Star Trek Into Darkness, the second film from the J.J. Abrams-revived franchise, had its London premiere on Thursday (see pictures from the Leicester Square event below). With it came the first reviews, mostly glowing…
Hollywood trade paper Variety says it’s not the most original Star Trek adventure, “but getting there is such a well-crafted, immensely pleasurable ride that it would be positively Vulcan to nitpick.”
Total Film gives the film 4 stars, saying the film is full-tilt – “opens with thrusters on maximum, and then it puts its foot down” – but warns: “at a certain point peril-fatigue starts to creep in, putting the story (like the overtaxed Enterprise) at the risk of burning out.”
It concludes: “Fantastic fun. A two-hours-plus blockbuster that doesn’t bog down in exposition or sag in the middle… the most thrilling Star Trek since First Contact.”
Also giving it 4 stars are Empire (“A blast. Fun, funny, spectacular and exhilarating.”) and The Guardian, which intriguingly notes: “There’s a palpable air of world-weariness about this Star Trek; it’s as if Abrams and his writers concluded they couldn’t replicate the cockiness and bounce of the first film, and opted instead to allow their characters to grow up a little. Everyone is a little more battered, a little less dewy-eyed… an astute, exhilarating concoction.”
The only dissenting voice so far is from The Hollywood Reporter who describes it as “engineered rather than directed… without style or personality”.
While admitting it will please fans, reviewer Todd McCarthy also complains about the look and 3D effect: “the film looks surprisingly flat, bordering on cheesy… and the very shallow depth-of-field in many shots (not the CGI but real photography) works against the point of the [3D ] format. After a steady progression in the brilliant visual quality of big-budget, effects-heavy major releases over the past couple of years, this one takes a few steps backwards.”
You’ll be able see it yourself on May 9 in 2D and 3D. Watch the trailer here.
Stars Chris Pine, Alice Eve, Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldana.
...and joined by Benedict Cumberbatch.
Director JJ Abrams.
Zoe Saldana.
Alice Eve.
Chris Pine.
