew 

The crew of the Starship Enterprise returns home after an act of terrorism within its own organization destroys most of Starfleet and what it represents, leaving Earth in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Capt. James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) leads his people (Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoë Saldana) on a mission to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction, thereby propelling all of them into an epic game of life and death.

I reviewed the 3D version, honestly I don't feel it added all that much. There were a few good spots where its utilization was effective but otherwise many times it seemed a distraction. It is obvious that they are using this film to set up a franchise of sequels. I liked the film but I don't think it is as effective as its predecessor.

That said, I do like this franchise incarnation better than any of the others, be it TV original, The William Shatner/Leonard Nimoy or Patrick Stewart film series, or The Next Generation etc., etc. The majority of Trekkies will probably think J.J. Abrams has committed some degree of heresy but the Trekkies were never really the intended audience (loyal as they are their numbers are not enough to fund a blockbuster).

I like the energy that Chris Pine brings to the Capt. Kirk character, and he is a lot easier on the eyes than is either Shatner or Stewart. The entire young cast of the two latest J.J. Abrams films are great fun to watch, they have been cast so well to look like the youthful Shatner cast that they are supposed to be.

I found this film not quite as entertaining as the first one directed by Abrams, but enjoyable it is, and yes there is a cameo appearance from one of the original cast members. Should this franchise continue (and I understand Star Trek 3 is already in the works) I wonder how many more of the originals will be ready and willing to lend their faces and support.

There is one unnecessary scene with Kirk in bed with twin alien girls with tails, thankfully it isn't at all graphic but the whole aspect of his promiscuity is an unwelcome distraction. 

There is a lot of action, perhaps a bit too much, it seem that they go from one life threatening scene to another with precious little respite in between. Is anyone's life really packed that full of adventure and excitement. They are constantly on the go. 

Star Trek Into Darkness has plenty of violence, they battle Klingons, there's gunfire, fights and people being killed, falling to their deaths or being sucked into space, or shot or blown to bits, Starships shooting at each other and buildings and their inhabitants destroyed, and characters are frequently being placed in life threatening danger. 

There is also a little use of profanity but generally not any worse than what you find on TV, I applaud the writers and director's restraint. This is one you can safely take your family to see.

Behind the scenes with director J.J. Abrams.

Directing a bespectacled Chris Pine

Cast

       Chris Pine           Zachary Quinto  

  Kirk                                 Spock

  Zoe Saldana             Karl Urban              Simon Pegg 

    Uhura                             Bones                              Scotty     

    John Cho             Anton Yelchin  

   Sulu                                 Chekov 

   Peter Weller              Alice Eve     

   Marcus                                Carol 

   Bruce Greenwood    Benedict Cumberbatch   

  Pike                                Khan 

Flight - Review

FLIGHT
(2012 - November 2)
Drama
2 hr. 18 min.

Rated: R Intense action sequence, drug and alcohol abuse, vulgar language, sexuality and full frontal nudity. Common Sense Media says Iffy for 16+. Read More 
Grade: C
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writer: John Gatins
Stars: Nadine Velazquez, Denzel Washington and Carter Cabassa | See full cast and crew

A commercial airline pilot Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) has a problem with drugs and alcohol, though so far he's managed to complete his flights safely. His luck runs out when a disastrous mechanical malfunction sends his plane hurtling toward the ground. Whip pulls off a miraculous crash-landing that results in only six lives lost. Shaken to the core, Whip vows to get sober -- but when the crash investigation exposes his addiction, he finds himself in an even worse situation.

Like Rise of the Guardians, I had avoided seeing this film. Against my better judgement I decided I give it a chance after all I was pleasantly surprised by Rise of the Guardians. BIG mistake. The promos for this film basically consist of a 'bait and switch' scam. The trailers suggest a film about the heroics of a pilot who's plane crashes and the consequential investigation into the cause of the disaster that results in the death of both passengers and crew members. Yes, in fact, it is about that but the primary story is about drug and alcohol abuse, deceit, dysfunctional people and the scum that shield these jerks from culpability and personal responsibility. Granted he was not the cause of the accident, the accident did however bring to light his despicable selfishness and violation of the public trust that his job demands. His contempt for the passengers who pay his generous salary and put their lives in his drunken hands is appalling, yet director  Robert Zemeckis wants us to feel badly for him.

Watching Flight was as torturous as sitting through Leaving Las Vegas, more or less like watching the same film except set in the airline industry. If I'd wanted to see a film about immoral, vile, worthless, scumbags liars and their decisions of whether to go to AA or not, or blame others for their problems and the other scumbags that run interference for them (John Goodman follows up a particularly sleazy foul mouthed performance in Argo by going a step or two further in Flight) etc. etc. etc. I'd have sought out such a film. If I had wanted to see tasteless full frontal nudity (is it really necessary to hear the sounds of a woman on the toilet) I could have sought that out too. There is one particularly annoying and pointless monologue by a cigarette craving cancer patient (James Badge Dale), truly groan worhty.

The characters in this film are almost all unsympathetic, immoral or amoral, enabling, foul mouthed skanks. Why would I want to pay money to drag myself through the mud of their self-indulgent, egocentric, meaningless lives. The way the story plays out it's as if the plight of the poor, hapless, divorced, boozer, coke-head pilot is more important than the crash victims and their families who must deal with the lost lives of their loved ones...but noooo, poor Denzel, he has a DISEASE, he can't help himself, it's not his fault. Poor, poor Denzel. But wait, since he ultimately steps up to the plate at the last minute and does the right thing (much to the disdain of his friends and lawyer) all of his previous deceptions and efforts to avoid culpability is now to be forgiven and he can assume his role of the hero again.

Balderdash! Please spare me the P.C. sentimentality. Even if we consider the film for what it is. If we do want to see a film about the perils of substance abuse (Lecturing from Hollywood--now that's rich!). If we do think it can have a positive message and be a learning experience, a morality tale so to speak...why not make it so it can reach a younger audience where it would do the most good. That would merely require toning down the language and eliminating the absolutely gratuitous and pointless nudity and sordid sexuality. The film could then be given a PG-13 rating opening it up to a much broader audience, an audience that could learn something from the film's message before it is too late. My grade of a 'C' is probably generous but the acting is good and the air crash scene is quite compelling.

Plot

"Flight" tells the redemption story of "Whip" (Washington), a commercial airline pilot who pulls off a heroic feat of flying in a damaged plane, saving 98 lives on a flight carrying 106 people. While the world begs to embrace him as a true American Hero, the everyman struggles with this label as he is forced to hold up to the scrutiny of an investigation that brings into question his behavior the night before the doomed flight.

Cast

  Denzel Washington        Kelly Reilly         

 Whip Whitaker                     Nicole             

       Tamara Tunie        Brian Geraghty        Nadine Velazquez   

Margaret Thomason   Co-Pilot Ken Evans          Katerina Marquez

  John Goodman          Don Cheadle        Bruce Greenwood 

  Harling Mays                    Hugh Lang                Charlie Anderson