Film Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

Star Trek Into Darkness. Rated M (action violence). 132 minutes. Directed by J J Abrams. Screenplay by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof.

Verdict: A thrilling, big screen adventure.

With his magnificent reboot of the Star Trek film series in 2009, J J Abrams set the bar incredibly high for the two planned sequels, of which Star Trek Into Darkness is the first. Fortunately, everyone who collaborated with Abrams on Star Trek is back on deck for the sequel, and his spirited young cast – led by Chris Pine as James T Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock – all deliver fantastic performances of great depth and passion.

Star Trek Into Darkness begins with a stunning sequence in which the crew of the USS Enterprise are attempting to stop a volcanic eruption on Planet Nibiru that threatens to exterminate the population. When Spock’s life is at risk in the depths of the volcano, Kirk decides to break the rules and rescue him, revealing the Enterprise to the primitive inhabitants of Nibiru in the process. It’s not only a wonderfully adventurous way to begin the film, but one that sets the breath-draining pace for all that is to follow. Upon their return from the mission, Kirk is demoted for breaking ‘prime directives’ by revealing the Enterprise to other civilisations. But when Starfleet headquarters is ruthlessly attacked by a rogue agent John Harrison (a perfect Benedict Cumberbatch), the young and ambitious crew of the Enterprise – with Kirk back in charge – set out to find Harrison and hold him to account.

Abrams (Mission: Impossible 3, Star Trek, Super 8) is at his super-confident best here, with a screenplay that (for the most part) blends generous amounts of humour and intriguing moral dilemmas with lavish and brilliantly realised action set pieces. The only stumble is an anti-climactic punch-up between Spock and Harrison, which seems to belong to some other less visionary film rather than this fearless story about the clash of not only civilisations, but also generations.

Scott Chambliss’s (Cowboys & Aliens, Salt, Star Trek) production design is, once again, exemplary – with the first appearance of the Enterprise rising out of the ocean simply breathtaking. Dan Mindel’s (John Carter, Star Trek) cinematography is never less than superb, while Maryann Brandon (Star Trek, How to Train Your Dragon) and Mary Jo Markey’s (Star Trek, Super 8) masterful editing and Michael Giacchino’s (Cars 2, Super 8) thumpingly good score ensure that Star Trek Into Darkness is a thrilling adventure that demands to be seen on the big screen.

This review was commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group.

Rise of the Guardians. Rated PG (mild fantasy themes and violence). 97 minutes. Directed by Peter Ramsey. Screenplay by David Lindsay-Abaire. Based on The Guardians of Childhood novels by William Joyce.

Verdict: The picture perfect way to launch into the festive season.

If there is a more perfect way to launch the festive season on the big screen, it’s impossible to imagine what it might be. Rise of the Guardians is not only bravura, ground-breaking 3D animation, but also a story for children that refuses to shy away from the grand themes of fear, belonging and the importance of believing in the quintessential goodness in ourselves and each other.

When the Boogieman ‘Pitch’ (voiced by Jude Law) threatens to replace children’s dreams with horrifying nightmares forever, Jack Frost (Chris Pine), Santa (Alec Baldwin), Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman) and Sandman (an unspoken role) must band together to defeat the evil spirits of fear and darkness once and for all.

Film Review: This Means War

This Means War. Rated M (sexual references, action violence and coarse language). 98 minutes. Directed by McG. Screenplay by Timothy Dowling and Simon Kinberg.

Verdict: A slick, classy, charisma zone. Just don’t expect too much.

With his screenplay for Mr and Mrs Smith (2005), Mr Kinberg created an ideal vehicle for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who polished off the roles of married assassins who had been hired to kill each other. As one of the three writers credited with the screenplay for Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes (2009), he also shared responsibility for the forensically researched blueprint that ensured this film had the potential to reach the cinematic heights it did. Add Mr Dowling, whose light, breezy and entirely predictable screenplay for Just Go with It (2011) ticked all the rom-com boxes, and you end up with a satisfying explanation of all that is good about This Means War.

Film Review: Unstoppable

Unstoppable. Rated M (infrequent coarse language). 98 minutes. Directed by Tony Scott. Screenplay by Mark Bomback.

The latest race-against-impending-doom high-octane thriller from Scott (Top Gun, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Enemy of the State) has left the railyard – un-manned and under its own ever-increasing speed.

In pursuit of his out-of-control loco adventure, Tony Scott, the younger brother of director Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, Robin Hood), is helped considerably by the ‘based on a true story’ hook and Bomback’s (Die Hard 4) screenplay which absolutely fits the boys-own adventure blueprint – chock-a-block with dare-devil heroics, stunts galore and a mean, lean line in flawed relationship backstory.

Charged with reining in the rogue locomotive and its rolling stock laden with toxic chemicals before it derails and explodes in the middle of a heavily-populated American town, Scott regular Denzel Washington (Frank, a veteran engineer) and Chris Pine (Will, a tyro conductor) throw themselves at the perilous tasks at hand with generous lashings of charismatic macho abandon. Rosario Dawson (Connie, the yard controller) and Kevin Dunn (Galvin, the rail company executive) provide fine support as ally and bombastic foe respectively.

Ben Seresin’s (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) gritty, stylised cinematography and Chris Seagers’ (Saving Private Ryan) extravagant production design ensure that every authentic detail of the story’s rollicking execution is masterfully and atmospherically rendered. The editing by Chris Lebenzon (Pearl Harbor, Alice in Wonderland, Armageddon) and Robert Duffy never misses a frantic beat as Scott and Seresin’s camera swoops, sweeps and strains to capture the unfolding drama from every possible (and a couple of seemingly quite impossible) angles.

Nail-biters? You have been warned!

Pictured: Chris Pine in one of Unstoppable's rare (and momentary) pensive moments.

This review was commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group.