'Into Darkness' Blasts Rebooted Trek Franchise Beyond Greatness.

Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) interrogate their mysterious prisoner (Benedict Cumberbatch).

Remember when it wasn't the in-thing to be a Star Trek fan, proudly clad in a Starfleet uniform, pointed Vulcan ears and comprehensive understanding of Klingon. Well, with the 2009 Star Trek reboot, JJ Abrams did the unthinkable transforming the franchise's 40+ year-old reputation of being an exclusive club of diehard sci-fi fans to reaching a much broader audience, now more appreciative to go where no man has gone before.

Star Trek Into Darkness continues where the 2009 blockbuster left off with James Kirk (Chris Pine), the hot-headed captain of the Enterprise with more experience under his belt, but still under the pretense that he's above the rules. After recklessly risking the safety of his crew on a primitive planet, Kirk is temporarily stripped of his captaincy until he's personally assigned to hunt down a terrorist (BBC Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch) with deep ties to Starfleet out to the far reaches of the galaxy.

If the 2009 film was the Star Wars of this generation, Star Trek Into Darkness echoes The Empire Strikes Back, a darker much deeper addition to the Trek canon that will alienate some diehards initially, but over time takes its place as the finest installment in the series. Star Trek Into Darkness depends highly on the fact that audiences have seen the previous film and the 60s series. 

Abrams tosses in reference after reference that Trekkies will get, deem even forced to some degree, but they're brushed off more so as throwbacks. Star Trek Into Darkness does a fine job exploring enough new territory, but reels in the endless opportunities by playing it safe shedding light on a few classic story arcs done before.

Abrams is the best thing to happen to the Star Trek franchise since Star Trek: The Next Generation in its heyday. Delving deeper into this Alternate Universe, Into Darkness demonstrates that Abrams is more than capable of being a director who knows how to get things done and ultimately make it a well-rounded success. So for anyone doubting his involvement will affect Star Wars Episode VII, don't be.

The entire returning cast are more confident in their roles in this second go-around as if this were a third or fourth film rather than the immediate follow-up. Granted with new additions like Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve and Peter Weller juicing up their moments, so if you're not Captain Kirk or Mr. Spock, you'll get lost in the shuffle.       

But the real story here is Benedict Cumberbatch as terrorist, John Harrison. Except for a few smaller releases and BBC's Sherlock, this is the real introduction to Cumberbatch and he owns every single scene he's in, upstaging even Pine's Kirk and Quinto's Spock. That deep commanding voice alone baits audiences into believing that Harrison is somebody not to be trifled with either physically or mentally. And even when Harrison is captured by a bunch of redshirts (Trekkies know how disposable they are) and seemingly helpless, you have no doubts there's a clever plan being crafted.

At 130 minutes, Star Trek Into Darkness is jammed packed with nonstop action, never letting up for a single moment. While it's not as precisely paced as the 2009 film, there are smarter and much more opportunities for character moments and a heftier story that works the warp core a bit more. The action remains slick, intense and to the pleasure of fans, with fewer lens flare indulgences.

Into Darkness is by far the undisputed movie event of 2013 and everything a smart summer blockbuster should be, warping past every other installment in the 35-year-old film franchise with the closest being Abrams' previous Trek film. There's no doubt about it, Star Trek is here to stay and to boldly go where no other sci-fi franchise has gone before.

GRADE: A+ (10/10)