Star Trek: The Star Trek Part 2

[Matt]

Blame? Isn't it still making money, just not as much as they'd hoped?

[FilmNerdJamie]

Its under-performing here and over-performing overseas. But Star Trek always makes its nut stateside and the foreign numbers aren't "Ermahgerd" huge. Just the 3D/IMAX bumps talking. No way Into Darkness matches the $260M gross of the reboot.

At this rate, it will do $190-$200M ish. Paramount will probably drag it to the latter just to save face to label it a blockbuster, a la Superman Returns. Trek 3 will happen but someone is getting fired.

[Matt]

I just think that they scheduled it at a shitty time. There's too much competition for it to be THE FILM THAT MUST BE SEEN.

[Bobby Bear]

Okay...

It is, indeed, a looker. There's enough action/spectacle packed in for 3 blockbusters, never mind one.

There is much to love about this cast, most of whom get plenty of nice showcase moments.

When the film starts to work, it comes tantalizingly close to becoming a proper reboot, something that takes what it wants from the source while forging its own path.

But it never really sustains that because of its dependance on what's come before. In fact, to someone familiar with Trek, it felt like more of a re-make than a re-boot at times.

I enjoyed it as it was unfolding, I think, largely because I had to accept early on that this is a movie made by people more interested in having all these huge climactic moments without earning them with the proper buildup. The breathless BANG BANG BANG pace becomes monotonous because, no matter how many spectacular battles (or stand-offs or final breath moments or whatever) you pack in, none of them count for an awful lot if they're not justified.

In other words, if this film were a song, it would be structured as follows:

Chorus-chorus-chorus-chorus-chorus.

As opposed to:

Verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus.

I got pretty tired of the dizzying chases and over-abundance of tears because it was all so overwrought by a certain point. Everyone is in such a constant state of hyper-anxiety and emotional distress that there's no rhythm or nuance, only CRASH BANG WALLOP (pause for tears) BA-BOOM!

It's bright, noisy, and occasionally fun and diverting. But a muddled plot, almost total lack of subtlety and emotional complexity, and a story that plays it safe by re-mixing the greatest hits makes this a 3 star movie at best - possibly a 2 star movie depending on your mood at the time.

[Nathan]

About to see this at 815. I've stayed out of this thread but its been spoiled for me. Just hope its pretty.

[Nathan]

What the fuck was that shit?

[BMichaelKrol]

Exactly.

[Ingrid]

Well, I didn't hate it. But it wasn't great, just so uneven and sloppy.

[Abraham Smashington]

I'm dreading the possibility that I'll love this because statistically I tend to love what everyone says is shit.

[PHEDG]

You still haven't seen it!? Oh I think you'll like it, Rob.

[Nathan]

I'm dreading the possibility that I'll love this because statistically I tend to love what everyone says is shit.

You're not a huge Trek guy, right? If so, you'll probably enjoy it. I don't think I can watch the first one anymore. That universe is ruined for me. The Abrams one.

[BillyG]

I'm dreading the possibility that I'll love this because statistically I tend to love what everyone says is shit.

It's one of the prettiest sci-fi movies out there. And you'll probably be a few beers in before you see it. You'll enjoy it fine.

[Matt]

Again, it works on a visceral 'shit blows up great' level. It's mainly the story itself that doesn't hold up to scrutiny.

[BillyG]

It's mainly the story itself that doesn't hold up to scrutiny.

You mean "doesn't hold up if you have two synapses capable of popping."

[Abraham Smashington]

not a fan. at all.