Star Trek Into Darkness: Thoughts

[xXSuperWhateverXx]

I know this guild is a little dead, but I'd still like to post a thread discussing everyone's thoughts on Star Trek Into Darkness. I may be a little late but I'd like to discuss them now.

I enjoyed the movie, but there were a few things in it that distressed me a little. I'll list the good and bad in white font because of spoilers.

The bad:
*The Spock/Uhura drama in the beginning seemed redundant to the plot. I know they are a couple in the reboot, but this isn't a Romance film. It's Science-Fiction
*As much as I enjoyed Cumberbatch's character, I just wish he wasn't another Khan. I would have liked it more if they just made him Harrison Ford, and had sort of a different motive for taking down The Enterprise
*Lack of character development for characters other than Kirk and Spock. I would have loved to see a bit more of the other cast. I heard a third movie is being made, and I hope they'll do that this time.

The Good:
*It seems that Kirk's character has developed better through out the movie. He seemed to have matured a little, as a Captain.
*I enjoyed seeing Spock's human side come out a bit, especially when Kirk was dying
*The acting was well done, like in the first movie
*Not as many lens flares in this as the first one. It pleases my eyes.
*The Klingon's in the movie look good
*The Tribble in the end. Lol.


So, what did everyone else think? smile  

[ThesmilingchocoboofGOD]

I haven't seen it yet sad  

[xXSuperWhateverXx]

ThesmilingchocoboofGOD

I haven't seen it yet sad

I actually haven't seen it until yesterday, when I got my hands on a DVD copy of it (financial issues prevented me from enjoying movies for a while). So it's not too late for you to just find the DVD. smile  

[Steel Sterling]

I have the file, but I still have to sit down and watch it-
maybe this weekend.  

[Steel Sterling]

Ok,
me and the Mrs just saw it,
so we can start discussing it now.
(The 2 of us, I mean. She's here, too.)  

[xXSuperWhateverXx]

Steel Sterling

Ok,
me and the Mrs just saw it,
so we can start discussing it now.
(The 2 of us, I mean. She's here, too.)

Ah okay,
what did you both like and dislike about it?  

[zuzehhx]

What I liked:
- References to the original series
- Kirk's growth as a person throughout the film, you can tell he's matured a lot.
- Scotty's lines and his role.
- Uhura speaking Klingon, that scene was cool.

What I disliked:
- No Christine Chapel
- Not enough Bones
- That extremely pointless underwear scene with Carol Marcus
- Spock's reaction to Kirk's death, going berserk and chasing Khan in a fit of rage was extremely OOC, in my opinion. I am not a fan of a more human spock.
- Uhura and Spock arguing... I don't want to hear about their relationship problems. The film would have been just fine without those bits
- While I enjoyed all the references to the original series, it would have been better if they went with a more original direction, and used a different villain/plot elements. ( and not Khan)

I whited it out as well. Overall it was a fun watch, a good sci-fi film, but it doesn't feel as 'star trek'-y as i would like. There is a 3rd in the works, hopefully there will be less lens flares, because I cannot stand those in the quantity in which they appear in the new trek films.  

[xXSuperWhateverXx]

zuzehhx

What I liked:
- References to the original series
- Kirk's growth as a person throughout the film, you can tell he's matured a lot.
- Scotty's lines and his role.
- Uhura speaking Klingon, that scene was cool.

What I disliked:
- No Christine Chapel
- Not enough Bones
- That extremely pointless underwear scene with Carol Marcus
- Spock's reaction to Kirk's death, going berserk and chasing Khan in a fit of rage was extremely OOC, in my opinion. I am not a fan of a more human spock.
- Uhura and Spock arguing... I don't want to hear about their relationship problems. The film would have been just fine without those bits
- While I enjoyed all the references to the original series, it would have been better if they went with a more original direction, and used a different villain/plot elements. ( and not Khan)

I whited it out as well. Overall it was a fun watch, a good sci-fi film, but it doesn't feel as 'star trek'-y as i would like. There is a 3rd in the works, hopefully there will be less lens flares, because I cannot stand those in the quantity in which they appear in the new trek films.

Agreed. Although, I thought Carol Marcus' character was supposed to be a re-write of Chapel. I could be wrong, I don't know. What I also wanted was the Kirk/Spock/McCoy trio to come back, but it didn't. I'd like to see that for the next film, if possible.  

[Steel Sterling]

They did MENTION Chapel, they just didn't include her.

I really liked the throwaway line about the freighter they kept from the
Mudd incident- as well as the proof they'd run into Cyrano Jones at the
space station.

I would also have liked to have seen a slight difference that's been mentioned.
Spoiler in white:
When we saw Benedict Cumberbatch's character managing to
do the Rambo impression, we both figured out he was not a regular human.
We called out "android?" and "..or genetically enhanced" which led to
"Khan?" "Probably not- lots of genetically altered characters were made
during the Eugenics Wars." I would have liked the Big Bad to have been a
DIFFERENT one. We'd heard they'd taken over their regions and warred
on each other. In practice, it looks more like it had to be Khan versus
Everybody, since he was too dangerous to just be another player in the
band when it came to world domination.

I also think they gave up on saving Christopher Pike FAR too easily.
Our CURRENT medicine might have saved him. All they had to do was get
medical attention to him before 5 minutes passed and brain death became
a danger. I'm hoping he turns up later, badly injured like we saw him
in "The Menagerie."

We were very impressed with those natives in the beginning. Despite being
in shock, they glanced at a fast-moving vehicle, and were able to draw it
later, including angles they never got to SEE of it...Good trick.

In general, we'll have to get back to you on what made the most impressions,
whether good or ill.  

[xXSuperWhateverXx]

Ah, I see. You're right about Pike though. I couldn't understand it, either.

And also, I heard lots of fans complained about Khan being, "whitewashed." Do you guys agree with it?  

[Steel Sterling]

xXSuperWhateverXx

Ah, I see. You're right about Pike though. I couldn't understand it, either.

And also, I heard lots of fans complained about Khan being, "whitewashed." Do you guys agree with it?

One might as well complain that an (East) Indian was played by a latino with
a heavy accent. (Ricardo Montalban passes for a Singh like Sean Connery
passes for a Spaniard named Ramirez.)

All things considered, it's not a jump to see British influence for someone with
a background for India. Personally, I would have liked to actually see someone
Indian PLAY him, or someone who could pass well, at least. I mean, I imagine
some casual fans HAD to have Khan and didn't care about all the other
participants in the Eugenics Wars. However, we would have had a blanker
canvas to draw on. And we still could have had parallels when the writers
wanted them.

I like Cumberbatch as an actor, but, yes, I have mixed emotions about him
as Khan.

In general, I think Hollywood gets stupid about casting characters, much
of the time. I mean, look at the Harry Potter series. Early on, we get
a lot of good casting. Then the 4th movie features a woman who's supposed
to be big-as in wide and broad and so on, a woman who insisted she was
simply big-boned. She was played by a thin actress, and the character
was VERY tall and thin. Then in movie 6 we have a character who's
an older British man, who is fat and bald, and has a big, walrus moustache.
In the movie, he's an older British man, who has a full head of hair, may be
carrying a few pounds here and there, and has no face-fuzz.
Honestly, there were no fat, old British actors anywhere who were any good?
And why not just glue a caterpillar under his nose or something and shave
his head? (Maybe they should have brought Gary Oldman back and
put him in heavy makeup and shave his head. I bet he would have done it.)

And Disney's Pocahantas. They originally had no plans to cast her with
a Native American actress. One public outcry later, and Irene Bedard
appeared out of nowhere to be a great casting choice.  

[Lily Highwind]

Hey everyone. I'm Lily. New here. Pleasure to meet you fine folks! Just wanted to drop in and throw in my thoughts!!

I was impressed. The second was a fabulous follow to the first movie and I am super thrilled to hear there is a third in the works. I don't know all the ins and outs of Star Trek but I've seen my fair share of it having grandparents who were quasi trekies, and what was always on the tele when we went to visit? Spock and Kirk and Data and Scotty <3

The series I think brings all around good feels to a lot of people and I'm super glad that it's getting new life on the hollywood big screen.

As to be expected all great things get a little skewed once they make it to hollywood, some things much much more than others. If we are going to talk about movies getting fubared, dare we mention the Eragon movie that was so horrible my husband had to shut it off half way through due to my reactions to it?

Oops, I digress. Star Trek: Into Darkness was wonderful and I enjoyed it immensely. biggrin  

[Curtis25]

my reaction was and still is that its the most spectacular piece of crap I have ever seen. I loved the movie as far as visuals go. Acting was amazing just like the first one. I loved the role Scotty played in the movie. I loved the humanistic angry Spock. I hated absolutely hated with every fiber of my being that they rehashed Khan as the bad guy. I was so upset with it that I nearly got up and left the theater. But that being said Khan was the only thing I disliked about it. Oh and the rehashed lines , Spock yelling Khan and so on. but if the Klingons are going to look like that from now on I'm good. they where amazing.  

[Curtis25]

Curtis25

my reaction was and still is that its the most spectacular piece of crap I have ever seen. I loved the movie as far as visuals go. Acting was amazing just like the first one. I loved the role Scotty played in the movie. I loved the humanistic angry Spock. I hated absolutely hated with every fiber of my being that they rehashed Khan as the bad guy. I was so upset with it that I nearly got up and left the theater. But that being said Khan was the only thing I disliked about it. Oh and the rehashed lines , Spock yelling Khan and so on. but if the Klingons are going to look like that from now on I'm good. they where amazing.

After watching it again I have a cpl more grumbles. I don't understand Kirk getting in trouble for violating the Prime Directive just because the Natives saw the (beautiful) Enterprise. wasn't Star Fleet already violating the Prime Directive by keeping those people alive? Prime Directive states that Star Fleet cannot in any way interfere with the natural course of things. Also I really don't understand the switching of nationalities for Khan or Dr. Marcus. And speaking of Dr. Marcus. Why is everyone raising so much hell over the nearly nude scene? In the first one the Orion girl was in her undergarments and as soon as Uhura walked into the room she started stripping and got down to her undergarments. There was no good reason for either of them to be that scantily clad but no one gripped about that. So I don't understand the whole uproar over the Dr. Marcus scene.  

[USS_Galactica]

Curtis25

After watching it again I have a cpl more grumbles. I don't understand Kirk getting in trouble for violating the Prime Directive just because the Natives saw the (beautiful) Enterprise. wasn't Star Fleet already violating the Prime Directive by keeping those people alive? Prime Directive states that Star Fleet cannot in any way interfere with the natural course of things. Also I really don't understand the switching of nationalities for Khan or Dr. Marcus. And speaking of Dr. Marcus. Why is everyone raising so much hell over the nearly nude scene? In the first one the Orion girl was in her undergarments and as soon as Uhura walked into the room she started stripping and got down to her undergarments. There was no good reason for either of them to be that scantily clad but no one gripped about that. So I don't understand the whole uproar over the Dr. Marcus scene.

They weren't supposed to be keeping those people alive either. Their mission was just to observe them, no interaction at all.

I am pretty sure people raised hell about the pointless nearly nude scenes in the first one as well.

It is all made worse by the comments from some of the writers and crew.

http://www.hypable.com/2013/05/21/star-trek-into-darkness-writer-apologies-for-alice-eves-underwear-scene/

Quote:

The film’s costume designer, Michael Kaplan, revealed why he felt the underwear shot was included in the film, saying, “Last time, Zoe needed to wear underwear, and this time it was Alice Eve’s turn. You know, it’s a rather large male fanbase, and JJ wanted to appeal to that.”

Yup, just gotta appeal to the boys, because that is what Star Trek is all about.

Anyway. Personally I can't wait for the reboots to be over and done with, so someone competent can take Star Trek back to TV screens where it belongs.