Star Trek Into Darkness review: Phasers set to stun!

Chris Pine as Captain Kirk and Bruce Greenwood as Captain Pike

It’s been 4 years since the first of J.J. Abrams Star Trek movies, a relatively long time between instalments for a film franchise so the wait, has been long. The first Star Trek did well reviving the well-loved 1960’s cult series so the second had a big mission on its hand; to be as good, if not better. Into Darkness does achieve this, but only just.

The action starts as soon as the production company credits stop rolling, with the best-known members of Starfleet trying to neutralise an erupting volcano to save an entire alien race. Audiences are soon brought up to speed with the character’s traits in this short scene, making it apparent that Abrams may have included this snippet before the opening titles just for new watchers to all that is Trek.

People Like Us review

After the death of his father, Sam (Chris Pine), a young man from New York, is forced to face his family after years of estrangement. Motivated by the hope of a large pay out in his father’s will to cover his personal debt, he travels to his hometown to stay with his mother for the funeral.

However, his plans soon change when it turns out the only thing his Dad left him, was an old leather, shaving bag. Inside the bag are instructions for Sam to leave all his father’s money to a boy named Josh. Intrigued as to who this Josh is, Sam investigates and (rather quickly) discovers that Josh is in fact the son of his half sister (Elizabeth Banks), whom he has never met.