Star Trek Into Darkness (a 2nd viewing)

Friday, May 31, 2013


Chris Pine & Zachary Quinto in Star Trek into Darkness (2013)
Sometimes it helps to go with a friend to these things! I'm a bit stingy sometimes when original concepts are rehashed into a new franchise. Not always, mind you, but I'm the type of girl who loves the original series Wild, Wild West and loathe, hate, despise the movie reboot from several years ago. It was a travesty!! I feel the same about the original series of 21 Jumpstreet, and that idiotic, pointless new movie with Channing Tatum. He's not winning any brownie points with me by being in a mock-worthy film about one of my favorite shows!

So, it's hard sometimes for me to adapt to new franchises based on someone else's series. Still, I went back for a 2nd viewing of Star Trek Into Darkness, this time with my BFF. We met halfway between her home and mine, settled down into the theater, and proceeded to drool for 2 hours over Benedict Cumberbatch. I felt more this time around. More compassion, more empathy, more grief for the lives lost, including a character I've loved since the 1st movie, and I connected a little better with Spock and Kirk. The toe-tapping impatience I experienced the first time I watched the climactic scene with Spock and Kirk wasn't there this time. Instead, I actually teared up a little watching them, and that's a huge step in the right direction for me.

During lunch, she and I discovered that we both are attracted to power. We're not talking flabby politicians, but the undeniable power exuded by Khan over everyone else. He doesn't pause or hesitate, but goes directly for the jugular, manipulating people until they stand exactly where he wants them. A man who is masculine and intimidating is sexy. It's attractive and desirable, and makes me like Benedict even more than I did before because he made the role his. Enough with these namby-pamby Justin Biebers of the world who could almost be a girl! I want a masculine man who is not so in touch with his feminine side! When did that become the thing? I'd much rather have a man like Khan, minus the psycho nature possibly, than a guy who cries over chick-flicks any day.

So, my 2nd viewing was something of a success. Charity found the plot hole and unraveled the entire thing in a matter of seconds, but that only made me laugh because it proves that J. J. Abrams is not quite the mastermind everyone makes him out to be. What is that plot hole? Well, if you have seen the movie, comment and I'll share it with you. If not, then go see the movie and then read my comments. ;-)

4 comments

  1. Men are SUPPOSED to go for what they want -- not in an obnoxious, aggressive way, but in an assertive way. That's why we also like Langella's Dracula so much -- he knows what he wants and goes for it. Sophisticated confidence in a man is dead sexy.

    Charity: unraveling plots since 1983. (Not kidding -- I found a hole in a plot in a Ted Dekker book back when he was still answering e-mails and asked him about it. I probably shouldn't have done that, he might have thought "... why is this snot-nosed twelve year old pointing out flaws in my plots?!" but... hey, I was an irritating INTJ child, and I had to KNOW WHY.)

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  2. Tickled pink to hear all these positive things about Into Darkness - from the moment I saw the trailer, I thought, "that looks WAY better/cooler than the first movie!" I've a feeling a second viewing of the first will result in different reactions and emotions. Similarly to what it sounds like your experience was of this one. Hopefully I'll rent it again prior to seeing this. :)

    Glad you and Charity had fun, Carissa!

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  3. Charity, being assertive is something many men have lost. We women have beaten it out of them. Which is probably why you and I are so turned on by that assertiveness in one of our favorite actors. ;)

    Rissi, I really love the 1st movie, mostly because it's stuff I'd never seen before, and I'd always wondered how the story got started. But there is something entrancing about the 2nd film, and I felt much more attached to it with my 2nd viewing than my 1st. I hope you enjoy the 1st film better with your 2nd viewing.

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  4. I think I'm going to have to give up on men in general. All the extroverted, take-charge ones are already married. :P

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Thank you for your kind comments, which I adore!