#50 Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: J. J. Abrams
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Leonard Nimoy, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Alice Eve, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Peter Weller, Noel Clarke.

Synopsis
In the wake of a shocking act of terror from within their own organization, the crew of The Enterprise is called back home to Earth. In defiance of regulations and with a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads his crew on a manhunt to capture an unstoppable force of destruction and bring those responsible to justice. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Review
Judging from how the critically lauded 2009 'Star Trek' reboot managed to re-establish the universal timeline and its characters through clever use of time travel-altered alternate reality, it's safe to say that J.J. Abrams might still be adventurous enough to surprise audiences by pioneering an entirely fresh new take on how the saga should continue. Well, I was dead wrong.

Instead of bringing the multi-cultural Enterprise crew on a new direction in terms of story and journey, the film however revisits a few notable plotlines from the past series. Familiar Trekkies might find the references or homages a bit too similar to the old storyline (plus a very forcefully done cameo), while new Trekkies like me finds it logically acceptable. However, the magic from the reboot, that unpredictable sense of freshness, made zero presence here.

A higher stakes for the crew means a larger setpieces together with dazzling special effects set in space. The lens-flare filled sequences were filmed in high octane manner. Watching this in IMAX format is a powerful experience that will thrill your senses to overdrive, all thanks to its heart-thumping sound system and crystal clear picture.

Plotwise speaking, the film explores the thematic perspectives of vengeance without losing its magical touch of maintaining the emotional resonance. The plot might be a bit too convoluted from second half onwards. Emotions run deep in every character through effective interactions and chemistry between the cast.The relationship dynamics of the crew is the main locomotive driving the plot. Charming leads aside, notable performances went to Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto's. Pine's portrayal of hotheaded Kirk is essentially the strongest within the crowd. Beneath his impulsiveness and recklessness comes a great breakthrough in terms of character development. Quinto's Spock, who is still prone to logical faults and struggle with any emotional attachments embedded within, is a pure crowd-pleaser cemented with its iconic mythos. Together, the tension rises between the two as they take on the real spotlight of the film - Benedict Cumberbatch's malevolent 'John Harrison'.

A one-man force hell-bent on exacting a revenge on the Federation, Cumberbatch's supposedly post-911 influenced terrorist 'John Harrison' is a letdown. With all the buzz set on him alone, Cumberbatch's menacing character might be cold-blooded and vocally intense (spotting his eardrum piercing British pronunciation), but overall the character is terribly one-dimensional. Intelligent, combat-wise and could speak in very hostile tone, that's more than enough to make up another cliched movie villain.

Rating

4/5 Stars

#49 Star Trek (2009)

Star Trek (2009)
PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 7 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: J. J. Abrams
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Leonard Nimoy, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder, Clifton Collins, Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Faran Tahir, Jennifer Morrison, Greg Ellis, Rachel Nichols, Tyler Perry.

Synopsis
The greatest adventure of all time begins with Star Trek, the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind. The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James Kirk, is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock, was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before.

Review
With a canon that spanned nearly 50 years of TV shows and motion pictures, it's only a matter of time before 'Star Trek' gets itself a decent reboot for the modern generation. This 2009 reboot helmed by visionary director J.J. Abrams plays out both as an approprite universe introduction to all the modern Trekkies and a quasi-sequel that brilliantly continues the storyline without disrespectfully destroying all the things set up by the previous timeline, thus earning all the critical approves from all the old Trekkies alike. One thing I really love about this reboot is how intelligent the filmmakers are creating this brand new environment that'll bound to change the course of lives of every pivotal character. The chemistry between the new Kirk and Spock turns out to be stronger than ever. Quinto's performance as the new younger Spock is emotionally captivating with all his display of personal struggles and racial dilemmas, while Pine's version of the courageous but at times reckless Kirk is heightens up the on-screen energy of the already impressive ensemble cast. The way the story smartly sets up the alternate reality has indirectly opened the door for all the characters to access their characteristic potentials and possible opportunities in near future. With all the emotions, space-opera like special effects and humor intricately woven within Abram's signature style of storytelling that integrates architectural lens flares, intergalactic scores and entertaining pace, 'Star Trek' qualifies as a genuine sci-fi must-love.

Rating

Full 5 Stars

#48 Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
PG-13
Running time: 1 hour 56 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Stuart Baird
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Tom Hardy, Ron Perlman, Dina Meyer, John Berg, Kate Mulgrew, Shannon Colchran, Jude Ciccolella, Alan Dale, Wil Wheaton, Majel Barrett, Stuart Barid, Bryan Singer, Whoopi Goldberg..

Synopsis
While passing near the Romulan Neutral Zone, the Enterprise-E picks up an unusual energy signal. The crew investigates, and finds dismantled pieces of an android that looks just like Data. But before the crew has time to determine its origins, they receive a priority message from Starfleet’s Admiral Janeway: There’s been an internal political shakeup on Romulus, and the new leader, Praetor Shinzon, has asked that a Federation ship visit to talk peace. When they get there, the crew discovers that, surprisingly, Shinzon is not Romulan. He’s from Romulus’s sister planet, Remus—but he’s not a Reman either. He’s a human clone of Captain Picard, the vestige of a failed Romulan plot to infiltrate Starfleet. All that’s in the past, Shinzon swears. Today he’s only interested in leading both the Romulans and the Remans down a path of peace with the Federation. But not all—in fact not much—is as it seems.

Review
Other than Patrick Stewart's stellar portrayal of Captain Picard, 'Nemesis' is a sign pointing to the so-called 'franchise fatigue', a condition where new story runs out of originality and the universe receives limited opportunity for expansion. Since not much is going on in the story department, 'Nemesis' sees a very young Tom Hardy playing a renegade Romulan enemy. While there's no shortage of action sequences and a death in the family at the end, these may be the only highlights of the Next Generation's final voyage

Rating
0/5 Stars

#47: Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Jonathan Frakes
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, F. Murray Abraham, Donna Murphy, Anthony Zerbe.

Synopsis
While investigating a report that Data is running amok on the peaceful Ba’ku planet, the Enterprise-E crew uncovers a conspiracy between Starfleet and the Son’a to secretly relocate the planet’s inhabitants. Interfering with the peaceful Ba’ku seems a clear violation of the Prime Directive, so Picard and his crew must choose whether to follow an unlawful order and help the Son’a, or to mutiny against Starfleet and protect the Ba’ku.

Review
The story itself can be quite confusing at times, a situation where the villains' motives aren't clearly represented, and the threat the crew is fighting is clearly fazed by the slightly convoluted plot line of the entire narrative, thus dampening the pace and excitement a Star Trek film usually possesses as a quality.

Rating
0/5 Stars

#46 Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
PG-13
Running time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Jonathan Frakes
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis,Neal McDonough, James Cromwell.

Synopsis
The Borg, the Federation’s deadliest enemy, can’t seem to get past Starfleet’s 24th century defenses to assimilate the populace of Earth. But it’s not in Borg nature to give up. Following the destruction of one of their gigantic cube ships, a small Borg sphere ship creates a temporal passage into the past. Their goal: assimilate humanity before Earth’s residents can take their first tenuous steps towards founding the United Federation of Planets.

Review
With such intriguing premise of a Borg takeover of the Enterprise Starship, the film plays up a grave sense of urgency as the Next Generation must race against time to fight off the Borgs and prevent further intervention of the historical First Contact occasion. To cut things short, 'First Contact' is the best movie off the Next Generation series.

Rating
4/5 Stars

#45 Star Trek Generations (1994)

Star Trek Generations (1994)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 58 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: David Carson
Cast: Patrick Stewart, William Shatner, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Alan Ruck, Malcolm McDowell, Jacqueline Kim, Barbara March, Patti Yasutake, Whoopi Goldberg, James Doohan, Walter Koenig.

Synopsis
In the year 2293, Kirk, Scotty and Chekov reunite for a ceremony celebrating the launch of the brand new U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-B. (Wait—isn’t this a film about the crew of the Enterprise-D?) But on its maiden voyage, the Enterprise-B must attempt to rescue the passengers of a pair of vessels that have become ensnared in an “energy ribbon”—a deadly space phenomenon. The rescue attempt is only partly successful, and the fateful encounter will resonate through the decades to impact upon the lives of Captain Picard’s crew in the 24th century, where a man named Tolian Soran threatens to take the lives of millions of innocent people unless two Enterprise captains can stop him.

Review
Although the film did feature the hallmark meeting of both Captain Kirk and Captain Picard. the film suffers from a story that is written like an extended special episode for 'The Next Generation' series.

Rating
3/5 Stars

#44 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Kim Cattrall.

Synopsis
An environmental disaster on the Klingon moon Praxis forces the warrior race to consider an armistice with their long-time enemy, the Federation. Kirk, unable to forget the death of his son at Klingon hands, wants no part of it, but Spock “volunteers” the captain’s services to Starfleet for a diplomatic assignment: providing the Klingon chancellor with escort services to an intergalactic peace summit.

Review
With an intended political undertone planted along the storyline, the sixth instalment had Kirk battling his inner demon of fear and prejudice against the kind who he detests. With so much thought provoking messages lying around, the story of  'The Undiscovered Country' is cleverly written with a rebellious twist, thus elevating the overall fear and suspense throughout the course of the Enterprise crew. All in all, it is a great if not satisfactory final adventure for the original Enterprise crew.

Rating
4/5 Stars