Blake Howard has posted his review of Star Trek Into Darkness, and while he certainly seems to have enjoyed the movie, he didn't seem to be blown away by it. He is happy with Abrams' team of writers not feeling the need to elevate their characters to "mythic status", and says when we are reintroduced to the crew of The Enterprise they are all still very flawed and "falling into adolescent traps".
He has high praise for the cast, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto in particular -- apparently
"the highlight of the film is the interplay between one of pop culture’s most iconic partnerships. Each man must learn from the other in order to grow." He says all of the other members of the ensemble cast also have their moments to shine, and that Benedict Cumberbatch is an "inspired piece of casting" as the villain. Sorry, no spoilers in that regard! Though I'm sure you can find them elsewhere if you really want to. He does say though that the introduction of Alice Eve’s Dr. Carol Marcus
"didn’t have the emotional impact (despite the feeling that it foreshadowed her character’s importance for future films in the franchise) that was intended." Howard doesn't go into too much detail story wise -- obviousness not wanting to spoil anything -- but here is his final summation in full.
"This isn’t the franchise defining ‘middle’ picture that this reviewer was hoping it to be. It’s not the Empire Strikes Back of an Abrams trilogy; and consequently it didn’t quite hit the emotional crescendo of that kind of film. Star Trek Into Darkness isn’t ready to stretch to the unknown pockets of the universe just yet; instead it relishes in the evolution of the key characters in the wake of their defining challenge. It’s a rousing adventure and Abrams has laid the platform for a healthy and long lasting franchise."
He awards the movie 3/5 stars. Click the link below to read the review in full.
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.