Fans of the original series as well as the 2009 Star Trek film by J. J. Abrams have applauded Star Trek Into Darkness. The characters so familiar to “Trekkies” are present and accounted for as the crew of the Enterprise embark on a journey to save the future of the planet.
The “Prime Directive” of the United Federation of Planets requires no interference with other species, but that rule goes by the wayside in the beginning of the movie as Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) reveals his ship to the inhabitants of a primitive red planet to save his friend Spock (Zachary Quinto). Once back on Earth, Kirk is relieved of his command however when Starfleet Command is attacked, Kirk regains his status as Captain of the Enterprise and his old crew unite on a perilous journey to find and kill Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch), the man responsible for the attack.
Spock talks his friend into capturing Khan instead of killing him. That is a big mistake, as Kirk and his crew soon discover. Pitted against an unlikely rival in the form of a commander named Marcus (Peter Weller), the crew of the Enterprise must use all their cunning and skills to survive when the ship is rendered basically useless in space.
So, you might be wondering about the rest of the crew besides Kirk and Spock. Karl Urban is spot-on in his portrayal of McCoy, aka Bones. Anton Yelchin is a delightful Chekov, John Cho is equally impressive as Sulu, and Simon Pegg nails his role of Scotty. Zoe Saldana takes the role of Uhura.
The special effects are remarkable and the story is entertaining even for those who are not “Trekkies” although it does help to know some of the characters and background.
The Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy and many bonus features. It’s often unimaginable to realize how much time and effort goes into one sequence. The opening sequence, for instance, known as the “Red Planet” where Kirk disregarded “The Prime Directive,” was originally going to be filmed in Hawaii but that turned out to be too expensive, so the filmmakers created their own red planet on the mainland. Watching them prepare the sets is exhausting but intriguing. And the way they created the aliens is also interesting to learn. There are many featurettes giving viewers in up-close-and-personal look at the making of this movie, as well as the partnership with the organization “Continuing the Mission” which focuses on veterans who continue to serve their country.
“I’m excited for viewers at home to check out Star Trek Into Darkness on Blu-ray and DVD,” said director J.J. Abrams. “They did a great job and I’m thrilled with how everything looks and sounds. We also have some really fun behind-the-scenes special features…”
Viewing this film, which is a combination of Star Trek and Star Wars, on Blu-ray is an amazing experience, however it is also available on a single DVD, and for those with 3D TVs, there is a combo pack with everything in the Blu-ray combo pack along with a Blu-ray 3D.
