We saw 9 minutes of Star Trek: Into Darkness on Friday… We give you our thoughts.
Our inner (and outer!) geeks went into overdrive this morning; we braved the win and the rain to gather in Cineworld for a sneak peek at 9 minutes of Star Trek: Into Darkness… in IMAX no less! Squee!
Director J.J. Abrams has proven time and again that he knows how to do sci-fi, and do it well. The first Star Trek film was a delight for fans and non-fans alike and, while Alias may have jumped the shark in it’s final season, for the most part the show was clever and compelling TV. The same goes for Lost… So what can we expect from Star Trek: Into Darkness? Well, if you are vehemently anti-spoiler, now is the time to stop reading and go and watch the trailer… again.
We are introduced to the story in London in the year 2257. Noel Clarke’s as yet unnamed character and his wife visit a charmingly quaint hospital in their hover car. The reason? Their daughter is seriously ill and, while she is non responsive, they are obviously trying to spend as much time with her as possible before the inevitable happens. Or is it inevitable? Benedict Cumberbatch’s velvet voice soon informs us that this dastardly villain has the power to save the child, thus using emotional attachment to further his evil plot… Presumably.
From here, we move from emotion to action; Kirk (Chris Pine) and Bones (Karl Urban) are fleeing for their lives on an M-Class planet. The chalky skinned locals are less than happy that Kirk has stolen their holy scroll, and are making good the chase. It’s not long before we discover that the Enterprise crew are on a mission of mercy; a volcano is threatening to wipe out the indigenous life on the planet and Spock has a device that will still the eruption.
This scene is fantastically shot; the chase is fast paced and energetic and the added danger of an erupting volcano ramps up the tension. This mysterious planet looks beautiful; red forests contrast beautifully with the look of the locals, and the erupting volcano forms a nice juxtaposition with the Enterprise’s hiding place; the ocean. Tension is the name of the game here, Spock finds himself stranded in an erupting volcano and his Vulcan reasoning means that he has no great need to save himself, especially when his death will mean the survival of the planet.
And then, just as the film hits it’s stride, the footage is snatched away, leaving us all wanting more.
So, from what we have seen so far, Star Trek: Into Darkness appears to make good on the promises made by the first film. We have a strong villain, but a crew that are equally as strong, and totally united. The action is thrilling, but not at the expense of the emotional centre of the film. As well as this, the film looks darn good in both IMAX and 3D, and is sure to be one of the most highly anticipated films of 2013.
Yes, 2013; we have almost six months to wait to see how the story plays out, but from what we have seen, it will be worth the wait.
Star Trek Into Darkness will be in cinemas and IMAX from 17th May 2013.
Words: Brogen Hayes