I’ve been wrestling over my angle on reviewing “Star Trek Into Darkness” for quite a while. I really did like the movie, although not nearly to the extent as J.J. Abrams’ 2009 rebooting of the franchise. Just because it is not as good does not mean it is not any good, and I certainly do not want to imply that.
It’s still a solid summer movie, full of impressive and fun action as well as a dastardly star-making villainous performance by Benedict Cumberbatch. Once again written by the dream team of Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof, the story delivers in a big way. No longer burdened with reintroducing the once-iconic characters to audiences, they can focus on weaving an allegorical tapestry of many moral issues facing the post-9/11 world.
I’m far from disappointed with the latest voyage of the USS Enterprise. However, it never reached the levels of excitement that led me to declare it my second most anticipated film of 2013 back in January. “Star Trek Into Darkness” is still a great movie, don’t get me wrong, but it’s definitely a notch below the giddily fun “Star Trek” from four years ago. While that’s still light years ahead of summer blockbusters “Man of Steel,” J.J. Abrams heads into directing “Star Wars” on a bit of a down note.
He made a decently acceptable action film. It just won’t be particularly remarkable in retrospect. When I go back and think about summer 2013 a few years down the road, I suspect I might forget that “Star Trek Into Darkness” was even released (although writing that line in my review might change that). B+ / 
Marshall and the Movies 
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